Page 109 of Win Big

I lift my head and look around the table, my eyes burning. “What do we do next?”

“I wonder if they’ve tried mediation,” Théo says, rubbing his chin. “If we got everyone in a room together—I mean Uncle Mark, Dad, and Grandpa—and tried to get them to talk it out, maybe that would help.”

“It won’t help if Dad doesn’t even remember what he did,” Harrison says quietly.

“Yeah.” Théo nods. “What would end this?”

“If Dad and Uncle Mark got their money back,” JP replies.

“Maybe we should talk to Chelsea.” Théo looks at me.

I roll my lips inward while I consider that. “Maybe.”

“Who should do it?” JP looks from me to my brothers.

We all exchange glances as well. “All of us?” Harrison suggests.

“I told you, I tried to talk to Mom,” I say.

“What if we tell her that we all want this stupid feud over, and we’re trying to figure out how to do that. Ask for her help,” Harrison says.

I nod slowly. “Maybe. Or maybe someone should talk to Mark and Matthew. Do they know that Dad is... maybe not well?” Pain slices through my chest. “Maybetheyshould make an effort to resolve things before it’s too late.”

“I’m sure they’ve noticed too,” Théo says. “Although they don’t see Grandpa very often anymore.”

“This is ridiculous.” I’m losing patience. “We’re talking about a fight over stupid money, when my dad is... is...” I can’teven say it. Alzheimer’s is fatal, although it can take a long time. I slide my gaze around the table. “We all have more than enough money to be comfortable. Family is more important than money.”

Heavy silence fills the room, and then everyone murmurs agreement.

“Okay,” I say to Harrison, Asher, and Noah. “Let’s talk to Mom. Let’s start with that. How do we get her alone?”

“I’ll figure out something,” Asher says. He looks as pained as I’m sure I do, his mouth tight and his eyes dark, and yet he asks, “You okay, Ev?”

I am so far from okay. I was a mess before I got here, after ending things with Wyatt. After falling in love with him, which I knew I shouldn’t do. After coming face-to-face with my ugly past. And now I feel sick about Dad.

“No.” I attempt a smile. “But we have to deal with it.”

I want to go, but we sit around talking for a while longer until Riley and Noah say they have to get going. Everyone else stands, making the move to leave. Lacey hugs me, and I pick up my purse to head out too.

Outside Lacey and Théo’s place, I stand on the sandy sidewalk for a moment. It’s dark, and a chilly, salty breeze is wafting in off the ocean. I shiver and walk down the sidewalk, but instead of going to my car, I turn, make a loop around the back of the building, and look up at Wyatt’s place. His living room window is faintly illuminated.

My heart reaches out to him with a yearning that hurts. He’s so close. As in physical proximity. But I ended things with him.

I wander farther down the sidewalk and step onto the beach.

It’s dark, although lights along the path and from the houses lining it keep it from being completely black. The sky is a clear, deep blue, stars glinting out over the ocean. The distant hushed whoosh of ocean waves onto the sand carries on the soft breeze.I kick off my ballet flats and dig my toes into the cool sand, wandering a bit. Then I lower myself onto the beach, sitting cross-legged.

I gaze at the building where Wyatt is. The sliding doors onto his terrace glow yellow. He’s in there.

My chest constricts and my stomach is quaking.

Why did I end things with him? It all seems so meaningless now. What does anything matter, when we’re all just going to die?

Okay, that sounds melodramatic, but it’s true. Dad could have a heartbreaking illness that will steal him away from us. Why am I worried about what could happen if I’m with Wyatt? What difference does it make in the big scheme of things? He’s not Gage and I’m not sixteen.

And I don’t have to be perfect.

I’m not perfect. And there’s no such thing anyway. And... Wyatt knows I’m not. He’s seen me at my worst and still seemed to like me. With him, I feel like I can be myself instead of the person I’m supposed to be. I thought I knew who that was, but now I’m not so sure.

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