Page 58 of Hope After Loss

“Keep telling yourself that,” Corbin mumbles.

Garrett throws ten chicken breasts on the grill, and then he takes us all on a tour. The house truly is impressive. The chef’s kitchen leads to a dining room that will seat our entire family and then some. The living room boasts a large fireplace and floor-to-ceiling windows with a staircase that leads to the second floor, which holds all the bedrooms. They are huge, each one not only hosting an en suite, but also double walk-in closets and glass doors that lead out to a shared balcony with a spectacular view. The master has attached his and her offices and a private balcony with a hot tub. The basement houses a theater room, home gym, and recording studio.

We return to the patio and the outdoor kitchen. Garrett mans the grill while we settle around the picnic table.

“Beer?” I ask.

“In the fridge by the sink,” Garrett answers.

I grab a cold one for us and pop the tops.

“When will the women be back?” Morris asks.

“I got them a few rooms at the Hermitage Hotel and booked them all spa treatments. They won’t be back until tomorrow night,” Garrett says.

“We all staying here then?” I ask.

“Might as well. Tucker and Caleb are bunking down with Pop,” Langford discloses.

“I can’t. I’m meeting some of the guys for poker night,” Morris states.

“Poker night. Where?” Graham asks.

“At the VFW.”

Corbin shakes his head. “If you wanna meet women, you have to go where the women are, Einstein,” he tells him.

“Like where?”

“Depends on what kind of woman you are interested in,” I answer.

“Someone like Mom.”

“Ew, damn, son. Why would you say something like that to us?” Langford asks.

“God, you guys are gross. I mean, I want to meetthe one. More than sex. I want a companion. Someone I care about. Someone to be my best friend. One I can laugh with,” Morris explains.

“Shit, you might as well give her your balls with your heart,” Langford mumbles.

“Yeah, sorry, bud, I can’t help you with that,” I say.

“I can,” Graham chimes.

“Yeah? So, how do you know when you find that?” Morris asks.

“You just do. You either know it when you meet her or you’ll figure it out when you lose her,” Graham informs.

“Great. Thanks for the advice, assholes.”

“Do you have a woman in mind?” Corbin asks.

“Yeah, a girl I met on campus last year. She’s from Nashville. Her dad is a record executive, and her mom is a doctor. They live in a mansion just outside of downtown. I’ve taken a few trips up there to visit her. I even rented a chalet in Snowshoe and took her and her friends for a ski weekend.”

“You took her and her friends? As in you paid for the entire trip?” Garrett asks.

“Yep.”

“Did you get laid?” I inquire.