Chapter 8

“You-you don’t have to tell me, forget it. How are you otherwise?”

“It’s okay, Justin. I’m not bothered by it. I quit football after…Well, a long time ago. Now I’m just an armchair quarterback.” Brad grinned fleetingly. “I lost enthusiasm for it. I decided college wasn’t really for me either. I entered the firefighters’ academy. After a few years as a firefighter I decided to become a paramedic.”

Somehow, even though he’d been a bit surprised at first, Justin didn’t think it all that surprising Brad decided to devote his life to helping others. He’d always had that quality. A number of less admirable qualities too, of course. Didn’t everyone?

“You don’t have to tell me how you’re doing,” Brad said. “I’ve been following your career.”

His heart twisted a bit. “You have?”

“Sure. I buy your books in hardback and then paperback when those come out. So you get double the money from me.”