Page 34 of She’s Worth the Risk

I tilt my head, curious about the change in his body language, when Priya slides a gentle hand onto his arm. He glances at her and nods in answer to a silent question, and I watch as Priya leaves the table, returning a moment later with an envelope. She holds it out to me.

“Here’s your invitation,” she says, smiling warmly. “We weren’t sure…”

Marcus clears his throat, finally meeting my gaze. “We didn’t know if you’d want to come.”

I take the envelope, that tightness returning to my chest. Is he serious? I know we’re not close, but I’d never deliberately miss his wedding day, for Christ’s sake.

“Of course I want to come.”

There’s a flicker of something in Marcus’s eyes. Relief, maybe. I think of the hurt in his voice last week when we were talking about where he lives, how he said, That’s where I’ve lived for a year now, jackass. If you ever called, you’d know. For so long I’d assumed Marcus and I were on the same page; we knew we weren’t close and were fine with it. But he’s changed since meeting Priya, and I’m the one who hasn’t caught up.

Priya rises, gathering the dishes. I stand too, offering to help, but she waves me away.

“I’m only going to load them into the dishwasher. You guys stay here and catch up.” Then she heads inside, leaving Marcus and me alone on the terrace.

“She seems great,” I say, and Marcus nods.

“I feel like a new man with her.”

We sip wine in the fading evening light, listening to the distant sounds of the city, until Marcus breaks the silence.

“There’s something else I wanted to ask you.”

I lift my brows in question.

“I’m having a bachelor party, and…” He pauses, as if choosing his words carefully. “It would be cool if you could be there.”

“Oh,” I say, surprised. I’m not really the bachelor party type, though come to think of it, neither is he.

“It’s super low-key,” he assures me. “No strippers. You know that’s not my style.”

I scrub a hand over my beard. The truth is, I don’t know my brother at all anymore. The Marcus I thought I knew vanished the moment I sat down in that bistro last week.

And for the first time, I wonder if that might be a good thing.

“We’re just going to our local bar for craft beer and wings,” he adds.

I blow out a breath. That’s doable. And when I think of the way he looked at me a moment ago, wondering if I’d want to come to his wedding, the answer comes easily.

“Sure. I’ll be there.”

A grin breaks across his face. “Great. It’s not for a few weeks, but… great.”

As I thank Marcus and Priya at the end of the night, I’m surprised to find I feel lighter. I might be struggling to make sense of this new Marcus, but there’s no denying they seem like a good match. I tuck the wedding invitation into my jacket pocket and head down their front steps, belly full, head a little woozy from wine.

When I turn back to say goodbye, they’re standing on the doorstep. Marcus waves, pulling Priya against him with a grin, and there’s an unfamiliar tug behind my ribs.

On the subway ride home, I wonder what it might be like to have that.

15

NICK

The door to Joe’s closes softly behind me, and I hover in the entryway.

I shouldn’t be here again. I really shouldn’t be here.

But that doesn’t stop me from walking to the counter to order, from glancing around in what I hope is a casual, unhurried manner.