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“I’veheard.”
“I should try to dissuadeyou.”
“You shouldn’t.” Igrin.
“Wesley, I hope to see youthere.”
“Charity event?” Wes asks as Jakedisappears.
“It’s a carnival. Prince Diamonds hosts it every year,” I inform him. “You can’t missit.”
He takes the tray of glass back to the kitchen and returns. “I’m guessing the dress code isn’tchinos.”
“Tuxes only.” I straighten, smoothing my clothes. “There’ll be investors. The type who might buy your datingapp.”
“Really.”
I lead the way to the library. A tray of purple drinks is deposited in front of us as we claim two of the clubchairs.
I’m going to have to tell him I can’t take him on. But I don’t have to tell him thisminute.
I take a sip, and the cool liquid is sweeter than I expected. “That’s actually good. What isit?”
“No idea. Jake left before he could tell me.” He sinks into his chair, enjoying his drink. “Dare I ask what your father did to incur yourwrath?”
I’ve never talked to anyone about my family really, not even Haley. Her problems always put mine to shame. But the look of legitimate interest in Wes’s gaze has metalking.
“He was trying to get hold of my brother’s therapy records. I shouldn’t be surprised, and I can’t change him. I know it. But I’m a little worried about mybrother.”
When I left for college, he was ten, hardly old enough to protect himself, and Mom and Dad haven’t gotten more chillsince.
“What’s hisname?”
“Beck. BeckByrne.”
Wes nods. “I have him in third period. I’ll keep an eye out forhim.”
My heart melts. “Just don’t tell him. He’d do more than steal my car if he knew I asked.” I ask something I haven’t broached yet. “Jake told me your dad passedrecently.”
Wes’s face clouds under his damp hair. “Braincancer.”
My chest tightens. “That’s how you ended up back in NewYork.”
“I went through the recruitment process at the University of Washington. One of the top life sciences departments in the country. Finally got the offer. I’d been about to accept it when I learned he’d gotten sick again, and this time, he wasn’t getting better. I wanted to be close to him as he dealt with his cancer. I didn’t expect him to die sofast.
“The chair of the board at Baden was a close friend of my father’s. He arranged for me to get a teaching job in biology here so I could be close to mydad.”
I take a sip of my drink, trying to hide my surprise. “Thechair?”
“Terry Crawford. Everything goes well, I’m hoping he’ll help get my job back atUW.”
“Wait. They didn’t give it to someoneelse?”
He shakes his head. “They deferred hiring to look for additional candidates, which is pretty common for academia. When I went back to the dean and let him know the situation, he said they would consider me again, but they found more applicants in the meantime. Meaning morecompetition.”
“Well, let’s hope everything goes the way you’veplanned.”
We toast, and over the rest of our drinks, he tells me about getting through school. His dad’s three rounds of cancer. Taking care of hismom.
