Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 85322 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85322 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
He turned bashful and scoffed in an attempt to dismiss what I said. “That’s nuts. If I decide to go to college, there are community colleges right here in the city.”
“Yeah, and they’re well-known for their awesome computer science programs or whatever a hacker-in-the-making wants to study.”
He scowled to himself and turned to his computer again. “I’m still not used to having grown-ups give a shit. Can you ask West to knock it off?”
I grinned. “Fuck no.”
He rolled his eyes. “Besides, which Ivy League school accepts a crappy GED graduate?”
“The ones that also accept very large donations from the Scott family,” I drawled. “If you wanna go to school, we’ll make it a good one.”
He flicked me a glance. “What do you think about college?”
I shrugged and scratched my elbow. “Higher education never did me any favors, but I didn’t put in enough time and effort. Or money, for that matter.” Truth be told, I thought college was overhyped in many cases. It was just a way to bury a young person in debt, unless you were planning on becoming a doctor or something that really required years of schooling. What we needed more of were apprenticeships and in-house training. “College can be good for other things too, though,” I mentioned. “That’s how I met Ford and later decided to move to LA, where I met West.” I nodded at him. “It might do you good to meet people who aren’t Sons. Make more friends your age, find random classes you’re interested in…”
He chewed on his bottom lip and eyed the computer screen. “Maybe it’d be nice to be some other place when my brother comes home.”
Was that something he worried about? Dreaded, even? In that case, I had good news for him.
“I don’t think he’s coming back for a long time, buddy.”
He looked at me, confused and surprised. “Do you know something? Has he fucked up again? He doesn’t say much when we talk.”
“He’s fine,” I replied. “He’s not the sharpest tool in the shed, but they’ve made use of him as a courier between Dublin and the UK. He’s apparently met someone there too.”
Colby exhaled. “Okay. I hope he knocks her up and stays. Like, I want him alive and shit, just not near me.”
I could understand that. Although, let’s give the woman a chance to split before a kid got involved. We could make the guy stay, regardless.
“Would you be interested in seeing him?” I asked. “Like a visit, nothing permanent.”
Colby shrugged. “I dunno. I can’t say it’s on my mind.”
Fair enough. “Either way, you’ll get the chance sooner or later. West and I are thinking about flying the family over to Ireland for New Year’s—and that obviously includes you.”
That surprised him too.
I didn’t know why at this point. We had a busy holiday season upon us, and we were involving Colby in everything. We were flying out to Chicago the weekend after this one, for instance. We had a dinner soon to catch up with Evan and Malena. Holiday party at West’s office, though Colby was spared from having to attend. Christmas would be celebrated at home, with my big-ass family attending from both Mom’s and Dad’s sides. But now, knowing the O’Sheas, Murrays, and Fords traditionally spent the holidays in Killarney, I wanted a piece of that. They’d invited us, so maybe next year.
It’d been all kinds of adorable to see West itching to go, too. He wanted to play golf in Ireland with Shan, and he wanted to see where my ancestors came from. Hopefully not in that order, but you never knew.
Right now, I was just itching for him to come home. He’d left this morning for a two-day work trip up to Boston, and I wasn’t a fan. It’d been spur-of-the-moment, an emergency meeting involving the board or some shit.
When I heard a key jiggling in the lock on the front door, I looked out into the entryway and saw Kellan entering.
“Oi,” I said.
“It’s cold as fuck outside,” he replied, shuddering. He didn’t take off his coat. “Youse got lunch plans?”
“Not yet, but if you need inspiration, there’s a trash bag full of takeout containers over there.” I nodded at the bag by the coffee table.
“Screw that. You know I get my juice at the pub,” he said, removing his gloves. “That’s why I asked. Join me and save yourselves from that greasy shit.”
What the…?
“That’s a Hershel’s Reuben you’re taking a dump on, mate,” I told him. “That’s not okay.”
He flashed his hands in surrender. “My bad. I didn’t know Hershel’s was involved.” He walked farther in and flicked a brief glance at Colby, then back at me. “When’s my first sit-down?”
“At two,” I said. “You got a territory problem comin’ in hot from the Strawberry Mansion crew.”
He made a face. “My toilet paper costs more than what they bring in every month. I wish Finn would let the old guys go already.”