Does Becca’s mom really think I’m that bad for her daughter? Becca is the most amazing woman I’ve ever met, and I have no doubt she deserves the best. But I also know, no matter what her mother thinks, I’m the one to give it to her.
I can’t just go walking into Club Redemption myself tonight. I wonder if Aiden will be up for coming out with me?
When I pull up in front of my parents’ place, Travis is already waiting outside. Thank god for that, because I don’t want to tell Mom what I’m planning to do tonight. Hell, with the way she and Dad fawn all over Becca when she’s here, I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that they think she could do better than me, too.
“Hey,” Travis says when he gets into the passenger seat. “So, you want to tell me what’s really going on with you and Becca?”
“You want to tell me why Mom and Dad’s neighbour hired you as a handyman and has you babysitting her kids?”
He laughs. “It’s kind of a long story. I don’t think you have that kind of time tonight. Short version? She’s cool, her ex is a deadbeat dad, and an asshole, and her kids don’t deserve to be treated that way.”
Coming from such a big family has shaped the way both Travis and I view families in general. And if there’s one thing I know Travis can’t stand, it’s a dad who won’t take responsibility for his family, especially for his kids.
“I guess that’s enough for now. But I expect to hear about her hiring you soon, too. How does someone hire a famous musician to be a handyman?”
I glance at Travis out of the corner of my eye and see his cheeks redden.
“Uh, yeah. If you could maybe not mention the musician part next time you see her? I’d appreciate it.”
“Wait. She doesn’t know we’re in a band?”
This is getting good. If I weren’t so wrapped up in Becca right now, I’d be all over this story.
“She knowsyou’rein a band.” He shakes his head and laughs. “She wondered how come you look the way you do and the rest of us… don’t.”
Ah, yes. Of course. Old Johnny, not fitting in again. I suppose it would be easy enough to look at me and Travis and decide that I was the one in the band, not him. How we’re both in the same band, yet look completely different, amazes people every day.
“Oh, right.”
“So. Becca?” Travis asks, changing the subject.
The anxiety is already eating at me, so I may as well fill Travis in on the details. Before we make it to Aiden’s place, he knows how I feel about Becca, how I think she feels about me, and how I know her mother feels about me.
“Okay, let me get this straight. You haven’t even spoken to her since that night? And now you’re going to interrupt her date with someone who is probably better for her than you?”
“I mean, when you put it that way, it sounds almost like you think I should bow out gracefully and let her move on with this new Mr. Perfect.”
I pull into Aiden’s driveway, parking next to his classic Volvo station wagon (which I keep trying to tell him is an old man’s car, but he doesn’t pay me any attention), and Travis and I step out of the vehicle.
“No, that’s not what I’m saying. But you should take a minute to think about why her mother has such a strong opinion on the matter.”
I nod my head. “I’ll think about it. But Becca did tell me once that her mother was the worst person on earth. I’m not sure her opinion is a reliable source of information.”
Travis gets into the driver’s seat and I head up the stairs and into Aiden’s house. Now I just need to convince Aiden to come with me to the club so I can get a look at this guy who Becca’s mom seems to think is so much better than me.
I’ll take a look and that’s it.
Maybe.
Probably not.
“Hey man, I need a favour.” I walk past Aiden and go directly to the kitchen. “I need you to come with me to a club tonight so I can see who Becca is on a date with.”
Aiden turns his video game off and joins me in the kitchen. “And why would you want to do that?”
Why do I want to do this? Do I just want to torture myself by seeing Becca with someone else? Convince her to come with me instead?
“I don’t know,” I admit. “But I feel like I need to.”
