“You’re a good son. You’ve always been my favorite, but you know that’s our secret.”
“I do. Just between us.”
“Have so much fun at the wedding, Nash. Maybe you’ll even meet a woman there—”
“Mom—”
“I know you don’t want to talk about it, but you need to find someone. You’re a caretaker. You always have been. You need a woman in your life to care for or at least something to care for—maybe a dog.”
“Yeah, I think I might have better luck with a dog. I don’t think modern women like to be taken care of that much.”
“That’s not at all true. They might not need to be taken care of, but there isn’t a woman alive who doesn’t want it.”
“Hmm. I’m going to have to take your word for it. Hey, I really need to hang up before the store closes. I love you, Momma.”
“I love you, too, honey.”
After I hang up, I shift through the mail on my kitchen counter until I find the wedding invitation. It’s at some estate in Laurel Canyon. I skim down to the bottom. Black tie optional. I have no idea what that means, but I know I don’t have it. The dressiest clothes I have are a pair of black pants and a white button-down shirt. I don’t even have a tie.
Hank, the guy who owns the inn in town, is almost my size. He’s got broad shoulders at least. I grab my phone.
Hank, it’s Nash Young. I have to go to a wedding Saturday. Last-minute thing. I don’t even have a suit jacket with me. You got anything you think would fit me?
He texts back immediately—like everyone in this town does.
I’ve got you covered. Swing by when you can. Claire says she’ll wrap up a couple of the candles she makes as a present. They’re soy or something. I don’t know, but everyone loves them. See you soon.
I look at the invitation again to make sure I’m not missing any dressing instructions. I glance down to see who Stevie’s marrying. Noelle Ivy Clark, daughter of Dresden and Helen Clark of Alpharetta, Georgia. She’s apparently a debutante. That’s the perfect match for him—rich and spoiled. I’m sure they’ll live happily ever after in their enormous house in the suburbs with two entitled children and a golden retriever. For some reason that pisses me off.
I think again about how I can avoid going to the wedding, but I know I can’t. I promised Mom I would go. I’ve never broken a promise to her in my almost twenty-seven years on earth. I’m not going to start now.
* * *