Page 59 of Just Another Meet Cute
Reaching out, I lightly touched his finger with my own, and he immediately stopped. “Why didn’t you move with Ian and your dad? I’m sure their place probably has more than two bedrooms, right?”
“It has four. My dad has an office, and the last one is Ian’s game room. The lucky bas—duck.”
“Oh, I know Ian. The other word is definitely more fitting, but I get it. We’re in a family place, after all.”
Ryan laughed and twisted his body so he could fully face me. Now he watched me as I watched him. The wind lightly ruffled through his hair, making it a little less perfect. I was tempted to brush it back.
Who cared about the picturesque view behind us? Mine was way better.
His finger still didn’t move beneath mine, but it did stop scratching at the bench. “I guess I just knew that I was needed at home. To be there for my mom and my sisters.”
“For support?”
“Yeah, but alsophysicallybe there. You know, my mom didn’t even know how to mow the lawn? She didn’t know that our lawn mower needed gas andactually broke it when she tried. My uncles would help with stuff around the house now and then, but she hated asking them for help.”
“And you stayed to help her,” I said when he didn’t continue. “Without her asking.”
Instead of answering, he just shrugged, but the silence said so much. For once, his face was closed off, and I wanted to wrap my arms around him to hug him. Instead, I hooked my finger around his for a small embrace.
It’s funny how Ian left so his dad wouldn’t be alone, but Ryan stayed because his family depended on him. They both sacrificed for their families, and yet somehow they were both still unhappy. Did they ever talk to each other about it?
I had a feeling the answer was no.
They both made different choices, and I respected both of their decisions. But I definitely preferred one more than the other. Someone who stayed and was dependable. That was what I craved in my life. Who else did I have to depend on? Probably Linh. I knew she had my back, but I was also starting to learn the hard way that she couldn’t always be there for me. And who else was there? Mom? Definitely not Dad.
“What do you want to do?” I suddenly asked.
Ryan blinked. “You mean right now?”
“No, I mean next summer. After high school. What are your plans?” With a dramatic sigh, I held up a finger. “And I know you probably hate that question. I know I do.”
Pursing his lips like he was trying not to laugh, Ryan finally took my handin his. His thumb stroked back and forth across my inner wrist. “If you hate the question, then why are you asking?”
My mind drifted back to the night before with Ian, and for the first time that day, I felt guilty. “I don’t know. We’ve been on a couple of dates, but I don’t think we’ve actually talked that much.”
Ryan studied me for another minute or two before leaning back against the bench, like he was getting comfortable. “Okay, so let’s talk. I’ll go first. Next year I’ll probably go to UT just because it’s in town. I’m not sure what I’ll be majoring in though. Definitely not premed like Báwants. Or biology like Ian.”
“Ian wants to do pre-med?”
“Yeah, is that surprising?”
It was. I didn’t think of Ian as the studious type, but I guess it made sense that he would be interested in that field. He was so attentive with caring for me the first time we met. I couldn’t tell Ryan that. “So, you’re not sure what you want to do?”
“No.” He grimaced. “Is that bad?”
With a wide grin, I threw my arms around his shoulders. “No, that’s awesome. Finally, someone else who’s just as lost as I am!” I pulled back from my hug. “No offense.”
This time Ryan did laugh as he pulled me back against his side. His arm draped around my shoulders, fitting together like two pieces of a puzzle. “Thank God. I thought you’d be one of those people who had a plan for every month of the year.”
“That’s definitely Linh.”
“People like her suck.” I could almost feel his smile against the top of my head. “No offense.”
“I don’t mind. She’s not here. So, no plans at all?”
His body tensed up beneath me. “Well, I do want to travel. Maybe blog about the things I see. Maybe write a book. Not a mystery. I’m not that creative, but just something. Anything. I probably wouldn’t be able to.”
I tilted my head up to look at him. “Why not? I think that sounds awesome.”
