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I laugh. “I guess that’s one reason.”
“Everything has always made sense to me, you know? I do a little analysis, strategize a little, and boom, problem solved. But there’s something about her that tosses everything off balance, and it’s what made me fall for her. She’s a little quirky. A little wild. Spontaneous. Basically my opposite in every way, and it makes no sense, yet…” He trails off, clearly confused with how to proceed, and I kind of love seeing my brother like this.
“It sounds like love, dude.”
“Thanks for listening, man. And for not saying anything yet. I haven’t decided where or when or the rest of it.”
“You will,” I say with confidence. It’s Spencer. He’ll have it figured out by the time his plane touches back down in Minnesota. “Why didn’t you bring her this weekend?”
He shrugs. “None of us ever do. I wasn’t ready to—”
“Have the family judging her?” I guess.
He shakes his head. “Expose her to you idiots.”
I laugh. He’s not wrong.
And I can’t help but think maybe he’s got the right idea.
We’re celebrating Gram and Gramps’s sixty-fifth wedding anniversary.
If I got married today—and there’s literally nobody in the picture right now I could even offer that to—I’d be a hundred and one the day I celebrated my sixty-fifth wedding anniversary.
I could’ve been on track for that with the girl I loved when I was eighteen. We could’ve gotten married young. We could have kids together now, kids that are in their teens who might have interests different from ours.
Instead, we’re bitter enemies whose families hate one another and she has a kid with some other man.
I guess that’s what was meant to be.
And we just…weren’t.
CHAPTER 23: LINCOLN
The anniversary party is like a mini-family reunion. My mom has an older sister and an older brother, and they each have a few kids who are married with a few kids of their own, so we all meet at a restaurant in a suburb of New York City. There are a little over twenty of us here, give or take, and the hostess leads us to a private room with two long tables set up and a smaller table at the center of the room in the middle of what will be a dance floor if we’re so inclined, and that’s where my grandparents sit together. The six Nashes head right for them to issue hugs and many congratulations, but I can’t get that thought from the car out of my head.
And as I glance over at my father, whose eyes are on me, I can’t help but feel like he’s to blame.
The odds of me ever celebrating sixty-five years married to another person are pretty much slim to none.
It’s a morbid thought to have, but the chances of me making it to one-oh-one are not great. Especially not considering the life of a football coach. It’s a terribly unhealthy lifestyle given the stress, irregular schedule, and eating habits of life on the road.
What would’ve happened with Jolene if my father hadn’t intervened?
I’ll never know the answer to that.
But knowing she and I are in the same town…I’m torn between lust and hate.
And if I spend too much time around her, I’m afraid lust will start to win out. And if lust wins, feelings won’t be too far behind.
I push her out of my head. I have to. I’m here with my family, and if my father knew what sort of thoughts I was having, I can’t imagine his response today if he took out his best friend all those years ago over it.
I hold his gaze for a few beats before Grayson punches me in the arm—right over the bruise he gave me earlier—and drags me over toward the bar.
I have a feeling my dad’s going to corner me at some point. I’m frankly shocked he hasn’t done it yet and I’ve been here for a whole twenty-four hours. I’ve caught up with everyone except him and my mom, but my time is coming.
And I’m not wrong.
It’s as I’m heading toward the table, beer in hand, when he stops me in my pursuit of a chair and pulls me aside.
