Page 110 of Love Medley
“Tonight. I would have given you more advance notice, but figured I’d just chicken out if you weren’t available.”
I marvel at how quickly I’ve forgotten that family dinner is always on the last Thursday of the month.
“Well, I am, so buckle up. Ten minutes before, so we can walk in together?”
“That works. Thanks, Jake. This means the world to me.”
“You forget I know our parents. So yeah, you owe me for life.” We share a chuckle, although I can tell both of us are dreading tonight.
As I hang up, I collapse on my couch. I may as well help someone else, since I certainly can’t help myself.
After spending the rest of the day moping about Lucy, it’s time for family dinner. While I’m relieved to get out of my head and focus on someone else for a change, I’m in for a different sort of torture.
I arrive on time, because this is about Wyatt, not me.
“Hey, man,” Wyatt says, greeting me in the driveway. “You look like shit.”
“Wow, you’re welcome,” I say sardonically.
“Want to tell me what’s going on?”
And I realize I do want to tell him.
Because we don’t have a lot of time, I give him only the highlights of the past few days. But I tell him enough so that he gets the drift.
Wyatt whistles when I’m done. “So let me get this straight,” he says. “You think you don’t deserve Lucy because you’re a nurse? Because our father drilled into you that you aren’t good enough, because you aren’t some asshole surgeon like Sterling or an overworked and depressed lawyer like me?”
I bark out a surprised laugh at his reworking of my sob story. “Sure, something like that.”
“Well, that’s bullshit.”
“Wow, don’t sugarcoat it.”
“Look,” Wyatt says, rubbing his forehead. “I know I told you I wasn’t sure about Lucy and suggested you might be moving too fast. And I don’t pretend to know exactly what’s going on between you two. But the one thing I am one-hundred percent positive about isyou. You’re one of the best people I know. Honestly, the fact that you came out ofthis familyand still give a damn about other people? That’s incredible.”
I gape at him as he pokes me in the chest.
“You’re imposing a very antiquated view of male and female roles onto your relationship, and I know our father has a lot to do with that. But I bet if you heard your story from someone else’s lips? You’d be telling them the same thing. Get. Your. Head. Out. Of. Your. Ass.”
My eyes widen. Wyatt, my mild-mannered brother, being this emphatic about anything is out of character.
“Don’t let our father ruin yet another thing for you. Don’t sabotage your relationship with Lucy because of him. Or because of what Lucy’s mother thinks. Or hell, because of whatIthink, forthat matter. We aren’t you and Lucy. Only you two get to decide what happens in your relationship.”
“I even grabbed my car keys a few times to head to her place today,” I say slowly, “but I don’t want to invade her space or be where I’m not wanted.”
Wyatt rolls his eyes. “You’ll obviously give her the option to not open the door—but I’d be shocked if she didn’t let you in. She’s not an idiot, is she? Plus, you’ve never let anything or anyone stop you from going after what you wanted, so why would you now? From what you’ve told me, Lucy is worth fighting for. You’ll regret not trying to win her back.”
“Wow. How did you get so wise?”
“I think you’re rubbing off on me. Promise me you’ll talk to Lucy after this awful dinner I’m forcing you to go to, or else I’m not letting you come inside.”
I bark out a surprised laugh. “Wait. You’re threatening me with the idea that I can just turn around and go home without having to sit through yet another horrific dinner?”
“Remember, I know you. I’m pretty damned sure that because I asked you for help, you physically cannot allow me to endure the firing squad alone.”
And by God, he’s right. “Fuck you. Let’s get this over with.”
Wyatt smirks at me as I press the doorbell.
