Chapter Seventy-Five

Colton hung on every word his brother shared about the family. Even the most basic things, such as how Tyler had stuck a rock up his nose and they were in the ER for hours. This was real life. This was his family. Colton couldn’t get enough.

“So, tell me what you’re up to. At least the parts you’re able to share,” John said with a wry smile.

After hearing all the excitement of John’s life, Colton didn’t want the spotlight focused on him and the boredom of his own.

He puffed out a breath. “I’m a high school math teacher. Can you believe it?”

“Actually, I can. You were always a whiz at math.”

“It’s an anybody job,” Colton said, kicking at the dirt with the toe of his shoe.

“The hell it is. You sound like Dad now.” John seemed disgusted by the thought.

Colton studied his brother for a moment. “What’s wrong with sounding like Dad?” he finally asked when John didn’t elaborate.

His brother swiped a hand over his mouth. “Dad was a great detective and an honorable man, but now that I’m a dad myself, I can see some areas where he failed us.”

Colton was taken aback. No one had ever spoken ill of their father. He had always been a saint and a hero. “Like what?” he asked. He wasn’t a father, so maybe he couldn’t see what John saw.

“All five of us are in law enforcement. What are the odds of that?” John held out his hand as if that explained everything.

It didn’t. “And?”

“And he molded us into the thing he knew rather than get to know us as individuals and encourage each of us to be what we excelled at, or what we were passionate about. From the time we were able to understand, being a cop was the only acceptable thing to do if we wanted to be somebody instead of just anybody.”

Colton had never thought about it like that, but hearing it now, he realized it was true. He’d never been asked what he wanted to be when he grew up. It had always been assumed, so eventually he assumed it, too.

“Carson has high blood pressure and a stomach ulcer,” John said with a frown. “Brock and Rachel are getting divorced, and Kody is just plain miserable. Being a cop is hard enough if you love it, but if you get in and figure out it’s not for you, it will slowly destroy you.”

Colton stared in bewilderment into the trees around them, seeing nothing.

His brother had just turned his entire universe on its axis.

John shook his head. “I’ll be damned if I’m going to force Tyler into this life, or tell him he’s not somebody if he’s an artist or an engineer.” He grinned. “I got him this really cool set of blocks. He mostly knocks them over, but I’ve been building some kickass shit. Robin says I have a gift for design. She thinks I should look into some classes.” He acted like it was no big deal, but Colton saw the pride in his expression.

“I guess I never thought about it like that.” Colton laughed once. “To be honest, I do like teaching. I’m just not used to being so…well, bored.”

“Are you truly bored, or are you just lonely?” John looked past him to where Angel was playing with Pudge.

Colton followed his gaze. “Admittedly, I haven’t been bored since she showed up, that’s for sure.”

“Well, then. That’s what you want. Find yourself a wild woman and hold on tight.” John winked and waggled his eyebrows.

Colton covered his eyes and shook his head. “I do not want to hear this about the mother of my nephew. Stop.”

John laughed, the sound comfortingly familiar. “I bet you’re a damned good teacher. Kody would never have made it through the academy if you hadn’t patiently prepared him for the test.”

True. Colton had forgotten about that. Or rather, he’d never noticed. There had only ever been one path for him. “I do like making a difference in a kid’s life,” he admitted, thinking of Kenny and how he’d just needed someone to care about him and encourage him.

“I hate that you’re not able to be in our lives,” John said with a wistful expression, “but this might be the best thing that happened to you. A wake-up call. A chance to do what you want to do instead of what has been expected of you since you became the son of Detective Jack Williamson. Let yourself enjoy teaching. Don’t think of it as an anybody job. Because, trust me, nobody can do it the way you do it.”

Colton thought about that for a long moment. And admitted to himself that he did enjoy teaching. His new life wouldn’t be so bad if he had someone there with him. Someone to come home to every day. He liked helping kids, seeing their eyes light up when he explained something in a way that led them to understand. And yeah, he was good at it.

John had a point. It might not be the action and excitement he missed as much as having someone to share his life with. He looked over at Angel again, and hoped he wouldn’t have to let her go.

Because she was the one he wanted to be there with him.