Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

BOONE

“Boone!” Golden, my younger sister shouts as she gets out of the passenger seat of her Range Rover. She runs over to me and jumps into my arms for a hug. We are standing in front of the bank. Customers walk past us and smile.

“Golden. What are you doing here? I thought you weren’t coming back until next week.” She went home a few days ago to get some things together for her sophomore year of college.

“Nice to see you too, asshole,” she says, letting me go.

“That’s not what I meant.” Golden can be sensitive when she wants to be, obstinate is more like it, but you can’t tell her that either.

“Pierson wanted to drive me again,” she says and that’s when I notice my best friend Pierson Brooks standing by the hood of the car. Makes sense though. At twenty-five, we’re six years older than Golden, but he’s been in love with her for longer than he should have been. She’s of age now, so I’m not sure why he’s not made his move yet. I’m not getting involved though. “Hannah called and told me to come back sooner.”

“Why?” I ask, already knowing the answer.

“She said you met your wife, and I should get down her ASAP and meet her too.”

“I’m sure she did. July and I have been on one date.” I know it’s forever but everyone else doesn’t need to know that I’m crazy. “Hey Piers.” I move to shake his hand, but he pulls me into a hug instead.

“Nice to see you, bro.”

“Nice to see you, too.”

“Wife, huh?” he asks, grinning at me.

“Yeah. I’ll tell you about her later.”

“Can’t wait.”

“Anyway, I know you have work. We’re going out to the Jas and Hannah’s. We’ll see you later,” Golden says. They leave and I head into the bank. I drop my briefcase off at my desk and head into Jude’s office.

“Well, well, well… Look what the cat dragged in,” he says grinning.

“What?” I ask, confused.

“Where have you been for the last two days?” he asks pointedly.

“I’ve been busy with July.”

“Right. Busy.”

We chat for a few minutes about the Hannah and the baby before I broach the subject I came in here too.

“Is there any more I can be doing work wise? I’d like to stay on here and do more of this side of things.”

“I thought you wanted to go back to work for your dad?”

“I did. That was the plan in the beginning but then I got here and started doing this. I feel like there’s more I can be doing on this end.”

“Of course man. I’ll put you somewhere.”

“Thanks. I’m grateful.”

“What’s family for? Speaking of, I want to invite you and July to dinner in a few nights time. Hannah will let you know exactly when. Golden and Pierson are back.”

“Yeah, I just saw them.”

“Good. We’ll be there. Thanks again.”

As soon as I leave his office, I text July to meet her for lunch. I can’t wait for her to meet my family. The next step after that is becoming my wife.