I probably should have thought this one through.
I know, the story of my life.
I'd texted him nearly non-stop since he left, trying to cheer him up if nothing else. I know he didn't leave because of me. I've wished he would come back, but it didn't seem fair to ask that of him.
While I'm one of his problems, he doesn't need me tossing my emotional demands on him. So instead, I kept it light and funny with pictures of Sunny and song suggestions for us.
He never said we didn't need a song, but I've forbidden myself from reading into that. Still, when he said he came to see me in Boston, my heart leapt.
My girl bits did a little too, but I'm trying to calmallmy organs down as I try to figure out how to drop this bomb on my family, including my sister-in-law who's running around like a chicken with her head cut off, trying to cook a meal worthy of Martha Stewart.
Yes, I know this is in poor form.
"Hey, Owen, can I talk to you for a minute?" I ambush my brother as he's carrying a large stainless steel feeding trough out to the back deck. Xavier should be here in less than an hour, so no time like the present.
"Only if you get the bags of ice out of the garage freezer and help me fill this up." It's about forty-five degrees, so it shouldn't take too much ice to keep some bottles of soda and fancy sparkling water cold. I grab a bag with each hand and waddle my way upstairs, thinking that I probably should start working out with weights.
"Carolina is going nuts. That's why I hate hosting anything."
I scrunch up my brow. "When you bought this house, you literally said it was for entertaining. It's why we had to schlep here, instead of home to Mom and Dad's for Thanksgiving."
"Yeah, but that was before I knew how fanatic Carolina gets. She's a total perfectionist and thinks that every person who sets foot in the door needs a three-star Michelin experience and that every single nook and cranny of the house will end up on Instagram orBetter Homes and Gardens. We basically have to lock the girls in their rooms for two days so they don't touch anything. I'm surprised she even let you and Mom and Dad stay here."
This news about my sister-in-law is not surprising. Owen himself is big on appearances, always sharply dressed and perfectly groomed. Even now, he's wearing designer jeans, a button-down shirt, and leather oxford shoes that probably cost almost a month's rent. This is all while he's getting the house set for company. "When's Aiden getting here?" I'm not sure Aiden is allowed to be an overnight guest at Casa Carolina. Our middle brother, no matter how much he tries, always has some bit of farm on him.
Sometimes I like Aiden to be around, if only so people don't focus on what a mess I am.
"He's going to be cruising in at the last minute. He had to deliver … something." Owen shrugs. "You know."
Yup. As our brother is fond of saying, "Mother Nature doesn't make dinner plans." That's the line he used when he almost missed Owen and Carolina's wedding. Needless to say, I'm Carolina's favorite in-law. Sure, I win by default, but I'll take it where I can get it. Though what I say next may cost me that standing. "So, like, it looks like there's a lot of food. And your dining room is really huge. You could probably fit more chairs at the table." I turn to survey the room like it's the first time I've ever been here. "And—"
"Cut the bullshit, Ophelia. What do you want?" Owen has reverted to scary lawyer mode.
"I may have a friend who's suddenly without a place to go, and I may have extended an invitation here."
Owen slams down the tub. "Jesus Christ, Ophelia, could you have waited any longer? When are you going to grow up and start acting like a responsible adult? You can't live your whole life flitting about, making rash decisions without any regard for how it affects everyone else."
You mean like marrying a stranger in response to accidentally going viral?I feel my face flush. "I just found out!"
"And did you tell them yes?"
I roll my eyes. I don't even need to answer that question. Owen knows.
"Carolina's going to shit a brick, you know that, right? You know how uptight she gets when her sister is coming. She feels so inferior to Georgia, God knows why. It turns her into an absolute monster, trying to one-up her sister."
I can sort of relate. At least to the inferior thing.
"So is it okay?" I give my older brother my best puppy dog eyes. It's never worked on him before, but I'm an eternal optimist.
Owen shakes his head. "I hope your friend doesn't eat much."
I glance toward the kitchen where there are piles upon piles of food. No one's going to starve. "Is that a yes?"
Owen doesn't have time to answer, as the doorbell chimes. He looks at me and narrows his eyes. If we were still kids, I'd undoubtedly be on the receiving end of a punch by now. "Unbelievable," he mutters before storming off to answer the door.
I'm at his heels, attempting to get around him. He tosses an elbow out, blocking me. "It's my house, dammit, even if you do consider it yours to invite any random person off the street."
In a further unfortunate turn of events, Xavier, standing on the other side of the door, happens to look terrible, bearing a striking resemblance to some random person off the street. Incredible stress and temporary homelessness will do that. He looks awful, and my heart breaks a little.
