Page 50 of The Love Ambush
I narrow my eyes.
He pats my arm. “Okay, I’m not fine, but I saw my therapist before I left Denver. I want to look good for the wedding, but I’m not letting it go too far.”
It’s the first time he’s admitted he sees a therapist, which is what I suggested during that visit home when I was a junior in high school. I’m glad to know he’s getting help for his body dysmorphia and eating disorder, but I’m not totally convinced. “Skipping a dessert that looks this delicious is going too far, in my opinion.”
He leans in and kisses my cheek. “I love you for worrying about me, but I’m fine. I can’t handle the rich chocolate right now, but you just watched me eat every bit of my dinner.”
And it wasn’t easy for him if he’s passing on this dessert. I may not see my brother often, but I know him. “I’m sorry this is still a struggle for you.”
“It’s just the stress of the wedding,” he says. “I’m taking care of myself. I promise.”
“Does Daphne know?”
He glances across the table at his bride-to-be, who’s watching us with a worried crease in her brow. “She knows. I’ve promised her I won’t go to the gym this week or on our honeymoon.”
“Okay. Good. You’re an asshole, Brodie, but I love you and I want you to be happy.”
He looks at me, and it feels like the first time we’ve really paused and taken a moment to see each other. “I want you to be happy, too.” He lowers his voice still more. “You need to know, Gent. I lied about Levi hooking up with some other girl that day he kissed you, right before Dad left. Levi did go home with someone, but she had a boyfriend and was just giving him a ride home. I was pissed off and in a bad place, but I shouldn’t have lied.”
If Brodie was anyone else, I might suspect him of lying now to cover for his friend, but Brodie doesn’t apologize easily and, forall his other faults, he’s not a liar. Usually. “Thank you for telling me the truth, but it doesn’t excuse his standing me up the next day and then ghosting me.”
He nods and starts to turn back to the table. “Fuck,” he mutters and turns back to me. Around us, Daphne’s family is laughing and talking so loudly that no one notices how serious Brodie looks. “That was my fault, too, Gentry. That day Levi went to the lake with you…” He runs a hand through his hair and sighs. “Levi was supposed to be meeting up with me, but Dad called and asked me to meet him at his favorite fishing spot. You know the one?”
I smile. “That mud puddle on the back half of Mr. Brown’s farm.”
Brodie’s frown lifts for just a second. “Yeah, that place. I was going to call Levi and explain things, but Dad said it would only take a few minutes. Then he told me he was planning to leave. He…” Brodie rubs a hand over his mouth. “He asked for money. Promised to pay me back after he was on his feet. I never did get that money back. Or hear from him again after he took off.”
“He told you?” I ask. “Why didn’t you-?”
“What good would it have done for me to tell any of you? I kind of lost it after he told me. I went out and got hammered. I was drunk when I told Levi he could either have me or you, but not both of us. He was so pissed, he walked away too. Just like Dad. He was going to pick you. I knew I’d fucked up, but I didn’t know how to fix it. The next afternoon, without eating or drinking anything, I went for a six-mile run.”
“Oh, Brodie,” I say, my heart breaking for my big brother.
“I know,” he says. “It was a stupid thing to do. I called Levi from the hospital, and somehow convinced him not to tell you or anyone else. When he was supposed to be at dinner with you, he was with me. He took care of me, Gentry. He let me stay with him in Aspen Cove for a couple of weeks while I was getting myshit together. And we never talked about that kiss or him dating you again.”
“I’m so sorry you went through all of that,” I say, tears springing to my eyes.
He pushes his chair back and stands, his own eyes glassy. “Okay. That’s it. Get up. I need to hug you.”
I laugh as I stand and hug my brother. It feels good. He’s far from perfect, but so am I.
“I love you, sis,” he says, squeezing me tight. “I’m going to help you, even if I can’t send money anymore, okay? Don’t worry about anything.”
I’m not sure how he thinks he can help, but I’m not going to get into that here and now. “I love you, too.”
“And give Levi a chance,” he says. “He’s a good guy.”
“I’ll think about it.” And, damn it, I’m out of excuses not to.
Around us, everyone claps and whistles. I laugh as I step out of the hug. Then I sit down and make very short work of the two most delicious brownies I’ve ever tasted.
I’m savoring the last bite of my brownie when Ivy gets up from her seat next to Emily, who she’s been chatting with non-stop since they got back from shopping, and reaches between her mother and father for the big platter of extra brownies.
“No,” Hester says, surprisingly sharply. “These brownies are for the adults. There are extra kid brownies by your seat.”
“We ate them all,” Ivy says. “And I’m still hungry. Can’t I have one more, Grammy?”
“No, you may not. These brownies are just for the adults.”
