“Oo, I have so many greens.” She grinned and hurried down the aisle with excitement. She seemed to be on the same wavelength as Weston.
“Come, come,” she beckoned us around the corner as if she was our guide to forbidden treasure.
“Well, would you look at that,” Weston marveled once he turned down the next aisle.
I joined him and had a similar, albeit less thrilled, reaction. We were staring at an entire row of green. Shades ranging from Dark Forest to Hot Lime. Most of them look atrocious, and that was exactly what Weston had been looking for.
“Behold,” he said dramatically as he spread his arms out wide. “Our oyster.”
“Interesting choice of oyster,” I told him. “What exactly are we doing again? Finding the worst colors to the human eyes?”
“Yes,” Weston moved closer to the paint and touched a can in mock reverence. “To blind my enemies. Also known as my parents.”
“You’ve officially lost it,” I mumbled and joined his side.
“Not quite.” He tapped his finger against a gross, dirty green shade. “Not yet.”
“Nice pick,” the woman nodded. “Reminds me of spring.”
I almost laughed at her attempt to get a sale. Weston looked amused too. He reached up to grab cans.
“These are perfect…” He read her name tag. “Maria. Would you mind helping us find these other colors before checking us out?”
“Of course,” she beamed and started her shuffle down the aisle. “It’d be my pleasure.”
“I thought you were supposed to behelpingyour parents,” I reminded him. “Looks like you’re just about to make a mess. Your house is too beautiful to ruin with…”
“Pukey yellow and moldy green?” Weston held up the paint cans.
I snorted. “Those their official names?”
“Should be. Don’t worry, Covee. My parents will hate this, which makes it all the better. They need a little chaos in their lives. Nothing has shaken them since I was in high school.”
There was my opening. I swallowed, nearly chickening out before asking, “Which high school did you go to?”
“It was a prep one.” Weston shrugged. “Old, dusty, and boring. Whatever you’re imagining, that’s what it was... right down to the uniforms.”
“Was your school close to here?” I watched him open his mouth and then close it when Maria called for us down the aisle. She pointed to something on the top shelf with a beaming grin.
“I know you were in Fairfield,” I told him quickly. My words blended. He froze and tilted his head to the side, undoubtedly replaying my confession over.
“Fairfield,” he repeated with red in his cheeks. “Your friend’s research?”
I nodded numbly. “Why was it a secret?”
“I have the other colors,” Maria sang while waving in our direction from down the hall. She looked so proud to have tracked down Weston’s silly request.
“I made a split-second decision,” he explained. “I didn’t want you to be scared. Plus, I was embarrassed. I-”
Maria called for us again. He looked over his shoulder and back to me. I nodded for him to go to her. I watched him jog down the aisle. He put on his usual smile. The charm wooed Maria as she spoke to him.
I watched silently from afar. I thought I would have felt anger. Or, disappointment. Instead, I felt an ache in my chest. Embarrassed. He must have been lonely. I’d been embarrassed about my family for years. Without Ari, I would have caved.
Weston had his team, but not really. He held too much back to truly receive help from them. Sure, he was there for them. They couldn’t return the favor. Neither could I if he continued to refuse to be honest. We couldn’t fight his battles if they were invisible.
“All set?” Maria was saying as I stepped closer.
Weston grinned at her. “Yes, this is perfect.”
