do.”
“The things that we do? Are you on here, Sam?”
His friend rubbed at the back of his head. “In the past, yes. Now it’s purely for research, for you!” He made a few quick clicks, and a woman’s portrait came up. “How about this one? She’s a single widow, like yourself, and loves kids.” He nodded toward the couch.
“Hey!” Greg objected. “I’m a full-on adult.”
“An adult with no job and whom still lives at home? You’re a kid.” Sam looked briefly puzzled with himself. “ Who still lives at home? Dammit, I don’t know.”
Greg didn’t bother to argue, choosing instead to sip quietly from his cocoa.
“I feel like this is all a bit sudden,” Brennan said, taking the laptop back and closing it. “Besides, CopAFeel seems more like a website for quickies rather than fostering relationships.”
Sam placed a hand on his shoulder. “Baby steps, kemosabe. You need to crawl before you can walk.”
“I thought I was already up to baby stepping. Now I need to crawl?”
“I’m mixing metaphors here, give me a break.”
“As long as you’re my ever faithful sidekick, Tonto, then I think I can allow that.” Brennan grinned, but Sam just shook his head and pulled on his jacket.
“All right, give me everything you have on the serial killer case,” Sam said.
Brennan was caught off guard. “I thought you didn’t have any time to work on the case. What happened to being on retainer for two days?”
Sam touched the tip of his nose. “That’s why you collect up-front, in cash,” he said. “I finished early, and I could always use extra cash from the department.”
“I can’t pay you,” Brennan reminded him. “Officially, I’m not on the case.”
Sam waved his hand. “I’ll dig something up and convince Bishop to commission my services…and then commission my services ,” he added, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.
“She’s still going to wonder how you got involved with the case to begin with.”
“Wallace,” Sam said instantly. “He technically did tell me, unprompted, to keep you away from the case. He opened the door for me to be involved. I’ll just say he piqued my interest.”
“Perfect. I don’t have it all down right now, but I’ll send you a file later tonight.”
“Sounds good.” Sam slapped him on the back. “I’ll talk to you soon. See you later, Greg!”
Greg waved as the apartment door shut behind Sam. Brennan contemplated the closed laptop and looked at his nephew on the couch. “You really think this is a good idea?”
“He’s good at his job, right? Seems like the police could use his help as much as yours.”
“Not that,” Brennan said. “I meant the online dating. I haven’t been with anyone else since your aunt died.”
Something shifted about the way Greg held himself, because a moment later he was as serious as Brennan had ever seen him. “This is exactly what Sam and I were talking about. You need to stop thinking about your life in relation to hers. It doesn’t mean you can’t remember her, but honoring her memory and holding on to a ghost are two separate things.”
Brennan stared at him for a long minute. “You’re entirely too mature for your age.”
Greg laughed. “I’m just a kid, remember?”
“That’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about,” Brennan said. “Have you given any thought about college? Or a job?”
“I thought you were cool with me staying here.”
“I am, of course. But you don’t want to be that guy who sleeps on a sofa his entire life. You’re missing out on crucial experience by being cooped up in here all day.” He crossed his arms and leaned against the counter. “What if you want to bring a girl back to your place? Because you sure as hell aren’t doing it on the couch.”
Greg remained silent.
“ Or my bed ,” Brennan added, and a smile cracked across Greg’s lips. “What I’m saying is that you’re almost nineteen and still don’t have any solid
“The things that we do? Are you on here, Sam?”
His friend rubbed at the back of his head. “In the past, yes. Now it’s purely for research, for you!” He made a few quick clicks, and a woman’s portrait came up. “How about this one? She’s a single widow, like yourself, and loves kids.” He nodded toward the couch.
“Hey!” Greg objected. “I’m a full-on adult.”
“An adult with no job and whom still lives at home? You’re a kid.” Sam looked briefly puzzled with himself. “ Who still lives at home? Dammit, I don’t know.”
Greg didn’t bother to argue, choosing instead to sip quietly from his cocoa.
“I feel like this is all a bit sudden,” Brennan said, taking the laptop back and closing it. “Besides, CopAFeel seems more like a website for quickies rather than fostering relationships.”
Sam placed a hand on his shoulder. “Baby steps, kemosabe. You need to crawl before you can walk.”
“I thought I was already up to baby stepping. Now I need to crawl?”
“I’m mixing metaphors here, give me a break.”
“As long as you’re my ever faithful sidekick, Tonto, then I think I can allow that.” Brennan grinned, but Sam just shook his head and pulled on his jacket.
“All right, give me everything you have on the serial killer case,” Sam said.
Brennan was caught off guard. “I thought you didn’t have any time to work on the case. What happened to being on retainer for two days?”
Sam touched the tip of his nose. “That’s why you collect up-front, in cash,” he said. “I finished early, and I could always use extra cash from the department.”
“I can’t pay you,” Brennan reminded him. “Officially, I’m not on the case.”
Sam waved his hand. “I’ll dig something up and convince Bishop to commission my services…and then commission my services ,” he added, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.
“She’s still going to wonder how you got involved with the case to begin with.”
“Wallace,” Sam said instantly. “He technically did tell me, unprompted, to keep you away from the case. He opened the door for me to be involved. I’ll just say he piqued my interest.”
“Perfect. I don’t have it all down right now, but I’ll send you a file later tonight.”
“Sounds good.” Sam slapped him on the back. “I’ll talk to you soon. See you later, Greg!”
Greg waved as the apartment door shut behind Sam. Brennan contemplated the closed laptop and looked at his nephew on the couch. “You really think this is a good idea?”
“He’s good at his job, right? Seems like the police could use his help as much as yours.”
“Not that,” Brennan said. “I meant the online dating. I haven’t been with anyone else since your aunt died.”
Something shifted about the way Greg held himself, because a moment later he was as serious as Brennan had ever seen him. “This is exactly what Sam and I were talking about. You need to stop thinking about your life in relation to hers. It doesn’t mean you can’t remember her, but honoring her memory and holding on to a ghost are two separate things.”
Brennan stared at him for a long minute. “You’re entirely too mature for your age.”
Greg laughed. “I’m just a kid, remember?”
“That’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about,” Brennan said. “Have you given any thought about college? Or a job?”
“I thought you were cool with me staying here.”
“I am, of course. But you don’t want to be that guy who sleeps on a sofa his entire life. You’re missing out on crucial experience by being cooped up in here all day.” He crossed his arms and leaned against the counter. “What if you want to bring a girl back to your place? Because you sure as hell aren’t doing it on the couch.”
Greg remained silent.
“ Or my bed ,” Brennan added, and a smile cracked across Greg’s lips. “What I’m saying is that you’re almost nineteen and still don’t have any solid
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