“What has your broody ass out this fine Friday evening?” he asks.
“Just wanted a drink, and to hang out with you two assholes.”
“Hmm, likely story,” Ben says. He looks back at the ladies on the boat. “Alright lovely ladies, who wants to do a shot ski?”
He starts setting up the shot ski, which I doubt they’ve washed since buying this boat, and I go hang out where Gavin is, captaining the ship.
“I thought you two barely captained these things anymore,” I say, leaning against the back and sipping my beer.
“Kip got sick and Lucy is hungover, so we decided to take it out for a spin tonight.”
“You two are lucky,” I say, sitting down, chugging the rest of the beer and throwing the aluminum in the bin.
My brother glares at me and takes a seat while he coasts the boat.
“So are you.”
“I just mean that you truly love what you do. You both seem so happy.”
“You could be too,” he says simply.
“I think I’m having a mid-life crisis.”
He laughs, placing his wrist on the top of the wheel, and looks over at me.
“My millionaire brother, with his full head of hair, nice vehicle and apartment he keeps perfectly pristine in a crisis? You don’t say?”
“What is that supposed to mean?” I furrow my brows, grabbing another beer from the center bar.
“You self-isolate, hate everything, and haven’t been the same since Vanessa. I mean, you were always a dick, but after things ended with her, you changed.”
I haven’t told anyone in my family what happened; I was too ashamed. I dated Vanessa for two years. For two fucking years I had no idea what she was doing, and when I found out, it destroyed me. She didn’t just take those two years from me, she’s taken the four after it as well.
I don’t say anything and Gavin sighs, leaning back, his head tossed back and his dark hair in loose curls.
“Call up some of your college friends. Hell, reach out to us more. We always want to spend time with you. Penny lives in your building, spend more time with her. People aren’t meant to be solitary creatures, Linc.”
“Maybe I should start dating again.”
“Well, there are some divorcées and girls who are watching their friend get married first on this boat. It’s like shooting fish in a barrel.”
But I don’t want any of them.
I want my mystery girl.
It’s all so completely fucked.
“There’s someone I have in mind.”
He looks shocked, but doesn’t ask me any more details. He squints at me and I glare back.
“What the fuck happened to your forehead?”
“What?”
“Your forehead.”
I rub my head, and sure enough, there’s a bruise forming where I banged my head against the wall when I came.
