“Really? You’re really gonna bring my mom up as a segue to try to get me married and producing?” Noah said with another laugh. “I’ve been warned about your matchmaking abilities and of all the ways you’ll go about getting what you want.”
“Warned?” Joseph said, sitting straight up as the word came out as a roar. “I’m offended.”
Noah didn’t even try to hold back his merriment now. He laughed harder than he had in a very long time. The pure indignant expression on Joseph’s face was priceless. It was taking all he had not to pull out his camera and snap a few pics to share with his siblings and cousins. But he was sure they’d seen the exact same look on Joseph’s face many times before.
“Oh, come on. You’re telling me no one ever calls you out on your meddling ways? I find that nearly impossible to believe,” Noah said.
“I’d never offer my assistance where it’s not wanted or appreciated,” Joseph said. But as if he was finally beginning to realize Noah was toying with him, the look fell away, and he sat back, eyeing Noah with a look that appeared slightly respectful. “You’re a little smarter than I realized.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Noah said, now the one feeling slightly insulted.
“I just might have underestimated you,” Joseph added.
“Hmm, many people have. I like to sit back and assess a situation before jumping in feetfirst.”
“I see.” Joseph didn’t add more, and Noah wanted to demand what he had seen. But then Joseph would realize he was getting to him, and he wasn’t going to give the man that much power. He had enough as it was.
“Okay, let’s get to the point. I do have a lot of work to do,” Noah told him, not having as much fun with this game now.
“There’s no point. I just wanted to make sure things are going well,” Joseph said.
“Well, things are on schedule. Sarah and I are meeting at the site next week to get an idea for the final layout. Hudson and his crew are getting anxious for the final plans, but as you’re at the site nearly daily, you know how the first building is going, so I don’t know how much more I can add.”
“Is Sarah doing well?” Joseph asked.
Sarah was brand new as an architect, but Noah would be lying if he said she was anything less than exceptional. She was meant to do this job.
“She’s got great ideas and spends a lot of time on this project. Someday I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s designing for the best of the best. She’s a true artist,” Noah said, meaning it.
“That’s great to hear. I knew from the beginning she’d be excellent for this project.”
“And you don’t hire anyone but the best,” Noah said with another chuckle, feeling more at ease again.
“Of course not. I wouldn’t be where I am now if I settled for mediocre,” Joseph told him.
“All kidding aside, Joseph, I’m truly thankful to be a part of this project. Our veterans don’t get nearly as much respect and help as they deserve. Thank you,” Noah said.
“I’m proud of you and your siblings for serving our country. I knew you’d be the best men to make sure this project is exceptional, and it will be the new standard for more facilities like it all across the United States.”
“I hope that’s the case. I hope it gets so much publicity the public will rise up and demand we do more for those who keep us safe.”
“I agree, son.”
They talked for the next hour about the project, and Noah managed to dodge every single question Joseph threw his way, trying to dig out information about his and Sarah’s relationship.
It wasn’t hard to do, as he couldn’t actually explain his relationship with her. Yes, the two of them had been like two magnets drawn to each other from the moment they’d first met, but lately it was more as if they were bombs with the fuses lit and ready to explode.
They were either going to go up in flames together, or they were going to turn out to be duds. He wasn’t sure what was going to happen in the end. He just knew he was more than willing to play it out and feel the explosion, if or when it came.
CHAPTER FIVE
Noah stepped from his large Ford F-350 truck and looked up at the massive walls of his brother’s home. It was a far cry from the small three-bedroom house they’d grown up in. Though it had been cramped, he couldn’t remember ever feeling miserable there. He’d been with his wonderful mother and four siblings, and he hadn’t minded being stacked on top of one another.
It was still odd to see how far all of them had come since those early days, though. Sure, there might’ve been some bad times, but what he recalled with clarity was all of the good. The stories he could tell of some of the adventures he’d had with his siblings could probably fill a novel—and entertain whoever chose to read such a book.
Though his childhood had been filled with good memories, he’d still had a need to escape home. He’d wanted to find adventure, see the world, travel, find out what life was like on his own. He’d been a brother and a son, and he’d wanted to find out what it was like to be an individual.
He’d found that and more when he’d signed up for the navy at the tender age of eighteen. He’d barely graduated high school when he’d said goodbye to his family and run off to boot camp. His brothers had each done the same. It wasn’t that they’d had an example to follow; it was just that they’d been called to serve. Maybe it was because they’d had such an awful father and a wonderful mother. He wasn’t sure why. He was just grateful he’d done what he’d done.
After one contract, though, he’d decided not to make a military career his focus, and he hadn’t reenlisted, but that didn’t take away his respect for the armed services, and it certainly didn’t take away his love for the project he’d been asked to help with. He was honored to be designing the Anderson veterans facility. And he was glad to do it with Sarah.
Noah’s mother had been gone now for over a year, and the shock of her death still hadn’t worn off. Maybe that was why he was currently at his brother’s place. Since they’d lost her, they’d all been spending more time together, realizing that life wasn’t eternal. In the blink of an eye someone they loved more than life itself could be gone. They’d never gone through a period in life when they hadn’t liked one another, but at the same time, they’d all grown busy and complacent in their lives, and sometimes it would be months before they realized they hadn’t spoken.
After losing their mother, they’d promised to never let that happen again. Now Noah didn’t go more than a day without talking to at least one of his siblings. He honestly couldn’t say he favored one more than the other. It depended on the day and the mood he was in to determine who he wanted to speak to more.
Each of his siblings had different personalities. It was kind of amusing how they could grow up in such a tight-knit family and all be so very different. They each had a strong work ethic, but they were as different as night and day. Their personalities ranged from almost too serious to romantic to humorous to easygoing. But he had noticed the older they got, the more each of them changed. Maybe life was about adapting to new situations and experiences. You didn’t have to fit neatly into a mold and stay there forever. Breaking away from the bonds of life was quite therapeutic.