Page 134 of The Casanova Complex

“Well, son. I think you… you should thank your girl for that. All of this was her idea.”

I swallow roughly, dragging in one uneven breath after another, each rattling in my lungs.

I wasn’t expecting this to be so emotional.

I just… I wanted to do this for Bennett. I wanted to make him happy. His sister, Brie, appears by my side, looping her arm in mine, and she drags me against her.

She’s the female version of Bennett, only slightly older, definitely more funny, and immediately someone who I knew I could be friends with.

“Merritt found me on Instagram and slid into my DMs and suggested that we plan something. The rest is history. Here we are, albeit with many blips along the way and a travel day from actual hell. We are here for you, baby brother.”

I can’t pull my eyes off Bennett, watching as his throat works. A silence settles between us, and even with distance between us, I can tell that he’s struggling with his emotions right now.

His eyes are red-rimmed, and his nostrils are flaring, his surprised gaze bouncing between all of us. He’s still trying to wrap his head around the fact that his family is here, standing in his living room, and he had no idea. No hint that this was coming.

And that’s because I am the world’s best secret keeper and surprise planner, obviously.

That’s an extreme exaggeration. I have no idea how I even pulled it off, actually.

But after family weekend, when his friends came in and I saw how happy he was, how full he felt being surrounded by his people, I wanted to make sure that his family was here for a game this year and that they understood how important this is to him. Imagine how surprised I was to find out that they didn’t even know it was family weekend.

That for whatever reason, Bennett didn’t tell them. I was worried that I might have overstepped when I discovered that, but I just… I knew that he would want them there.

I was just crossing my fingers and praying to the universe that everything would align. Even if I wasn’t able to pull it off, I just knew that I had to try.

There were a couple of times, especially tonight, that I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to make it happen. So many things were out of my control. The weather, flights, a stupid overbooked rental car place. And I was a little worried that Bennett would be upset that I orchestrated this without telling him.

But thank God that I did, because seeing his face right now makes it a thousand times worth what it took to get here.

“I’m sorry that we didn’t make it to the game tonight, but there’s always tomorrow,” Kathy says with a smile, patting his cheek. She steps back and slips her arm around her husband’s waist, leaning into him.

I have so much to talk with Bennett about.

So many things that I need to say that I’ve been holding in.

After witnessing his parents together tonight, the way that his dad offers quiet reassurance to his mom in the softest ways, it made me realize things.

Their love isn’t loud or over-the-top, but it’s evident. Strong and secure.

And now I truly understand Bennett in a way I never did before now.

About the way that he shows up for people, the way that he shows up for me, how he shows how much he cares about me.

In the quiet ways.

In the ways that other people don’t pay attention to. Things that might get missed.

The substantial but small ones that, when with the right person, mean everything.

To be seen is to be loved.

And there is no one that I see more clearly than Bennett.

Kathy reaches out and smooths her hand over the lapel of his suit, and Bennett shakes his head, exhaling. “I’m just… I can’t even believe that you’re here.”

His gaze shifts to his dad, his expression morphing to confusion. “What about work? Yo⁠—”

His dad shakes his head. “Took a few days off. I had some vacation time, so I used it. They’ll be fine without me for a few days, and if they can’t… well, then they can figure it out, because I need to be here for my son.”