Truly Madly Deeply Boxed Set(24)

“I spent last night staked out in front of some dive in the ‘Combat Zone’,” Ryan said.

“Boston’s answer to sleaze. What were you doing in a red-light district?”

“Domestic dispute.”

“I thought you didn’t take those kind of cases anymore. Breaking up marriages made you sick, or some such nonsense.” Griff snorted. “If you ask me, anyone who hires you for a case like that is halfway to a divorce already.”

Ryan shook his head. “Still cynical as ever, I see.”

“Like I don’t have a reason,” Griff muttered.

Ryan cocked an eyebrow. “Back to the all-women-are-alike mentality?” he asked.

“Aren’t they?”

“I don’t know. Was your sister-in-law anything like Deidre?”

That gave him pause. In truth, he’d always liked his brother’s wife. Never once during the frequent family dinners and nights he’d shown up unannounced had he ever sensed a similarity between his aloof fiancée and the warm, loving woman his brother had married. Nor had he seen a comparison to his mother, who’d earned the name only by giving birth to two children.

“No,” he reluctantly admitted. “Shannon was unique.”

“She was special, but not unique. Exceptions to every rule,” his friend said with a smug grin.

Were there? Griff couldn’t help thinking of Chelsie. She was Shannon’s sister, and blood counted for something. If the past few weeks were any indication, Chelsie might well be more like her sister than like her wealthy, selfish parents.

Time would tell.

“Maybe you just haven’t found the exception of your own,” Ryan suggested.

Maybe he had and wasn’t ready to accept it. “Don’t you ever get tired of spouting advice?” Griff asked. “Maybe if you didn’t spend every night on surveillance, you’d have a life of your own and could quit worrying about mine.”

Ryan didn’t answer, a rarity in and of itself.

“So what were you doing last night, anyway?” Griff asked.

“Family favor.”

“Your sister?”

“Yeah. For once, I didn’t mind the boredom. I came up empty.” He formed a zero with this thumb and forefinger.

“Guess she appreciates you more now than when we used to tag along after her,” Griff said. “Even Jared grew up to appreciate his pain-in-the-butt older brother.”

“Yeah. After he got over the fact that we tailed him home from school to protect him and ended up blowing his first chance at scoring with the woman of his dreams,” Ryan said on a laugh.

With his little brother gone, the times when Griff, Ryan, and Jared had stuck together through school, sweat-filled summers on the streets, and a rough neighborhood seemed like a distant memory. But to Griff s surprise, Ryan’s recollection made him smile instead of gripping him with grief.

There were moments, Griff was sure, when his little brother had resented Griff and Ryan’s constant interference, but all three of them had benefited from the closeness they’d shared.

“So how’s the squirt?” Ryan asked, changing the subject.

Griff leaned back against the plastic seat cushion. The diner across from the local courthouse wasn’t known for comfort or good food, just quick service. “Actually, Alix is great.”

“Sleeping?”

“Not through the night, but for longer hours at a stretch.” Coincidence or not, Griff appreciated the pre-bedtime hours Chelsie gave to his niece. She might not have children of her own, but the woman definitely had mother potential. Some man would be lucky to get her.

“What’s with the scowl?” Ryan asked.

“Nothing.”

“So what do you think made the difference?”

Griff had avoided this subject for the past two weeks. But Ryan had been a true friend when he needed one, so Griff decided to level with him and accept the consequences.

“I’ve got help.”

“Anyone I know?”

“Chelsie Russell.”

“Hot damn, I knew it.” Ryan smacked his hand on the table. “I haven’t heard from you in over a week, so I figured something was up.” He paused to gulp the remainder of his coffee. “Well, I hope things work out for you.”

“That’s it?”

Ryan placed a hand over his heart. “You wound me. I’m a sensitive guy. I know when to keep my mouth shut.”

“You’re a pal.” Griff stood. “I’ve got to get back.”

“Listen, if things are serious, I could do a little digging. See what turns up.”

“No!”

“Touchy.”

“I thought you were sure Chelsie was my answer to life,” Griff said, shooting Ryan a questioning look.