“It’s okay,” I said, trying to hide how much I liked that she just said she cared about me.
She crossed her arms. “I mean, what is her problem? Was that necessary? I cOuLdN’t BeLieVe yOu HaVe a GiRlFriEnD,” she said in a mock voice that was supposed to be Amy. “Why exactly is that so hard to believe? You’re a ten. What is so fucking confusing??”
I arched an eyebrow. “You think I’m a ten?”
“You’re an eleven.”
I peered down at her, grinning. “So you’d still love me even if I didn’t have a face?”
This drew a laugh, despite her annoyance.
“Where do you come up with this stuff?” I asked, smiling.
“I am very good at ad-libbing. Seriously, though. I really hope you don’t let anything she says get to you.”
“She’s not a mean person. I don’t think that came out the way she intended.”
“Yeah, well, she’d better learn to be a little more intentional when it comes to you, because I’m not going to put up with it. I was two seconds away from taking my hoops out.”
I looked at her, amused. “You know, you actually scare me a little bit…”
“You have no idea how scary I can be.”
I crossed my arms. “You do realize that you’re really going to have to live with me now, right?”
“Oh, ha-ha.”
“I’m serious. My family comes over unannounced all the time. They’ll know you lied.”
She waved me off. “Put a pink toothbrush in your bathroom.”
“That’s not gonna do it.”
The funny thing was, I wanted her to stay with me. I didn’t like it when she went home at night. I didn’t even like it when we both got off and we had to get into separate cars to meet later for dinner. I’d love it if she was staying at my house, even if I was only getting her on a technicality.
Even if I was only getting her for now.
An hour and a half later the caterer had carved the pig. A chocolate fountain with pineapple and strawberries had been rolled out and the flame throwers had just finished their act. Mom did know how to throw a party.
I was relaxed. We’d spent the time talking to Jill, Jewel, Walter, and Gwen at a long picnic table near the tiki torches.
I think Briana must have impressed Jewel earlier because my sister sidled up to her like she’d found a new member of her dog pack. Jewel responded to strong female leadership.
Briana was sitting so close to me her leg pressed into mine. I had a hand on her knee, and she kept leaning into my arm. I almost forgot I was at my ex’s engagement party. Or that I was at a party at all.
Briana did that to me.
It was weird to say, but she made me feel alone—the way I felt when I was by myself. Calm and unaffected. Like it was just us here and not a hundred other people.
I liked being alone. With her.
The karaoke portion of the evening began. Briana leaned in to whisper so close to my ear I could have turned my head and kissed her.
“This party is brought to you on the backs of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse,” she said quietly.
“You don’t like karaoke?” I asked, turning slightly so that our lips were a fraction of an inch apart.
“I do. But today we’re in your hell, not mine.”
I was laughing at this when Mom and Dad came to the table with Amy and Jeremiah right behind them holding plates of chocolate-dipped fruit. They all sat down. Amy gave us a tight smile, and Briana returned it with one of her own.
Jeremiah nudged his fiancée. “I’m going up. What should I sing?”
Amy bit her lip like she was thinking. “‘500 Miles’ by the Proclaimers.”
“Awwwww, cute!” Jill said.
My brother threw back the rest of his drink and ran up to the stage.
“So how is your brother?” Dad asked Briana. “I’ve been meaning to ask you. You said he was in the hospital? The day you two met?”
Briana and I made eye contact for a split second. We hadn’t gotten around to telling my family about Benny. I guess now was as good a time as any. I gave her the smallest nod.
She looked back at everyone. “Well, actually, we have a little announcement about that. My brother Benny’s in renal failure. He’s on dialysis. He has a rare blood type, and it was looking like he might never get a kidney donor.” She paused to hug my arm. “But Jacob is giving him one of his kidneys.”
The whole table froze.
“Jacob…” Mom breathed.
Jewel’s hands flew to her mouth.
Jill blinked at me. “That is such a beautiful gift.”
Amy just stared.
Briana was tearing up. “He did all the testing without even telling me. He just did it.” Then she looked at Mom. “He said he was doing it because of you. Because someone did it for you once.”
Mom put a hand over her heart. “Such a good man,” Mom said. “Oh, Jacob, I’m so proud of you.”
I let a small, reluctant smile creep through. All my sisters were grinning. Walter was nodding. Dad was smiling at me, looking proud.
And Amy was leaning back in her seat with her arms crossed.
I peered over at Briana. She was beaming at me.
“It’s like I always say,” Mom said, wiping under her eyes. “Love shows up. That’s how you know when it’s real. And what a beautiful way to show up for someone, Jacob.” Then she looked up over my head. “Oh, dear. Someone gave Grandpa a cigarette.” She started to get up. “Probably your cousins.”
“Those motherfuckers are always up to something,” I said.
Briana barked out a laugh, and I leaned into her and snickered. I was having so much fun.
Briana smiled up at me, still giggling. “Jacob, can you get my purse? I think I left it in the taxidermy room.”
She was giving me my out to go take a break.
I got up. “Sure.”
I made eye contact with her before I left. She was going to follow me. I could tell. I couldn’t wait to be alone with her. That was the reward. Not slipping out of the party or sitting on the stairs with the dog. It was getting her to myself.
I slipped into the taxidermy room and waited five minutes, and when the door creaked open, I turned and smiled. But it wasn’t Briana.
It was Amy.
Chapter 24
Jacob
Amy shut the door behind her. “Do you have a second?” she asked.
I blinked at her. “Is everything okay?”
“I just need to talk to you.”
I eyed her. “All right…”
I couldn’t imagine what she wanted to talk about. We’d barely spoken since we broke up.
She paused for a moment. “What are you doing, Jacob?”
“What? What do you mean?”
“‘I’d love you even if you didn’t have a face’? Using the word motherfucker? Moving in together?” She shook her head. “What is this?”
I felt my heart rate pick up. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I’m concerned about you,” she said. “You’re vulnerable right now. You just went through a difficult breakup and you meet this woman and she’s moving in? Already?”
I crossed my arms. “You’re marrying Jeremiah already.”
She crossed her arms too. “I’ve known Jeremiah two years longer than I’ve known you and we work together every day—”
“Briana and I also work together.”
“And in less than six months she’s living with you?”
I shook my head at her. “Why do you care?”
“What if she has an ulterior motive.”