Her questions made him sigh, and he reluctantly sank back down in the chair. He should have known he wouldn't get away with such a short session. "It's all...good...I think." He shrugged. "Me and Bree are good." Although he still hadn't committed to a wedding date. "Friends are alright." Although he rarely hung out anywhere other than work. "I guess life's about as good as I can expect, right? I mean...for a guy whose mental half the time, and the other half is spent feeling..." He shrugged again. "Empty." It had nothing to do with Bree. Or friends or work. He just constantly felt like there was something he was missing. Especially since he'd been trying so hard not to investigate his past.
His eyes darted about Hope's office, and he leaned down to pick up a stray paperclip to play with. "Otherwise..." His tone had become significantly more subdued. "I'm great."
A smile tugged at the corner of Garret's mouth as he looked back at Sapphire. He avoided her question though, and paused to take a sip of Justin's concoction. He grimaced a little as he swallowed. "Man...you sure this won't kill me?"
Justin laughed and held up his own glass before taking a long drink. "Mm. Nah. You'll get used to it." Though he turned his attention to Jason to engage in small talk, his ears remained tuned to what Garret's answer might be to Sapphire.
Garret took another sip before he glanced back at this rather intriguing young woman. Getting to know someone. Sharing of information. Seriously? He wasn't cut out for this. "When a man has been specifically built for the brain and brawn...there's not a whole lot of room left for anything else." He thought back to the night when Nate had found him downstairs. He'd admitted he didn't even know who he was. And it was still true.
He took another swallow of his smoothie - it wasn't quite as bad the second time around. "I'm afraid I was made one hundred percent Agency." What about his early childhood? What about his parents? Had he been born just to be sold? Had they meant that for him all along? Had he just been conceived to make money?
"I guess that means there really isn't a whole lot underneath. Sorry to disappoint."
"Eh..." Clint shrugged. "Got in a fight with a pickup and it won the first round." Though he winced as Angel worked on his hand, he didn't complain - he never did when she was helping. It was his own stupid fault after all.
Grateful for the help and the pain killers, he was ready to leave, but stopped and leaned back against the doorframe and cocked his head. Had they really neglected her lately? He'd been avoiding family for obvious reasons - and Wendy was gracious enough to not complain about keeping to themselves more recently. He hadn't thought about anyone else noticing though.
"Things are good." He gave Angel a small smile. "Just getting into a new routine with four of us now." His eyes dropped for a moment as he thought about all the reasons he'd been less than sociable lately - none of which he wanted to discuss. But he didn't have anything against Angel. "If, um... If you and Luke wanna come over for supper, you're more than welcome. I know Wendy would love it, and that way you'd get your grandkids to yourself instead of sharing with the whole gang."
The offer was genuine - just because he wanted nothing to do with his own immediate family, he wasn't going to keep Wendy from hers. After all...they did all live on the same property. It was frustrating that he couldn't retreat to his own place somewhere else...but he couldn't take Wendy away from the home she loved.
Clint tried to smile again. "So if you want to, just let me or Wendy know."
"Ack! Not again!" Lizzie tossed her cards into the pile and groaned. She sat on the living room floor with Hannah and Rosalyn playing a card game and munching on popcorn. They didn't usually have the same days off work, but when they did, they usually ended up doing something fun.
Rosalyn grinned and picked up the cards to shuffle. "I told you, almost every night at the ranch turned into a card game. I've had plenty of practice."
"Not fair. Plain and simple." Lizzie sprawled out on the floor. "Any game you're not good at? Pick that one "
Hannah whacked her leg. "You're just a sore loser."
"Am not! I'm..." She sat up as someone knocked at the door. "Expecting company?"
Rosalyn frowned. "Not me. Clint's not coming til tomorrow."
Hannah shook her head. "Nope."
Lizzie sighed as she looked at the other two. "What? Does that automatically make me the doorman?" Without an answer, she rolled her eyes and got up. "Fine, fine. Deal me in again," she called over her shoulder. "And no stacking the cards!"
Getting to the door, she opened it and looked around before her gaze fell on Chad and her eyes widened. She'd seen pictures. She'd heard descriptions. And there was no doubt in her mind. "Ohhh boy." She bit her lip. "I'm...gonna take a wild guess that you're not here to see me." She blinked. "Although I wouldn't complain."
"Hey, who is it?" Hannah yelled from inside.
Lizzie still looked at Chad, ignoring her friend. "Just, um...don't move." She turned and trotted back to the living room. "Rosalyn...you better go to the door."
"What? Why? Who's here?"
"Just...just go." Lizzie pulled her up from the floor and gave her a shove.
Rosalyn cautiously wandered ahead, curious as to why she heard whispering behind her. Getting to the open door herself, she stopped dead in her tracks. "Chad?" He was here? Even though it was a warm day, her skin rippled with goosebumps as her pulse quickened.
She stepped out on the porch and just looked at him for several long moments as tears filled her eyes. She didn't have to ask why he was here. Almost a month without contact...and she knew.
Moving quickly, she closed the gap and fell into him, standing on her tiptoes to wrap her arms around him, burying her face. "You came..." Her words were muffled against his chest. "I...I was hoping you would. I'm so sorry."
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