“Ellie is seeing your bandmate, remember?” I asked.
He angled his head as he looked at me. “I don’t think she’s serious about that.”
I snorted and stood up. “I fixed the sink.”
“So, is there a nonemployee woman you’re seeing?” Brody asked.
“Why are you asking?”
“One of my friends asked me if I could set the two of you up,” Brody said. “But I warned her that your previous relationship was two weeks long, so she might have better luck elsewhere.”
I grinned. “And that relationship had been a week and a half too long.”
“Well, with that attitude, all the women must be lining up to date you?—”
“Not this again,” I groaned.
“Did Betsy get after you too?” He grinned.
“Yes, when she came over to make lasagna on Wednesday,” I said.
“Give me lasagna over soup any day,” he said, wiping his hands dry.
I laughed. “Green casserole dish on the top shelf in the fridge. Help yourself.”
He opened the fridge and brought the casserole dish out. I took out two sets of plates from the upper cabinets and hunted for silverware in the drawer.
When I set them on the table, Brody gave me a look that said,You too?
“I’m not going to watch you eat lasagna, if that’s what you mean.” I grinned as he heated the casserole dish in the microwave.
A minute later, Brody doled out the lasagna onto the plates, and we took a few bites in companionable silence.
After chewing for a bit, Brody spoke. “I still think it’s time you realize that you pushing relationships away isn’t working for you.”
I groaned. “I thought we were over this already. Besides, I’m not pushing relationships away. I just don’t need anyone else in my life.”
Brody gave me a look that said he wasn’t buying it, but thankfully, he let it go.
Previously, Brody would talk my ear off about the latest tune he’d composed or ask me what I thought about the lyrics he’d scribbled on paper, but now, all he wanted to do was fix things. Silently. It was useless, asking him about music or his health. Brody had shut down after his health diagnosis, refusing to talk about it or even consider rejoining his band when they were not on tour. It was very unlike him.
A year ago, Brody, during one of his shows, had been overcome with an epileptic fit and collapsed onstage. I hated myself for not being able to help him right away, butgrateful that his band and his staff took care of him. I’d been at work when I got the call from a hospital in Denver. I’d abandoned my meeting midway and flown over to Denver immediately, where I met Brody and spoke with the doctors. It wasn’t good news, but unlike me, Brody was calm and accepting of his new diagnosis.
He couldn’t do blinding, flashing lights. He couldn’t do shows anymore. His band was essentially not his anymore.
I couldn’t shake that nervous feeling of helplessness and fear when I saw Brody in the hospital. It brought back memories of when I’d lost my mom long ago and reminded me that someone else could be snatched away from me just as easily. I locked myself in the bathroom for a good fifteen minutes, trying to calm myself down and get a grip.
When I emerged, Brody was being fawned over by the nurse who had recognized him and the band he played in. I laughed, and some of that fear slipped away. And I’d decided that I didn’t need any more family. I didn’t need more people who could reduce me to such a mess over their lives.
I had Brody and my uncle, and that was plenty.
4
AVA
Iwoke up on Friday with sore limbs, feeling groggy. It took me a few moments to silence the alarm on my phone and register the time. Six a.m. It took me a few more seconds to realize why I’d stayed up late last night—I’d helped Mrs. Wilson haul a friend’s used couch into her house.
Today was the day I’d be meeting with the new investor for Mom’s restaurant.
