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around with another woman. His eyes wandered to Trey, Ivana, and back again. They had pretty much what he wanted, and shouldn’t let one bad thing ruin it, serious as it was. But that wasn’t his call. He had his own issues to deal with.
    â€œLook, I know things haven’t been as good as they once were between you two lately,” he said anyway. “Doesn’t always have to be that way.”
    â€œThanks for the advice,” Trey said, wiping his mouth hastily with a cloth napkin. “I’m sure we’ll be fine, Clyde. And so will you.”
    â€œHe’s right,” said Ivana, in what seemed to Clyde more like she was trying to convince herself. “What’s important for all of us is where we go from this point forward.”
    â€œYeah.” Clyde met her eyes and tried to read into them. “I’m down with that.”
    Francine entered the room, seemingly on cue. “Does anyone want more waffles? Coffee?”
    Clyde waved her off, stuffed. “Now I know what I’ve been missing all these years, Francine.”
    â€œFlattery will get you everywhere,” she joked.
    He wasn’t so sure about that, knowing it would take a hell of a lot more than sweet talk to get his feet solidly back on the ground. But every road had to begin somewhere. His was here and now and whatever came with the territory. Or who.
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    That afternoon, Trey called Clyde into his study for a little private conversation, feeling the need to brother-to-brother.
    â€œI hope you’re starting to settle in.”
    â€œYeah, man, I am,” Clyde said, glancing about at walls of built-in bookshelves, walnut furniture, and a wet bar. “You’ve got one nice place here, if I haven’t already told you that enough.”
    Trey grinned slightly. “Thanks. I worked hard to get it.”
    â€œToo bad Mama never lived to see this.”
    â€œI know. To tell you the truth, I think she was much more interested in what went on inside of us than our possessions.”
    Clyde looked at him defensively. “I know I messed up. Let her down, you, the whole world. Wish I could do it all over.”
    â€œNo one’s pointing fingers, Clyde—not anymore.” Trey hoped to put them both at ease.
    â€œSorry. Guess it’s hard to let go sometimes.”
    Trey met his eyes. “It’s all right. You’ve been through some rough times.”
    â€œYeah, guess I have,” Clyde said, pinching his nose.
    Trey grabbed a couple of beers from the mini-refrigerator and tossed one to Clyde, who caught it without blinking an eye. Might as well get to the nitty-gritty , Trey thought.
    â€œSo, thought about what you want to do with your life now?”
    Clyde opened the beer and took a swig contemplatively. “Yeah, I have. It’s practically all I’ve thought about for the past few months.”
    â€œAnd what have you come up with?” Trey asked curiously.
    â€œOh, just some ideas about going into business for myself.”
    â€œThat so? What type of business?”
    Clyde hesitated. “The people business. I’m still working on the specifics in my head.”
    â€œThat’s cool.” The last thing Trey wanted to do was put any pressure on him to get a job. It could have a detrimental effect. “Take your time sorting it out.”
    â€œThanks.” Clyde sipped more beer. “Just so you know, I don’t intend to freeload.”
    â€œNever thought you would.” Trey narrowed his eyes. “What I don’t want you to do is fall back in with the wrong crowd.”
    Clyde’s jaw set. “Is that what you think I plan to do?”
    â€œI sure as hell hope not. It’s what got you into hot water in the first place. The Willie Munroes of the world are still out there, looking for nothing but trouble. If you let them, they’ll pull you down into the gutter again.”
    â€œSeems like some things