Page 53 of The Weekend Crashers
“Because it’s true. And I don’t want to see you making avoidable mistakes.” He glances at the rest of the group to make sure no one can hear them. Between the loud music and the sound of metal hitting targets, he feels comfortable enough to continue. “You’re not a kid anymore. Choices you make matter. They can have repercussions that last a long time. Longer than you can imagine.”
“So he told you.” Cole casts a baleful look in his cousin’s direction.
“Don’t be upset with Scott. He’s concerned.”
“Dad, you’re right: I’m not a kid anymore. So I don’t need Scott’s ‘concern.’ Or yours, for that matter. I don’t do my personal life by committee.”
Cole walks away just as Barclay calls out for Aidan—he’sup next. Aidan holds up one hand,gimme five. Then he looks around for Cole and spots him heading towards the bar. Aidan follows, threading his way through another group. When he’s close enough, he reaches out for Cole’s arm.
“Hey,” Aidan says sharply. Cole stops walking. “Want to tell me what this is all about?”
“Not really. I don’t need more negative input.”
Aidan frowns. “That’s why you’re not talking to me about this? Because you can’t take a little ‘negative input’? That’s disappointing—to say the least.”
“No, Dad. It’s that I don’t want to upset you. I don’t tell you about all the ups and downs of my relationships because mostly they’re not that important. And yes, this relationship was important to me—extremely. But it was a stressful situation because she was married. And I didn’t want to put that on you.”
Aidan didn’t know what he’d expected to hear, but it wasn’t that.
“Married? How old is this woman?”
“I know what you’re thinking, and no, she’s not older and there’re no kids involved—nothing like that. We met at a party for mutual friends and it was just one of those things.”
“So you weren’t only hiding this relationship from me. You were hiding it from everyone.”
Cole crosses his arms. “That’s accurate.”
“Did that feel right to you?”
“Yes, actually. It did. Being with her felt right. And nothing has felt right since. And no offense, but why would I take relationship advice from someone who hasn’t had a relationship in years?”
Before Aidan can process the comment—and how it cuts deeper because of Barclay’s talk last night—Cole asks him for the car keys. “You can get a ride back with Grandpa.”
“Come on. Don’t leave.”
Cole is stone-faced. Aidan knows how futile it is when Cole’s buttons get pushed. It’s like a storm he has to ride out. His mother was the same way, and Aidan told him so once.
He gets his jacket from the coat room and hands over the keys.
“See you later?” he says.
Cole turns around. “So far this trip is a little too much family togetherness for me. So let’s just call it a day.”
Piper never realized her shameful lack of upper body strength until now, mid–axe throw. And it’s humbling. She missed the target the first time around and her shoulder blades already feel like she needs Advil and a heating pad. But more surprising is the rage she feels with each release of the heavy tool. She has to resist the urge to yell out,Take that!At first, the burst of anger is accompanied by thoughts of her manager. This, at least, makes sense. Work has been a big source of stress to her, probably more than she’d admitted to herself before now. But then, on her last throw she thinks of... her mother. She releases the axe and it finally lands on the target.
What’sthatabout?
There’s no time to unpack it: Kalli’s up next, and Barclay calls out to remind them it’s the final turn for each team. Piper watches Kalli then glances at the scoreboard: They need a minimum of four points.
Her phone buzzes with a text from Hannah Elise.
Hey—every piece I posted you wearing has sold already. Time later to shoot a few more? Lmk xo
Hannah Elise is giving her too much credit. The knitwear sold because it’s special. And she doesn’t want to shoot anymore videos. It feels like work—the last thing she wants to think about. But she’ll go tell Hannah Elise in person. She doesn’t want it to seem like she’s blowing her off.
The bachelor party erupts in shouts and cheers. She turns back to look at the scoreboard, and sees they lost. And although the whole thing was kind of a joke, just for fun, she’s a little disappointed.
“Ladies, you lost the battle but not the war,” Barclay says. “These men still have to best you at your own game. So what’s it going to be?”
