Page 56 of Comforting the Grump

Marnin shrugged. “You’re making it way more dramatic than it was. We only hooked up a few times, and it wasn’t like I didn’t have alternatives. Plenty of fish in that particular sea. I was happy for him. Tiago wanted something long-term, and Cas is perfect for him.” He held up his hands before I could say anything. “I’ll be the first to admit I was skeptical, considering their age gap, but he’s good for Tiago. He’s an old soul.”

“That’s a surprisingly new-age statement from a rational guy like you.”

“Yeah, I know, but I don’t know how else to explain it.”

I’d long since finished my plate and pushed it away, leaning back in my chair. “All your friends have found love by now. Does that bother you?”

“Jesus, what’s with the twenty questions tonight?”

“As long as you keep answering, I keep asking. You don’t usually wanna answer them, so I’ll seize the opportunity when it presents itself.”

He shook his head, smiling. “I’ll indulge you a little longer. That question isn’t so easy to answer though. I’m happy for them now that I see it’s truly what they wanted, even if they didn’t realize it, but I can’t deny it’s caused our relationships to shift.”

“Like with Auden.”

“Yeah, exactly. He’s always had his girls, but they were with Tricia half the time, so when they were, we’d hang out. Now he has Keaton and his boys, and that makes things a lot more complicated to plan.”

It always struck me how consistently Marnin spoke of my two nieces as Auden’s girls when we both knew they were Marnin’s biologically. He simply never saw them as anything but my brother’s, and somehow, that never failed to make meemotional. It was a rare man who did something that selfless and didn’t even claim a little credit. “You’re the only single one left.”

He dragged a hand through his hair. “The fact that we were all single up until two years ago—though with Auden, I should say single again—was the anomaly. Most men our age are in a relationship. I’m the odd one out…which is fine by me.”

“You don’t ever want a relationship? And just so we’re clear, I’m asking this in general, not because I’m applying for the job. Which I’m not, so don’t worry.”

“Glad you cleared that up beforehand.” He grinned. “You know me well. But to be honest, no, I don’t think I’ll ever be in a long-term relationship.”

Had he deliberately answered ambiguously? Because thinking he’d never be in one wasn’t the same as not wanting one. “Can I ask why?”

He let out the longest sigh. “I’m not cut out for it. My mother abandoned me and my father… You don’t know what a piece of shit he was, Ennio. An abusive alcoholic is the kindest description, but I will spare you the details. How can anyone who comes from that ever hope to have a stable relationship?”

Was that what he’d been telling himself all these years? The thought filled me with sadness. “Because of genetics? Or because you never had a good example of what a relationship should look like?”

“Either. Both.”

“So what about Violet and Dani?”

He frowned. “What do you mean?”

“They have your DNA. Are you saying they can’t be in a relationship either?”

His jaw was set tight. “Of course not. Don’t be obtuse.”

“I’m not. I’m simply saying that if it’s genetics, they should be worried since half their DNA is yours.”

“Yeah, but the other half is Tricia. Plus, they’re being raised by amazing parents. That cancels out whatever shitty genes they got from me.”

“Weren’t you raised as well by my dad and Sarah Frant? If you spent more time there than at your own home, like you told me, wouldn’t that make up for whatever you lack in genetics?”

He opened his mouth, then closed it again. “That’s not… It’s not the same.”

“Why?”

“Fuck if I know, but it’s not. Those girls are… Jesus, Ennio, they’re beautiful, inside and out. So pure and perfect, so smart and kind. They’re the best thing I ever did in my life. Maybe the one good thing I did. But it was the least I could do for Auden after…”

I had no trouble filling in the blanks. “…after what he and his parents did for you.”

“Yeah.” He swallowed. “I know, rationally, I didn’t owe them. I know that. But it was hard not to feel like I did.”

“That’s a surprising statement from a guy who, by his own admission, prides himself on feeling as little as possible.”

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