Page 70 of Just Bromantically Invested

“You’re very …” Calling her naïve feels mean. “Innocent.”

Lisa groans and clutches my hand. “Do you know I couldn’t even dance with a boy at my high school prom?”

Okay, no, she’s definitely naïve. “What?”

“Not that I wanted to. And then college …” She shudders. “The dorms were too loud, so I lived at home. There were only like a thousand of us in the whole school.”

“That sounds very sheltered, honey.” Dryden shifts Lisa’s remaining beer away. “When did you move to Seattle?”

“After you hired me. I got the job and was like, well, I guess I’m doing this.”

“How did your parents feel about that?” I ask cautiously. I’m getting overprotective daddy vibes, but her smile is huge.

“They loved it for me. They’re paying for my apartment out here and everything.”

Okay, I didn’t see that coming.

“I think they’re hoping I’ll get this out of my system and move back home though.”

“Why?”

She giggles, swaying on her stool. “Because every time I speak with them, they ask if it’s out of my system yet and if I’m moving back home.”

Ah. So it’s a different kind of controlling. My parents have always been great to me, but I saw firsthand how Madden had to deal with his. After his injury, when he decided going back and trying to rehab wasn’t what he wanted, there were a lot of phone calls with his parents.

Guilt trips over the money they’d spent, emotional blackmail by saying the only way they could get away from work to come and see him is if he had a game on, and flat-out threats of being cut off was just some of the behavior I witnessed.

I wish I’d been able to stand up for him more and give him advice, but I’d never experienced anything like it before. I’ve always been so lucky to have a mom and dad who support me, through everything, and I know this won’t be any different.

So I use what I know now to be there for Lisa like I wasn’t there for Madden.

“Do you want to go home?”

She shakes her head dramatically. “I really like it here.”

“Then don’t.”

“But … but …”

“Look, I’m sure your parents are great, but my friend wascut off by his because he wouldn’t do what they wanted. They tried to control him, and I don’t want that for you.”

Her lips fall, and she swipes the rest of her beer and swallows it down before gagging at the taste. “Thanks, Penn.”

Dryden and I trade a worried look. I had no idea tonight was going to get so weird or dip into this kind of territory, but here we are.

Dryden has to leave at six to get home to their kids, and I’m left with Lisa. Somehow, she’s more drunk than she was before, and that’s when I notice my beer, which I’ve hardly touched, is also empty.

“Did you drink this?” I ask her, worried I might laugh.

“No.” She hiccups. “Yes.”

“Damn, girl, you’re drunk.”

Her eyes get all big. “I’ve never been drunk before.”

“Well, with how much you’re slurring your words, I could have guessed it.”

“Oh no. What if I die?”

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