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I frown and bite my lip. The truth is, despite my hope that Ryan would be in contact with me often while he’s gone, I haven’t heard much from him. Between the huge time differences and the work that I assume he’s putting in, he must not have time.
“We’re dating.” I shrug and move to open the lid on the grill, but Mac stops me.
“Let it be,” he says without moving. “Don’t let all the hot air out. It won’t cook evenly. Come on, you can talk to me. It’s only a little weird that it’s my best friend since I was five and my baby sister.”
I wince and then sigh. “You saw us at the party last weekend.”
“And when Ryan and I brought gas to your car,” he replies.
“So, you don’t really need me to spell it out for you. We’re seeing each other.”
“I hope that it goes well because if he hurts you, or you hurt him, I’m gonna have to do something about it, and that’s just weird.”
“No one’s hurt.”
“Yet.” Mac sighs and shoves his hand through his hair. “Look, you’re both good people with strong work ethics, and I care about you both, but you’re my sister. Don’t make me take sides if it all falls apart.”
“I am an adult,” I remind him. “I don’t need you to swoop in and save me from anyone, even your best friend. I like him, Mac. We have chemistry and…I just like him. And for now, that’s good enough.”
“Okay.”
“I’m surprised you’re not trying to warn me off him. You probably know all about his sordid past, and maybe you don’t want him with your sister.”
Mac considers it, rubbing his hand over his mouth. “I don’t think Ry has a sordid past. He’s too business focused to fuck around with women.”
I raise an eyebrow, and Mac rolls his eyes.
“He’s no monk,” he admits. “He’s done his share of dating, but he’s not a snake, Poll. I don’t think he’s left a wake of broken hearts in his past. You’re fine. But he’s married to his businesses, and he works more than he does anything else.”
“Well, that’s something we have in common,” I reply. “His work ethic doesn’t scare me.”
“Where’s the food?” Dad asks as he steps outside. “Everything else is ready. How are the steaks?”
“I’d say they’re about done,” Mac replies, our earlier conversation obviously finished, much to my relief. I don’t mind talking about Ryan. I’ve been asked more times than I can count if there’s something going on between us, and I’ve been honest.
I don’t know any other way to be, and the man kissed me in front of his family, so I’m assuming that it’s no secret that we’re seeing each other.
But talking about it with my brother is…weird.
Usually, Mac threatens to kill a guy after we’re done dating.
“Come on, you guys,” Mom says, poking her head out the door. “Let’s eat. I’m starving.”
Once a month, Mac and I come over to the house we grew up in and have dinner with our parents. Although we were raised here, the house doesn’t look much like it did when we were young.
My mom loves to change things. There’s always a project in the works here, and she’s made no secret that it drives her nuts to go to my house and see the paint swatches on the walls with no progress made at all.
Mom and I couldn’t be more different.
But I love her to death.
“I have to go wash my hands,” I say as I walk through to the hall bathroom and then stop in my tracks. “Uh, Mom? Where did the bathroom go?”
“Oh, I’m sorry, sweetie. I tore that out yesterday. It was time to update it.”
“Didn’t you just update it three years ago?” Mac asks.
“I painted it three years ago,” Mom counters. “But it hadn’t had a good overhaul since you kids were little. Polly, go use the bathroom off our bedroom.”
