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“Let me guess. You became the big man on campus and kicked little small-town Suzie to the curb?”
“Wrong. I went to a small college and hardly anyone knew my name. My girlfriend’s name was not Suzie—her name was Lucy—and she fell in love with her college professor and ended things with me.”
“What a little tartlet,” Georgia said, and everyone laughed.
“It’s fine. The relationship had run its course. I think she married the dude and has a kid or two now. All worked out well.”
“Next?” I asked, arms folded over my chest.
“I transferred to Alabama and met Barbie. We dated for almost a year. She wanted to get married and have kids, and I didn’t. So, she gave me an ultimatum, and I walked away.”
“See? Afraid of commitment.” I glanced around the table, looking for people to back me.
“I was twenty years old. Marriage and kids were not on my radar. I was honest. She was honest. No one got hurt.”
“I mean, I get that. I hardly think anyone at this table wanted to get married when they were twenty years old,” Cage said, obviously siding with Lincoln. “Continue, Linc.”
Linc?
My brother didn’t use nicknames for anyone but his daughter and his siblings.
Clearly, Lincoln had won the man over.
“I got drafted right out of college, and my focus was football.” He glanced at me. “I’ve had two girlfriends over the last seven years. Neither lasted more than a year. Lynette couldn’t handle the fact that I traveled so much. She was jealous, and my lifestyle was too much for her. Jaqueline was an actress who wanted her ten minutes of fame and sold a story about my mother to the tabloids, and she was also unfaithful. So, I’ve remained single because it’s easier. And God knows that Brinkley isn’t easy, but for whatever reason, I just don’t care. It doesn’t scare me.” He turned toward me. “You don’t scare me, Brinkley Reynolds.”
“Wow. She scares everyone. This is a first,” Finn said, and Cage agreed.
“Auntie Brinks doesn’t scare me either, Links. Hey, Links and Brinks. That’s a rhyme, Daddy.”
Everyone laughed, but I just stared at the man beside me. “Aren’t you always closed off and guarded? What’s with all the confessions tonight?”
“I like you, and I like your family. Deal with it. I’m not going anywhere.”
“I think he wins this one, honey,” my mother said.
“I say we keep him,” Wyle said, and everyone cheered.
“I say we keep him, too, Auntie.” Gracie came over and climbed on my lap.
I acted annoyed, but they’d all hit a nerve.
Because I wanted to keep him, too.
But wanting someone came with a lot of risks.
And that terrified me.
eighteen
Lincoln
I’d never been quite sochatty in a group before, but the Reynolds’ sure made it easy. I felt comfortable, and I had a really good time.
I’d always wondered what it would be like to have a large family.
One who loved big.
They were the real deal, and it didn’t surprise me because I knew Brinkley’s family would be amazing. She talked about them often.
