Page 49 of Now or Never

“Soyou’renot getting married.”

Adam laughed. “Of course not.”

“Why do you say it like that?”

“I’m never going to get married, Uncle David. I’ve told you this before.”

“Yeah, but I thought you were just . . . I don’t know, too young to be thinking about it. You’re not that young anymore, Adam. Your friends are getting married. Soon they’ll have kids. You always wanted to get married and be a dad.”

“No,” Adam said with exaggerated patience. “I always wanted to belike mydad.”

“That’s not true. Before your accident, you were ready to get married to that Surrel girl.”

Adam squeezed his eyes shut tight.

“Well, things obviously changed. I don’t want that anymore. It doesn’t matter how old I manage to get.”

“How old youmanageto get? Adam, I know you think—”

“Look,” Adam said, knowing a lecture was coming. “Forget about me getting married. It’s not going to happen. I’m going to invite everyone to the Muskoka cottage forEthan’swedding in two weeks. Do you know if anyone else will be there?”

Uncle David audibly sucked in a breath and blew it out before moving on. “Probably not this time of year. But there’s plenty of room either way. I’ll email you the name of a caterer and a band that I used for a party up there this summer. They were excellent.”

“That’s perfect. Thanks.”

“No problem. Anything else you need, just let me know.”

“I will. I better get going.”

“When will I see you, Adam? It’s been a while,” he said in his worried voice.

Adam softened. “I’m not sure. I’ve been really busy with dad away and Max’s pub. I’ll see if there’s a time I can come over.”

“Anytime. I’ll make room in my schedule for you.”

Despite being mildly annoyed, Adam knew his uncle loved him and worried about him, so he softened his voice. “Sure thing. Talk soon.”

He hung up and set the phone down on the counter, staring at it for a long while. It would be weird, now that his friends were getting married. They would have kids, too. He shook off the unease that filled him whenever he thought about it. There was nothing he could do. He’d just have to make the best of a bad situation.

A knock on the door sounded through his house, and he’d never been more grateful for a distraction. He answered the door to find Max standing on his porch.

“Hey, can I borrow your truck?”

“Sure,” he said, swinging the door open wider for Max to step in. “Do you need my help with something or just the truck?”

“My sister needs her stuff moved.”

Adam stopped and looked at Max. He was grumpier than usual. In fact, he looked pissed right off. “Is it the boyfriend?”

Max pulled a murderous face. “Yes.”

“I’m coming with you. You look like you’re going to land yourself in jail.”

Max’s hands fisted. “I’d like to grab that little prick by his permed mullet and bash his fucking face in.”

“Then I’mdefinitelycoming with you. Where is she?”

“I picked her up in the middle of the night and brought her to my place. I just need to get her stuff out of his apartment.”

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