Page 66 of Sure, Pal

31

Evan

Iwalked around the bar, admiring all of our hard work over the last few months. We’d named it ’69, after the year of my Camaro (and one of our favorite sex positions). It was almost ready for opening night.

I straightened the photo of me and Sienna that hung behind the bar and headed over to my mom’s for a family dinner. Sienna had her usual Friday night gig at Toni’s coffee shop, so she wouldn’t be joining us for dinner tonight.

I was absolutely going to ask Sienna to marry me — I already had the ring— but for some reason, I was stalling. Two Sundays had already passed, and they’d been almost perfect. I could have popped the question and been wildly happy, but it hadn’t felt just right yet. Something was missing.

I walked into my mom’s house and found her and my sisters in the kitchen. Bea didn’t have her daughter with her tonight, and she was in tears with Charlie’s arms wrapped around her.

Bea and Jack were getting divorced. He cheated, but Bea was willing to forgive that and work on their marriage. But he just hadn’t been there for her when dad died. He wasn’t willing to fight for their marriage.

Again, it was crystal clear to me how lucky I was to have Sienna standing patiently by my side while I waded through my grief.

“Okay, guys, let’s eat,” Our mom sighed and moved to grab a stack of plates from the cupboard.

“Sorry, Bea.” I patted my older sister’s shoulder.

She sniffled and shook her head. “It’s fine. It’ll be fine. I’m going to be strong for Sophia.”

I nodded and Charlie said, “Damn straight you are. We’re tough in this family.”

Bea smiled through her tears, and we all settled around the kitchen table.

An hour later, It was just Charlie and me left at the table. Bea and our mom had already finished eating and gone out back to talk more about Bea’s divorce and have another glass of wine. Charlie twirled some spaghetti around her fork and stared me down with freakish intensity.

“What’s up, Charlie?” I asked, raising my eyebrows.

“Did you ask her yet?” She slurped up a noodle.

I sighed. “You know I haven’t.”

“Why not?”

“Don’t know.”

“Don’t you love her?” Charlie raised an eyebrow.

“One hundred percent, yes. Sienna is it. It’s not her that’s making me feel off.”

“It’s dad, right?”

My eyes flashed up to meet Charlie’s. She was absolutely right. Of course that’s what was wrong. That was exactly why I felt like there was a big hole in my chest. I should have been able to have a chat with my dad about Sienna and marriage. I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded at my little sister.

“What do you think dad would have said?” Charlie’s voice was quiet.

I shrugged. “I don’t know. That’s why this all feels so hard.”

Charlie blinked her blue eyes and said, unsmiling, “I know what he’d say. He’d say, ‘Son, this girl is incredible, and she’s one of a kind. Don’t screw it up.’ Dad liked Sienna, you know that, right? You already know that when you and Ava were being dumbasses and making out, Sienna would come and watch Parks and Rec with me. Well, sometimes Dad watched with us, too, and listened to us bullshit and laugh. Then after she’d leave, dad would say, ‘Why the hell isn’t Evan dating that one? Does he need his head examined?’”

I laughed and shook my head. I could almost hear my dad’s voice. “I didn’t know that. Thanks, Charlie.” I took a sip of my water and asked, “But what about Bea? Is it insensitive for me to get engaged while she’s going through hell with her divorce?”

Charlie laughed. “Are you kidding me, Evan? This family fucking needs something to celebrate and be excited about. Even Bea will flip. So, stop dicking around and wasting time. Ask her to marry you!”

“Little Charlotte. So wise.” I grinned at my sister and stood to put my plate in the sink. Then I turned and headed for the front door.

“Where are you going?” Charlie called after me.

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