She doesn’t respond. She just floats there, in the middle of the pool, staring at me, her breathing heavy from swimming. Her mouth is half-immersed in the water, her face dripping and her eyes rimmed in red – and not just from the chlorine.
She floats there, believing my lie, seeking out the hope in my words; I know that’s what she’s doing. She doesn’t need to say it.
And then her incredible eyes call to me, telling me the last thing they should say, and something I never wanted to hear.
That she’ll be here, waiting for me.
26
Nick
Present day
Ian opens Ryan’s front door to me. I look at him, surprised, and check I’m at the right house.
“You’re right where you need to be, Nick.”
“What are you doing here?”
“What do you think?” He looks at me condescendingly.
“God, Ryan, did you actually do it?”
Ryan appears behind Ian. “I told you, didn’t I? We can’t waste any time. Grab a beer and come into the living room.”
I do as he says and sit on the armchair, as the two of them take their places side-by-side on the sofa.
“We were just making a plan,” he says, pen in hand.
“A plan…”
“Exactly. How to get a woman in five easy steps: the complete edition for total dickheads.”
“Do you have to?”
Ryan shrugs.
“You know that I’m perfectly capable of getting women, right? I’ve never had any problems with girls.”
“Maybe not with the ones you’re used to going out with, but we’re talking about Casey. Two magazine covers aren’t going to impress her, and neither is your apartment, or your huge car, or your stupid jokes, or…”
“Okay, okay, I get it.”
“We’re talking about feelings, Nick. Do you think you can handle it?” Ian’s winding me up, like he used to be any better up until recently.
It’s fine for those two. Now they’re settled and happy, they think they can point the finger at the one poor brother who’s left.
“Why do you guys care so much? It’s none of your business anyway…”
Ian bursts out laughing.
Okay. So this is how it works in this family: everyone sticks their nose into everyone else’s business, trying to help, but they actually end up leaving a trail of irreparable damage.
“We’ve been watching you do this for years, and we’re getting tired of it,” Ian says.
“Of what?”
They glance at each other quickly, before Ryan proves to me how much more mature he really is than me. Even though it’s impossible to believe.
