Page 92 of A Perfect Match
Kru grimaces.“Maybe we should talk about something else—”
“What progress?”Griffin repeats.
“No progress,” Kru says, waving it off.I know he’s trying to backpedal for my sake.He probably didn’t mean to bring it up.But we’re in this mess because of me.My secrecy.I’m ready to jump headfirst into the hullabaloo.
“You can tell them,” I say softly.
“Yeah.Tell them,” Asher urges Kru.
“There's a barn on the same property as our businesses,” Kru supplies coolly.But I can tell he’s straining at the edges.“Piper’s been gung-ho on cleaning it up and getting it ready for her business expansion.”
“Expansion?”Asher asks carefully, his gaze sliding toward me.“Is this what you were talking about the other night in the hospital?”
“As a matter of fact, yes.”I clear my throat, picking at invisible fibers on my leggings.“I’m moving forward with it.”
Jett lets out a low whistle.
“Oh my god,” Griffin mutters, stabbing his food with his fork.
“What is this idea you’re moving forward with, honey?”Mom asks.
“Oh, sorry.I forgot you were in a coma when I brought it up.”I clear my throat, readying myself to dive into this again.
“How could you forget mom was in a coma?”Griffin snaps.I can tell he’s agitated, which just exhausts me further.
“I didn’t—ugh, never mind.Long story short, Mom, I’ve been wanting to expand my business for a while and now I’m finally going to do it.Even though every male at this table thinks it’s a bad idea.Except for you, Kru.”
“I didn’t realize you were talking about abarn.That’s a horrible idea,” Asher says ominously.“The renovation costs alone are going to kill you.Do you want to jump head first into a money pit?”
His words land like a spear to the chest.“It’s not going tokillme,” I say, but then the frustration overwhelms me and I snap.“Listen, I’m not talking about the barn after all.Can we talk about something else altogether?Something that isn’t about me or my business.”
“Fine.Let’s talk about Kru.”Asher’s smile goes thin, and I know this isn’t the right direction either.
“Have we convinced you yet that we’re a normal family?”I say dryly, looking over at Kru.
He offers a smile but it doesn’t last long.
“What sort of cuisine do you serve?”Dane asks.
“American.”
“So you never learned about other types of cuisine other than our own?”Dane goes on.“Like, French food or something?”
“I learned about them,” Kru replies.“But I had a particular vision I wanted to bring to life.”He swallows his bite then glances over at me as though sayinghere we go.“And speaking of French food, do you know why the French like snails?”
My brothers all share concerned looks.
“Uh…” Dane says.
Kru grins.“Because they hate fast food.”
Silence settles over the table like a punishment.Griffin blinks.Asher furrows his brow.My mom covers her mouth with her napkin as she politely titters.
Not even a fucking consolation laugh from my brothers.
“I don’t think they liked my food joke,” Kru whispers to me.
“It was a good one,” I reassure him, patting his forearm.
