Page 76 of Why Not Forever?

“Listen, Keith,” I say, not bothering to lower my voice because everyone is listening now, anyway. “Gambling is an addiction. If you want to go to rehab, I will personally foot the bill for that. I’ll find you the best place money can buy. As you said, I have enough. But Tanner is done giving you money to enable your addiction.”

“You’re a bitch,” he says.

I roll my eyes. “I’ve been called much worse by people I actually care about. If you think your opinion matters to me at all, you are sorely mistaken. I’m far more concerned with Brooke’s opinion.” I gesture to her, still sitting silently next to me. “Harper’s opinion. Wyatt’s. Your parents’. You don’t even make the top hundred.”

Tanner has made his way over. For the last several minutes, no one has said a word or moved, intent on watching the show. He was the only one slowly moving toward me, as though he didn’t want to startle his brother. For the first time, I wonder if Keith has ever been violent with anyone.

“You’ve said enough, Keith,” Tanner says now, his arm sliding around my waist.

“If it weren’t for her, you’d help me,” he says, a bit of a whine underscoring the anger.

“You’re right. I probably would have. But she’s also right. It would’ve been wrong for me to do it. You need to stop gambling. You need to stop drinking. You need to do that before your kids hate you.”

I glance over at where Keith’s oldest child, Cooper, has his arm around his sister, Juliet. As I look at the anger on Cooper’s face and the heartbreak on Juliet’s, I can’t help but think,too late.

Keith glares at Tanner and me for a moment longer before storming out of the room. Everyone is still staring.

“I’m sorry,” I say, because it feels right. Not because I’m sorry for what I said, but because I’m sorry they all had to hear it.

Annette wipes her eyes, and I feel even worse to know she’d been crying. She comes toward me, and everyone watches to see what she’ll say. I have this feeling that if she tells me to leave, I’ll never find acceptance with Tanner’s family. And if I don’t, I’m not sure how he and I could survive as a couple.

My heart is racing when she reaches me and places her hand on my arm.

“Don’t be sorry, sweetie. You said some things that probably should have been said a long time ago.I’msorry it had to be you who said it.”

Then she does something that makes my throat close with emotion. She gives me a hug. I meet Tanner’s eyes over his mother’s shoulder and he’s looking at me with gratitude and affection.

That’s when it hits me like a freight train.

I want this. I want this family, as boisterous and messy as it is. They’re nothing like the cold and distant family I grew up with. I want to be part of this, to be considered a sister, a daughter. And I want the man who gave it to me.

Somehow, in the last two and a half months, I’ve fallen completely, head-over-heels in love with Tanner.

The thought fills me with exhilaration and terror. We just started dating. Who knows how it’s going to work out between us? Yet here I am, in love with my husband.

The first time I’d fallen in love with him had been a lot like this, but it had taken longer. We’d been friends for two years, the MBA program was over and I was suddenly faced with the idea that we wouldn’t get to see each other as often. It hit me then that I wanted to. I didn’t want to see him less. I wanted to see him more. I had fallen in love with him, and it’s happened again now.

Annette releases me, but takes my hand. “You should be the first to choose a name for the Secret Santa.” She leads me to a large glass bowl on the counter with a bunch of folded pieces of paper inside.

I focus hard on not letting my hand tremble as I reach in and pull out a name. As the first one, I could pull anyone. I don’t know many people here well enough yet to get them something. I take a breath as I take a piece of paper from the bowl. If it’s someone I don’t know, I’ll ask Tanner for help.

I unfold the paper and almost start to laugh, but I roll my lips together to stop myself. Because this person is someone Idoknow well. I’m married to him.

Chapter 28

Tanner

Afterthecrazinessatmy family’s Thanksgiving, Vic seemed a little subdued. I worried she was upset about Keith and what he’d said, but she assured me she wasn’t. Eventually, she returned to normal and we’ve been on a few more dates. But even after two weeks, I’m still thinking about what she’d said that night.

We’re on the couch after dinner, watching a cheesy romcom. I have my head in her lap and she’s running her nails through my hair. We take turns with the TV. She agreed to watch hockey with me as long as I would play with her hair while she watches. After that, I convinced her, when it’s her turn with the TV, she does the same for me. Best negotiation I’ve ever won.

The couple has just had their break up moment when I ask her about what she’d said to my brother.

“Did you mean your offer?” I ask.

“Probably. Which offer?” She takes some popcorn from the bowl beside her while continuing her gentle scratching of my scalp with her other hand.

“About sending Keith to rehab if he wants to go.”

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