The basement family room was a big, comfortable space with overstuffed sofas and chairs grouped in front of a large flat-screen television. At the far end sat an old air hockey table. But he didn’t have time to take much more in before five pair of eyes settled on them.
“Hey,” Makenna said to a big round of greetings. Her brothers—clear from the various shades of red hair—all got up to give her a hug. Which left a fourth guy with blond hair and Ken-doll good looks who Caden didn’t know. Makenna took the tray of appetizers from Caden’s hands as she said, “Uh, guys, this is Caden Grayson.” She introduced her brothers, but seemed suddenly nervous.
“I’m Patrick,” the first brother said, holding out his hand. He was the oldest James brother—seven years older than Makenna if Caden remembered right. Tall with reddish-brown hair and a close-trimmed beard, he wore a friendly smile as they shook.
“Nice to meet you, Patrick. I’ve heard a lot about you,” Caden said.
“I’m Ian,” the next brother said, his expression not as friendly. He stepped back from their handshake fairly quickly and fell into conversation with the mystery blond man—who Makenna was staring at, a frown on her face.
The last brother had the brightest red hair, so red it was almost orange. “Caden, I’m Collin and this is my girlfriend Shima,” he said with a friendly, open smile. Caden shook both of their hands.
Shima pushed her sleek black hair over her shoulder and smiled conspiratorially. “We can stick together today if the James clan decides to gang up on the newcomers.”
Caden chuckled. “You’ve got a deal.”
“Dad made some appetizers,” Makenna said, holding it out to everyone before settling the tray on the coffee table. “So, Cameron, hey. Wow. How long has it been?”
The blond-haired man stepped up to her with a smile Caden didn’t really like. An interested smile. Who was this guy and why did Makenna seem unhappy to see him? “Too long, Makenna. You look great.” He gave her a big, long hug. When the guy finally let her go, he tugged playfully—familiarly—at the end of a strand of her hair. “You haven’t changed a bit.”
With a chuckle, Makenna stepped back. “Oh, I don’t know about that.” She held her hand out to Caden. “Cam, this is Caden Grayson.”
Cameron gave him a quick, assessing look that immediately set Caden’s teeth on edge. They shook in a quick perfunctory greeting, and Caden couldn’t help but wonder why it had just gotten so frosty.
Standing with Ian at his side, Cameron asked, “So what do you do, Caden?”
“I’m a paramedic,” Caden said. “You?”
“I’m a cardiology fellow at Penn,” he said.
“That’s impressive,” Caden said, taking a drink from his can of Coke. A doctor. And not just any doctor, but a specialist. Of course he was.
“Thanks. You have any interest in medical school?” Cameron asked.
“Nope,” Caden said. “Emergency medical services is exactly where I always wanted to be.” Which was the truth. When he was younger, he’d thought about pursuing a medical degree for about five seconds, but what he most wanted was to be there for people in crisis the way someone had once been there for him—out on the streets where things were messy and situations were still evolving and pre-hospital treatment was the difference between life and death. Plus, he hadn’t wanted to spend all those years in school. He didn’t have the patience for it.
“Huh,” Cameron said with a shrug. “Well, good for you.” His response plucked at Caden’s last good nerve. Why did the guy make him feel like there was some competition he didn’t know he was competing in?
Patrick joined their group. “You’re in Arlington, is that right?”
Caden nodded, glad for the break from Cameron. “Yeah.”
“Any chance you know Tony Anselmi? Arlington County police. I went to high school with him,” Patrick said.
“Yeah,” Caden said with a smile. “Our paths cross. I last saw him probably three weeks ago.” As he and Patrick fell into a conversation about Tony and their respective jobs, Caden kept half his attention on the conversation between Makenna, Cameron, and Ian.
“You still crunching numbers?” Cameron asked her, his tone borderline condescending. Or maybe it only sounded patronizing because the guy rubbed Caden the wrong way. Caden frowned, knowing Makenna loved her job as a forensic account.
“Yup,” Makenna said. “You still playing with people’s hearts?”
Cameron burst out laughing.
“Geez, Makenna,” Ian said.
“What? He’s a cardiologist,” she said.
“It’s all good, it’s all good,” Cameron said. He tilted his beer bottle toward her as if in salute. “Touché.”
Smiling, Makenna shook her head and sipped at her sangria.
Soon, they all settled onto the couches and chairs to watch football, which had never really been Caden’s thing, though he didn’t mind watching. Patrick sat in one of the big leather armchairs, and Ian, Collin, and Shima took one of the couches. That left him, Makenna, and Cameron for the other couch. She sat down first, which put him and Cameron on either side of her. Fantastic.