Page 8 of Unlikely to Stay
Griff was the epitome of huge.Huge arms, huge legs, huge tattoo sleeves from shoulders to wrists, huge beard.At first glance, he was a very intimidating man.But once a person got to know him, they also realized how huge Griff’s heart was.He was one of the good ones.Lord knew he had to be for putting up with his Meemaw Kelda his entire life.
Brant chuckled.“I’ve been super busy at the clinic lately.”
Griff took a drink of the root beer in his hand.Brant had learned early on that Griff wasn’t much of a drinker.His biological father was a mean drunk who ran off on their family when Griff was young so he steered clear of alcohol.Brant didn’t blame him.
“I heard you stitched up ol’ Romeo real nice,” Griff said with a wink.“I didn’t know you had your veterinary license as well.”
Brant rolled his eyes.Oh, how he loved living in a small town.Absolutely no anonymity whatsoever.“God!Does everybody know?”
Griff laughed.“You act like June was going to keep it a secret.As soon as she left the clinic, she took ol’ Romeo to bingo at the senior citizens center to show all the women in her bingo circle what amazing work you did.”
“They play bingo at nine a.m.?”
Griff took another swig of his root beer.“Absolutely.Everyone knows Friday morning is bingo, bagels, and breakfast tea morning.”
Brant looked at him disbelievingly.“Seriously?”
“I can’t make this shit up, man.Tuesday is darts, donuts, and dark hot chocolate; Wednesday is canasta, kolaches and coffee and…I can’t remember the other days.My meemaw used to go to them all but now her mornings are usually spent with Burt.”Griff rolled his eyes and shuddered.“I never thought I’d say I wish she’d go back to her mornings at the senior citizens center so she could complain about Madge Perkins cheating.”
Brant nodded.That was something he could definitely understand.Kelda had told him about the time Griff and Breckin had walked in on her and Burt…well, indisposed.It was enough to leave a man scarred for life.
Megan returned with his beer.“Here’s your beer, Brant.Your food should be up soon.”
“Thanks, Megs.”
The men watched as Megan walked off to take care of a table.“Let me tell ya,” Griff said, pointing his root beer bottle her way, “that girl has come alongway.I didn’t know if she was going to make it when I first hired her.She was a bumbling mess.Now look at her.She can practically run this place on her own.”
“You sound like a proud dad,” Brant said with a grin, taking a swig of his beer.
“Hey!I’m not that old!”
Brant grinned.“True.Big brother then.”
“That’s more like it.So when are you going to take me up on the offer to hang out at Wyatt’s house with us?You can’t live the life of a hermit forever.Eventually you’re going to have to branch out of that serious, mysterious cocoon you have wrapped around you.”
“I don’t have a serious, mysterious…cocoon?That was weird, Griff.”
The other man shrugged his shoulders.“I’ve never claimed to be a poet.All I can say is we’d have a lot of fun.With the weather warming up, we’ll be able to go fishing soon.Wyatt and I might even show you our super secret, super awesome spot on the lake where we catch the big ones.But Wyatt isn’t going to let you come unless you at least make an appearance at his house once or twice.”
Brant took another drink of his beer and contemplated Griff’s offer.Hehadbeen living the life of a recluse since moving to Parker.He had never been one to make friends easily.He learned early on not to make friends if he was just going to move from one foster home to another.Then, when he became stable at Betty’s house, it was just easier for it to be him and her.She had closed her foster home shortly after adopting him.Just Brant and Betty Billings against the world.They always laughed about the looks they got when she enrolled him in school and showed up for parent-teacher conferences as his mother.She was the only one who had really believed in him; he hadn’t needed anyone else.
But now he had been in Parker for two and a half years.Betty was still living in her small house in downtown Oklahoma City that hadn’t been overtaken by the revitalization of downtown around 2008.Brant didn’t have anyone.Not even a cat or hamster.Or a damn plant for that matter.It was time to remedy that situation.He wasn’t the scared, angry foster kid he once was.He was a successful, confident medical professional who had a lot to offer.
“Why not?”he said.“It’s not like I have a woman nagging me to come home at a certain hour.I don’t even own a cat.”
Griff grinned.“Just wait until you meet the right woman.Then you won’t care about the nagging.”
Brant raised his eyebrows.“Seriously?”
The other man laughed.“Okay, okay.You won’t care about the naggingthatmuch.”
Brant laughed along with him.“That sounds more realistic.”
“So when do you want to come over?”
“You tell me what works for you.It’s not like my schedule is full or anything.”
“Want to come over next weekend?We can watch the NBA playoffs.”