Page 64 of Betting on the Boy Next Door
He gave a soft laugh. “I am.”
“Figured.”
“There you have it. The prodigal son.”
“In that story, the dad is happy to have him back, right? That’s how it goes.” I feel his head nod. “But that’s not exactly how it’s gone for you?”
“Yes and no. Gramps is proud. My parents are . . . skeptical.”
“Still? How long has it been? Four years?”
“Almost exactly, yeah. But I started giving them trouble from the time I was sixteen, so I think they’re waiting for me to get bored and start looking for trouble again.”
“Is that likely?”
This time I feel his head shake in a “no.” “I don’t deserve anything I have. I got lucky. I didn’t appreciate it. I’m glad I figured that out before I blew it completely. But I think until high school, I did appreciate it. Up until then, I wanted to be like my dad and grandpa. And I think that’s truer to who I am now.”
“But that’s why your parents haven’t come to see your new place? They doubt you?”
“Maybe. Probably.”
“At what point will they believe you? What will it take?”
“I wish I knew. A wife, four kids, the largest book at the firm, a house with a fence and tricycles in the yard, being a senior partner. Probably all of it. I put them through hell.” Regret saturates every syllable.
Everything he says only underlines why my instinct on our first date to shut it down was right—I’m not future corporate wifey material. But I hate hearing him beat himself up like this. It would bug me even more if he didn’t regret it, but still, there’s a point at which trying everything has to be good enough. I wish his parents could see that Josh isthere.
“I’m so glad your gramps sees it, at least.”
His back relaxes against mine. “Me too. It’s a big deal to me.”
We sit quietly for a while before a yawn sneaks up on me, the adrenaline of the studio session finally gone. “Man, when I crash, I crash fast. I better go.”
“But you didn’t even tell me all your deep dark secrets. Or at least why you shut me down over pho.”
I climb to my feet and walk around to pull him to his. When he’s standing, I know I should let go. I am not the kind of girl he needs to prove to his parents that he’s left his wild ways behind him. But I keep my hand in his for a few moments longer before I say, “I will, Josh. But we both have superhero duty in the morning, so it’ll have to wait.”
“I’m holding you to that.”
I know he will. And I’ll put off that conversation just a little longer, because until it happens, I can pretend—at least for a while—that this thing between Josh and me is real.
Because once I explain the situation to him, we become impossible.
Chapter Eighteen
Josh
Saturdaymorning,Icomeback from my run to make breakfast. But not at my house. I knock on the front door of the girls’ place, hoping it’s Ruby who answers.
She does, smiling at me. “Hey, Josh. What’s up?”
“I owe Sami a big thank you, and I thought I’d surprise her with breakfast. But I’m hoping I can cook for all of you as a thank you for welcoming me.”
“Twist my arm.” She smiles even bigger. “What are we having?”
“Omelets. Can I cook over here? I promise to clean up my mess.”
“Sure. Should I get Sami?”
