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I kick him under the table. “Did this happen before or after you drove my car all over thecity?”
“That would be that time,” hemumbles.
My father ignores most of this, then sets his napkin down when his phone rings. “I need to takethis.”
He’sgone.
My mother clears the table soon after, and when she ducks out with her and my dad’s plates, I lean across the table towardBeck.
“You can’t shock me, little brother, no matter what youthink.”
“They’re hypocrites. All of them. You don’t see it because you’re not around. You don’t have to deal withthem.”
I listen to the sound of Mom loading the dishwasher as I lower my voice. “I know Dad sexts his assistant and Mom fucks her trainer. I know they fight late at night. You think any of that’s new? It’s our own brand of normal. That doesn’t mean you need to get in trouble with school, or drive drunk, or do other stupidshit.”
His dark eyes flash as he shakes his head. “Right, because you’reperfect.”
My hands form fists at my sides, and the buzz inside me dials up a notch. “Can we skip the passive-aggressive and you tell me what’s going on? Are you addicted to pain meds? Gambling debt? Are you blowing the captain of the football team? Because believe me, I’ve seen itall.”
“You wouldn’t get it.” He stares me down before shoving out of his chair and heading down thehall.
I sigh, grabbing the last of the dinnerplates.
“How was thelamb?”
I glance over my shoulder to see my mother hovering behind me. “It was good,Mom.”
9
Wes
“Dr. Robinson,I was going to ask you…” Carly stops in her tracks as I adjust my bowtie. “Wow. Are you going to the MetGala?”
“Not exactly. But it might not be far off.” I check myself in the mirror. The tux isn’t me, but it’s not bad. I spend most of my workdays in a suit, but the tux has more pieces than my father’s pocket watch, most of them serving a subtle purpose I’d never thought of but don’thate.
“You lookincredible.”
“Thanks. What were you going toask?”
She blinks. “Oh. Just that some of us go for drinks Fridays after work. I thought you might want to join us thisweek.”
I turn it over in my mind as I take in her hopefulexpression.
I box with Jake Tuesday and Friday, but we typically finish before happy hour. Still, even though Friday’s two days from now, this week’s been stacked with one thing after another. After working on my research and looking out for my mom, I have almost zero freetime.
But those aren’t the only reasons I’m reluctant to say yes toCarly.
Over the years, women have wanted to be my girlfriend. I get it—I’m not an idiot or a slob, and I work out, but the hours I keep aren’t conducive todating.
Which, according to them, is why it ultimately fails—the best parts of me are poured into my lab, my computer, and staring into space trying to solve research problems over dinner atrestaurants.
(Apparently, women don’t likethat.)
And the reality is, my first love is always my work. At least until I achieve what I’ve been working toward for the last decade—getting hired at a good university where I can build a research program that’s respected and challenging—my priorities arefixed.
Hell, they’re not even up fordiscussion.
Which doesn’t mean you have to be a hermit. Its not healthy, Wesley. I hear my mother’s voice in my head as if she’s standing next tome.
