Page 3 of Wrecked
Or not.
“Ellie! Have you even listened to a word I said?”
No.
“Of course. I’m just trying to make sense of it, that’s all.” I give her my most empathetic smile. I love my sister, and she deserves every bit of my attention. I just can’t get past the distress I feel when I think about her marrying Nate. The more I think about their impending nuptials, the more I feel unrivaled panic rising from the very depths of my soul.
“Well, for starters, they’ve been separated for years. Mom will be at Chris’ throat by the time the dinner plates hit the table, and he will be so drunk off his ass that he’ll make a huge scene. Then all the attention will be on those two fighting psychopaths onmybig day. I didn’t even want to invite him, but Mom said he would just showup if I didn’t. Which would make an evenbiggerscene.” She takes a deep breath, calming herself. “You know I’m the furthest thing from a Bridezilla…”debatable,“…but I don’t want the cake landing on Chris’ face before I get a chance to smash it in Nathan’s.”
Chris is my father and Katie’s stepfather. He’s fifty-five years old and probably spent the last thirty of those years three sheets to the wind.
“And we don’t think it’s a problem that you want to smash cake into your fiancé’s face?”
She gives methelook.
“Just asking.” I bat my lashes.
“Speaking of my wonderfully doting fiancé.” She glows. “He kind of…um…volunteered to go with you to pick up my gown,” she casually states, flipping her box-dyed blonde waves over her shoulder. I stare at her, waiting for her to make eye contact. Ever so slowly, her big blue eyes meet mine; cautious and meek. My sister isnotmeek, and I am not falling for this doe-eyed bullshit.
“You mean go with me to Sao Paolo? To pick up your Wanda Borges original wedding gown? The trip we were takingtogether. To Brazil,” I clarify, my tone harsh. I can tell by her panicked expression that she can see me retreating. She knows my feelings for Nate, and she knew how uncomfortable this would make me.
“I know…I know. I promised we would go together and make this our last big and little sister hurrah before I’m a married woman. But I just can’t get away from the firm. They assigned me to a huge case that I’d be stupid to refuse if I want to make partner someday. When I told Nathan about it, he told me he would go in my place. But he can’tseemy wedding dress, and you need to try it on for me to make sure everything is perfect.”
I flip to my back again, cupping my hands to shield my eyesfrom the glaring sun. “Katie, I took time off work to do this with you.”
“I know, and when your big day comes, I’ll do the same for you,” she whines. She would. But I don’t mention the fact that she won’t do it forherself.
“Can’t Mom come with me?” She looks surprised by my question. My mom and I don’t have a great relationship, but we’ve been trying to work on it ever since she separated from my dad. So far, it’s not going great.
“I already asked, Els. She took too much time off to help prepare for the wedding. I don’t get what the big deal is about going with Nathan. You two will have such a fun time. A real chance to bond like brother and sister.”
There it is. The whole bonding thing, coming on strong. This is a constant with her. She’s about to follow up with a nice little guilt trip, but before she gets a chance, I sigh heavily.
“Fine. We can go together.” My heart does a little flip-flop in my chest at the thought of five days in Brazil. With Nate…alone.
This is bound to be a disaster.
My sister’s squeal brings me out of my thoughts. “Thank you! I knew I could count on you!”
“Well, I’m not making any promises he will come home in one piece. Or alive,” I mutter, side-eyeing my sister. I can’t help the grin that peeks through at her exasperated eye roll. I flip over onto my stomach again so that I can avoid carrying on this exhausting conversation.
“Nathan is a good guy, Ellie. I don’t know why you refuse to see that,” she replies, flipping onto her side and turning away from me.
Nathan. Never Nate. He always hated his name, Nathan. It was too close to Nathaniel. His namesake. I know that because I knowhim.
Iknewhim.
It’s exactly why I am still so angry at him now. This versionof him, it’s all a lie. The Nate I fell for was the real Nate, not this man impersonating a one-dimensional-human-sized-Ken-doll. The kind that doesn’t care about anything as long as he remains the surface-level son of a politician. A fake and a fraud, the exact type of person he never wanted to be.
Someone like his father.
No. That’s not fair. Nate isnothinglike his father, and he never could be. This adaptation is just a character he plays for the people surrounding him. It’s a mask he wears to disguise the brokenness inside of him. A veil meant to camouflage the fear that he’s not good enough or strong enough to resist becoming the man his father was.
It breaks my heart, though. Concealing innate emotions and replacing genuine connections with the personality of a mindless frat-bro can’t be a healthy or satisfying way to live.
Okay, maybe Nate is far from a frat-bro. He’s successful, talented, and kind, but he exists as a shell of the man I used to know. I just have no idea why. All he ever wanted was to get away from his father. Instead, he let Nathaniel Westin dictate his university and his career path, both things he swore would never happen.
I don’t even think Katie knows the real man behind the mask. My sister cherishes our deep connection, so I can’t imagine she is truly content with this superficial imitation of a loving relationship. Maybe Nate checks her boxes. Maybe she doesn’t care enough to get beyond the surface and meet the real man underneath.
