When Alex asked him how school was going, he just shrugged. “Fine.”
I tried to catch Wyatt’s eye, silently asking him to ease up and to not do this tonight, but he didn’t listen. When the plates were cleared and people started shifting in their chairs, Wyatt pushed his back abruptly and stood. “I’ve got to go.”
Mom frowned. “So early?”
“I have a thing with my friends,” he said, already grabbing his jacket. His eyes flicked to me then, as hard as they’d ever been.
My stomach dropped and I stood immediately. “Can I talk to you for a second?”
He shook his head. “Sorry. I’m already late.”
He slung his backpack over one shoulder and Alex stayed seated, but I could feel his attention on us, steady and alert as Wyatt fled the room. For a long moment after, I just stood there, frozen with heat creeping up my neck.
My chest felt tight, like I’d missed a step on the stairs. I didn’t know what exactly was going on with him now that he knew I’d never been having an affair, but whatever it was, it seemed Wyatt hadn’t forgiven me yet, and at this point, I wasn’t sure he ever would.
CHAPTER 38
ALEX
Usually, I avoided my father’s country club like the plague unless someone was actively dying. Unfortunately for me, Douglas Westwood counted boredom as a medical condition that might lead to his imminent demise, and as such, he had insisted on Nate and me meeting him today.
So here we were, walking into a building that smelled like cigars, expensive cologne, and the ghosts of drunken business deals gone bad. Nate was at my side, his posture as tense as my own as he sighed.
“Just remember, we promised we’d be on our best behavior.”
“I’m always on my best behavior,” I said. “It’s everyone else that tends to get sensitive when I open my mouth.”
He groaned. “Maybe you should try not opening it unless you really need to.”
“You know as well as I do that I’m going to need to as soon as we get in there. I haven’t seen any of them since I got married. What doyouthink they’re going to want to talk about?”
“Just be nice,” he said, sounding like he was resigning himself to a root canal treatment. “The sooner you answer all of their questions and tell them how awesome life has been with your wife, we can leave.”
I doubted it would be that simple, but we were already approaching the sitting room. All the usual suspects were posted in leather chairs in front of a fireplace, waiting for us with drinks in their hands and probably trading the same stories they’d been telling since Reagan had been in office.
Dad sat in the middle of it all like the king of the retirees, looking smug in that way you only seemed to manage once you’d successfully outsourced your responsibilities to your children. He and Uncle Harlan had both perfected that look recently.
Assholes.
“There you are, boys,” he said when we walked in, beaming at his friends like our appearance was a victory. “Alexander. Nathaniel. Come. Sit.”
The chorus started immediately as we shook hands, the commentary of the day, predictably, all about my status as a newlywed.
“How’s married life treating you, Alex?”
“You’re looking very settled.”
“You lucky bastard. What a catch.”
One man clapped me on the shoulder hard enough to bruise. “You won the lottery with that one, son.”
I smiled tightly. “So I’ve been told.”
Nate and I sank into two vacant armchairs in their circle. Bourbon was pressed into our hands almost immediately by a server so efficient, I hadn’t even seen him before he’d brought over our drinks. As we settled in, I accepted the compliments, fielded the questions that weren’t too intrusive, and finally exhaled when their attention shifted to my brother.
“So, when’s it your turn?” John asked Nate like his nuptials were a foregone conclusion. “You’re up next, right? Any ideas who the lucky lady will be yet?”
Nate nearly choked on his drink. “Excuse me?”
