Page 63 of Why Not Both?

She just looks at me.

“What?”

“Your sister is getting married.”

I roll my eyes. “I know that. She told me before anyone else.”

“Mmhm. She’s your best friend in the whole world. I know how happy you are for her, but I also want to know how you’re doing.”

I sigh. Of course my mother would know that everything wasn’t all sunshine and roses.

“I guess I’m a little worried that things are going to change. But not really. I’ve known this was coming, even if I wasn’t sure exactly when. And maybe I’m a little bit jealous that she gets to have the dream now and I don’t. I mean, I’ve been on a couple dozen dates in the last year and all of them have been awful. I finally find a guy worth considering—more than worth it, if I’m being honest—and he’s my boss’ best friend. It would just be so messy and complicated. I don’t know that it’s worth it.”

“All the best things in life are difficult, Lissy. And they’re all worth it. If there’s no policy against it, maybe you should give it a chance? There are other jobs.”

I grab a knife and start slicing the carrots into circles, all exactly a quarter inch thick.

“There are other jobs, but this one is exactly what I’ve wanted. I’m in charge. If I stay here for a while, prove my worth, Vic will let me have creative control over the menu. It’s what I’ve been working for.”

“And why can’t you have both? Why not the dream job and the dream boyfriend?”

I scoff as I scoop the chopped carrots into a bowl. “It’s never worked out that way before. What’s going to make it work out that way now?”

I season the vegetables, add some oil, and toss them before spreading them on a pan and sliding them into the oven.

“Because this job and this man are different from before. Maybe they’re both the right ones.”

We stare at each other for a long moment before Mom sighs. “Either way, I want you to invite him to dinner next time you come out.”

“Why?”

“Because he’s your friend and he needs a family dinner every once in a while. And because he doesn’t have a mother to give it to him.”

I look at her for a moment before nodding.

When dinner is ready, we sit down to eat and Daze says, “You’re actually going to sit with us and not putter around in the kitchen for half an hour before eating?”

“When Spencer was here, he forced her to eat,” Dad says.

I groan.

“What? What did he do?” Daze asks, her gaze darting around the table at each of us.

“Please don’t.”

Mom chuckles. “He lifted her over his shoulder and sat her in the chair. Then he threatened to let the food go cold and microwave it.”

“He didn’t!”

Mom nods. Everyone laughs at my expense.

“Why are we back to bugging me? Bug Daze for a while.”

“There’s nothing to bug her about yet,” Dad says. “She’s getting married. Once she’s married we’ll start bugging her about grandchildren. Don’t you worry. In the meantime, we’re going to bug you about being single.”

“Well, I’m not looking anymore,” I say. “Apparently, my standards are too high. Because I can’t find anyone worth dating.” Except Spencer.

“What are your standards?” Dad asks. “We can help you figure out if they’re too high.”

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