Page 32 of One Night to Fall
“I’m fine. I?—”
“No, sir, you wanted Southern hospitality, you got it.” Her accent is more prominent than usual, and I know she’s doing it for my benefit.
And I appreciate it, especially when she wraps her arms around me. I may have gained a sister when she married Beau, but I also gained a friend.
“I messed up again,” I admit, my voice muffled and quiet.
“With Reid? Harlan know that yet?”
“No, things are fine with Reid.”
“Explains why you’re here,” Beau mumbles and I glare.
“I fucked things up with Adrian.”
“Oh, boy, didn’t see that comin’. Sit. We have cookies and I’ll make some tea,” Indie says.
“I don’t need?—”
“I wasn’t asking,” she replies without looking at me as she fills the kettle and places it on the stove. “The baby is sleeping so you just get to deal with us.”
Chuffing out a humorless laugh, I drop down onto the barstool at their island, planting my elbows on the granite as my head drops into my hands.
“What happened?” Beau asks, always the fixer, but this time I don’t know if there is a way to fix it.
Not really.
“Some guy bought Adrian coffee.” Swallowing hard, I add, “Asked him out on a date.”
“Did he say yes?” Indie’s voice is even as she asks, but her eye twitches the slightest bit.
“He said he’d think about it.”
“And you’re okay with that?” Beau’s jaw ticks, my brother not as good at hiding what he’sreallythinking.
“Yes…I mean, no, I’m not. Butshit, what the hell am I supposed to do?” I exclaim, throwing my arms wide. “I’m twenty-four. I’m not supposed to want commitments and joint Christmas cards or any of it.”
“So then why are you sitting in my kitchen?” Indie says pointedly as she places a steaming mug in front of me along with a plate of cookies.
“Because how can I be pissed when this is what we agreed to—when it’s what I wanted?”
“You’re allowed to change your mind,” Beau says.
“What?”
“You saidwanted.It’s what youwanted.Not what you want.” His words are simple. Confident. And liable to rip the rug right out from under me.
“This all makes sense to you, Beau. You’re thirty.”
He chuckles, his eyes dancing with amusement as he pulls Indie against his side. “I found her at the exact right time. Just because it took me longer doesn’t mean what you and Adrian have is wrong. You’re twenty-four, not eighteen. If you want to be with him then be with him, and if you don’t, then let him go and move on with your life so he can move on with his. You’re an adult—make an adult decision.”
Indie gives him the side-eye but doesn’t tell him he’s wrong. Shit. “If you just need us to tell you there are other guys out there then sure, there are other guys out there for you.” Indie’s tone softens. “But if you’re sitting here because the thought of Adrianout with someone else makes you sick and you’re trying to justify that letting him go is theright thing to do,then you’re makin’ a mistake.”
“Also, if you only ended things with Adrian because you’re trying to prove Mom wrong then you’re also making a mistake.”
I open my mouth for only a second before snapping it shut.
Is he right? Have I just been trying to fight some made-up pressure from my mother tofind someone that makes me happy?
