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"I didn’t say I dropped out of school I said I dropped Pre- yourto be easy"

"I’ve been double-"

Another set of stunned faces

"I never wanted to be a doctor Okay… well, I did once when I was sixteen and lue When Pops died, I just felt it was… right, you know?"

"What’s your alternate es me to continue

"Finance and Business Econouys, seriously The stunned faces don’t fking help"

"Go on… tellbehind all of this," Cole requests

"Look, I always sawover my dad’s business one day I used to talk about it all the ti a doctor for like a week, and he acted like I walked on water for so I hadn’t even accomplished Jax later took over that notion for hi to cure cancer"

"Is Pre-med too hard?" Cole asks calood at it I just don’t want to do it I gave it a shot; I tried to love it What I want to do is take over Pop’s company when my uncle retires"

"I’ve never even heard you say what your father did," Quinn reflects

"Security," Cole’s gruff voice responds

"The Riley Group" I sether

The Riley Group began as a small business meant for personal and corporate security in the Dallas/Fort Worth ether they built a huovernment contracts I love that it still has that sh, and I hope to an, who coincidently is my dad’s twin, has been responsible for all of the executive work sinceto recruitas the company is called The Riley Group, he wants it to stay in the faht I needed to follow through withto be soistrar’s office and dropped Pre-ht had been lifted froan was thrilled, and has been in constant co a hard tih it wasn’t a question, I answer, "Yeah I don’t want to disappoint hi he’ll join me I haven’t heard him talk about the company once since dad…" I trail off "So I don’t think he has any interest" Here’s the kicker… "I want you to join as well"

Quinn’s shts up the room and if Cole was hesitant before, her sative

"Dude, I’d take any opportunity to ith you," Cole says with a sined we’d have the chance to"

"I know you and Jax arethe usefulness of that degree But it just wouldn’t be the sa about what Jax will think, Jace He just wants to you to be happy Whether he shows it lately or not," Cole adds "You also don’t need to try and hire us to keep us close Although, I’ll definitely take you up on the offer"

"A, you guys really are like brothers Like triplets, except Cole is the hot one" And Quinn ruins it all

Cole’s bedrooet up, kiss Quinn on the cheek, and tap knuckles with Cole "We’ll talk more later Thanks, Doc," I say, as I head for the door "Love ya, Quinny"

"Anytih a et halfway to the door this ti to coaxout with them since last year However,for twoin tih hours in the day Another reason I’m excited to drop Pre-e kid

I still need to call Ma and talk to her about all of this, which stressesabout that I proo check out this "country" bar close to the tattoo shop I’ve been frequenting Max has done the majority of my tats I won’t lie, he does some pretty badass work I’h IRiley! You actually showed" Max slaps me on the shoulder as I squeeze past the crowd

"Said I would," I holler over the noise

"Hey, Texas! You feel like you’re at ho me a beer I shake my head and scoot it back When I proain, I over the next h to convince me it was a terrible idea

"You do understand that we don’t all wear cowboy hats, ride horses to work, and line dance, right?" I laugh

"You don’t? Huh…" Danny says, sounding disappointed

"I’ I’ve learned frouys is to always have a drink in your hand If you’re not drinking, they’ll pester the living shit out of you until you get one I shoulder h the people up to the bar

I catch the cute bartender’s attention and call out, "Coke in a short glass"

"Got it, sweetie," she winks

I lean up against the bar with my elbows bent and take in the crowded room This place isn’t bad I notice a set of pool tables upstairs, a dance floor on the first floor, and tall tables surrounding it for people to hang out and drink The irls are all wearing short dresses and cowboy boots, which I love

"Y’all are sweet, but I don’t drink," I hear a sultry female voice say over the music An honest-to-God southern accent pullsAt that moment, the bartender comes back with my drink in a tumbler Perfect, this could easily pass for a Jack and Coke I hand her a ten and tell her to keep the change She tries to chat me up but now that I’ve heard it, I’m on the hunt for that voice