Page 113 of Joey

“I don’t know,” Brooke says. “I just don’t agree with you on that. There’s a whole bunch of people outside—a whole bunch of seemingly normal people outside—just… having a nice time.”

I look at her. Mouth open. Cannot believe what I’m hearing. “Nice time?”

“She has a point,” Huck says. “It’s a birthday party. It’s summer vacation. It’s old ladies having afternoon tea while wearing stupid hats. I think you’re overreacting.”

I look at Wald. “Do you think I’m overreacting?”

Wald is silent for a moment, his jaw clenching. “I don’t know,” he finally admits. “But I don’t think we should leave. Yet. We should just… pretend the room is fine, go to that dinner, and then wait and see what happens.”

“Something bad,” I say. “I can fuckin’ feel it. Something bad is happening here.”

“Well, I’m changing out of this suit. I’m hot as fuck,” Huck says.

Brooke snickers. Sexual innuendo.

I point my finger at her and say, “You’re wrong.”

She shrugs. “I could be. I never said I was a mystic, for fuck’s sake. But if we leave now you’ll never know, will you? You’ll just be Joey Boston, Maisy Kane’s biological father. The guy who came, didn’t get what he wanted, and left. Like a temper-tantrum-throwing child.”

“Fuck you,” I say. “You don’t even know me.”

She holds up her hand. “And yet you put this giant ring on my finger. Maybe it’s not them, Joey. Did you ever think of that? Maybe it’s you?”

“What the hell, Brooke?” Wald says.

“I’m just saying. He’s acting like a spoiled rich brat. Man up, Joey. There’s nothing going on here. You’re making it all up because this isn’t going the way you thought it would. You’re just… giving up. And something tells me you’ve been doing that your whole life. Something tells me that hard work isn’t your thing.”

“Jesus Christ, Brooke!” Wald says. “That’s enough!”

“You have no idea what I know,” I seethe. “None. You don’t know me. None of you know me. All you see is the guy I am now. You have no clue what happened to us as kids.”

“What?” Huck says. He’s standing in front of the open closet, pulling his tie through the collar of his shirt. “What’s that mean?”

“It means,” I say, standing up and pacing the room. “It means… I know there’s more to this. And you know how I know?” I whirl around and look at Brooke. “I know because there’s always more than people see. There’s always something underneath. There’s always hidden agendas and nefarious plots. That’s how my world works. That’s how it’s always been. I’ve spent my entire fucking life asking, ‘Why? Why the fuck is this happening?’”

“What are you even talking about?” Huck says.

He looks at Wald and Wald sighs.

“Do you know?” Huck asks.

Wald shakes his head. But at the same time he mutters, “Maybe. Not really. But…” Wald looks at me then at Brooke. “I know Joey is sincere. It’s not hard work that scares him, Brooke. It’s the consequences of what comes after.”

Brooke makes a face. “I don’t even know what that means.”

“It means he has valid reasons for being the way he is. It means… none of us can ever understand him because our last name isn’t Boston.”

Brooke shakes her head. “The Kanes are a bunch of super-rich assholes, living in a castle, surrounded by gorgeous hills and woods. That’s it. They’re pretentious, and lucky, and snide, and mean, and selfish, and condescending, and too good for the rest of us. Fine. I agree. But this place isn’t what you’re saying. And if she were my daughter, Joey…”

“If she were your daughter… what?” I growl.

“I’d leave her alone. I’d let her have her special, perfect life. I’d let her keep her father, and her sister, and her house. Because she looks happy here. Everyone looks happy here. And happy isn’t something you can buy like a ring, or a house, or a fiancée.”

“Fuck you,” I say. “Fuck. You.”

“OK,” Wald says, stepping between us. “Let’s all take a deep breath. Joey, we don’t know that anything is going wrong. So we’re not leaving. Yet. Brooke’s right. That’s just quitting at this point. At least see it through before you make a decision.”

I look at Huck. He shrugs. “I got your back. Don’t worry. We’ll figure it out.”