Page 132 of Pick Me

So humble. So focused on protecting my feelings that he wouldn’t even acknowledge his own.

I reached for his hand, squeezing it gently. “You really do, Tanner.”

His gaze flicked toward me, unreadable.

“You’ve spent so much of your life looking out for me, trying to shield me from the inevitable. And I love you for that.” My throat tightened, but I pushed through. “But I also want you to celebrate your own incredible accomplishments. You went from being a high school star, to nearly failing out of college, to standing on the brink of the biggest moment of your life.”

I squeezed his hand again, forcing him to hear me.

“You’re incredible, Tanner. And I am so damn proud of you.”

“Thanks,” he mumbled.

I knew I wouldn’t get much more out of him, but that didn’t stop me from trying.

“I’m sorry,” I blurted out. “I don’t mean to be a klutz, or draw attention to myself, or—well, exist in the most inconvenient ways possible. It’s just this thing about me, like an unwilling trait I seem to have. I could be in an empty room, trip over nothing, and somehow manage to knock over a lamp that wasn’t even in the same zip code.”

I sighed, rubbing my temples. “I swear, sometimes I think the universe just likes screwing with me.”

Tanner didn’t acknowledge my rambling, didn’t even crack a smile. Instead, he exhaled, his voice softer when he finally spoke.

“I just want you to be happy, sis.” His eyes stayed forward, like he was afraid to look at me. “Sometimes, I don’t think you are. And it worries me.”

That made me pause.

“It shouldn’t,” I said, giving his arm a gentle nudge. “My happiness is my responsibility, Tan Tan, just like yours is yours. You’d never let me ask about yours. But then again, you never let me worry about you at all, do you?”

I searched his face, watching the tension in his jaw and the way his fingers tapped against his leg like he was holding something back.

“Are you happy?”

That question finally made him look at me. His brows furrowed, lips parting like he wasn’t sure how to answer.

“I think so,” he said after a beat.

I tilted my head, unconvinced. “You sure? Because sometimes when I look at you, I’m not.”

He hesitated, then sighed. “I love Aster, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“I know that,” I said, holding his gaze. “I just wonder if maybe you’re a little stressed because all of those dreams you’ve had since you were five years old are one week away from coming true.”

His teeth sank into his bottom lip—a dead giveaway that I was right on track.

“Maybe that’s part of it. I’ve been working my entire life toward this goal, and now that it’s here, I feel underprepared. Almost like I faked my way into it.” He let out a low laugh. “Kind of like how I faked my way into a real relationship with Aster.”

“And look how well that turned out for you.”

“Yeah, turned out great. A rushed accidental proposal and a long, awkward conversation about when we’d truly be ready for marriage.”

I nudged my brother’s ribs with my foot, wiggling my toes right where I knew he was ticklish. He smiled, swatting my leg away with a gentle push.

“Come on, Tan Tan. You forget your girlfriend is also one of my best friends. That’s not how it went down, and this little pity party? Not a good look on you.”

“Funny,” he mused, shaking his head. “Never thought I’d be saying your boyfriend is one of my best friends too.”

Hearing him refer to Jackson as his friend after everything that happened yesterday made something warm settle in my chest.

“Honestly, I didn’t think so either. Especially with that jackass,” I teased.

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