Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
CURTIS
It’s been a few days since Melanie tried to pull a parent trap on Finn and me. Sibling trap? Complete backfire of a setup? Not that it was a total disaster, but considering I haven’t heard from Finn since, I can’t say I was successful in even becoming his friend.
Something happened for him to shrink into himself, and granted, I don’t know him well at all yet, so maybe that’s him, but to go from flirty and chill to uptight and … whatever that was, I can’t help thinking it was something I did.
So when Melanie asks me to go wedding dress shopping with her, I jump at the chance to ask her about it. Or see Finn again. If he’s going to be there.
I pull up to the bridal store, and Melanie’s standing outside with her head in her phone.
As I get out and approach, I glance around, wondering if anyone else is coming or if she only asked me to be here.
I haven’t spent a lot of one-on-one time with her, and she’s great for David, and I love her for loving him, but with this whole setting me up with Finn thing, I have the irrational fear that she will throw teeny tiny handcuffs around Finn’s and my ring fingers, force us down an aisle, and make us get married.
It could happen.
She hasn’t noticed me, so I clear my throat.
“Uh, hey.”
She jumps and leans in for a quick hug. “Hey! Sorry, didn’t see you arrive.
Thank you for coming to this. My maid of honor will be joining us via video because she’s back in Chicago, but it’s not like you can get a real feeling through a screen, and I do not trust my mother’s taste to save her life. ”
“You’re really putting a lot of faith in my opinion purely because I know what David likes?
What makes you think I won’t make you look completely ridiculous?
I could be secretly in love with David; you don’t know.
” Of course, the thought of hooking up with David makes my skin crawl, but she doesn’t know me that well yet.
“Please. David wears short sleeves and a tie to work. You could never fall for someone who did that.”
Okay, maybe she does know me that well.
“Besides, you’ve got good taste, and you’re artistic, so if I tell you I want an avant-garde but chic look, you’ll know what I mean. My mother will not. Neither will Finn.”
My pulse spikes. “Oh, Finn’s here?” Before I can think up a quick game plan for how to act around him, her next words interrupt the process.
“He’s on his way with the moms. We had brunch at our place earlier, and since I had to duck out for an appointment, Finn offered to bring them. Beth seemed to be having a good day, so I figured—”
“You invited Beth?” I’m filled with both appreciation and panic.
It’s lovely of Melanie to do that, but it’s not a good idea.
She might have been having a good morning, but that doesn’t mean she won’t have a moment in the car with two practical strangers and freak out about where she is or who she’s with.
“David’s her only child. She should be involved. Even if …” Her blue eyes cast downward.
“Even if she doesn’t remember it or know where she is?”
She nods, and I have the urge to hug her again. “David’s torturing himself over not being here for her, and it’s so hard to see him like that.”
“I know.” I gently squeeze her shoulder. “But you’re both here now, and you’re going to get married, have lots of babies, and make her last years the best for her.”
“Don’t start talking about babies around David. If it were up to him, I’d be pregnant already.”
“Oh. You don’t want kids?”
“No, I really, really do. But I don’t want to be nine months pregnant at my wedding. I want my wedding photos to be the hottest I’ve ever been, so when David looks at them, he’ll remember how lucky he is to have me.”
I laugh. “David is so in love with you, I don’t think it matters what you look like on your wedding day or if you’re all misshapen from carrying his babies. He loves you for who you are, and I can see why. You’re so good to him.”
Her eyes light up. “Is this your way of saying you approve?”
“I’ve always approved. He chose you for a reason, and I trust him.”
“Wait, even his taste? Because I’m second-guessing inviting you here now.”
I laugh again. She’s the light David needs at this point in his life. “Minus the fashion choices he makes, I trust him.”
“That’s better.” Her gaze catches on something behind me. “You’re here.” She pushes past me to greet Finn, their mom—Tilly, from memory of meeting her at the engagement party—and Beth.
I turn with her movements, coming face-to-neck with my new … friend. Or not friend? Without time to figure out if I should play it cool or wait until he speaks first, the goof trying to hide his embarrassment over how bowling went blurts out, “She dragged you along too?”
Finn holds up his hands kind of stiffly, but like he’s trying to play along. “I heard there was free champagne. I’m under strict instructions that I am only here for decoration.”
“That’s not what I said,” Melanie protests.
“Then what did you actually say?”
“That you have no opinions and have to hold my phone so Sophia can see all the dresses.”
Finn rubs his jaw. “I don’t see a difference, but whatever.”
He seems fine with his sister. So is it a me thing? I wish he weren’t so hard to read.
“Curtis,” Beth says, finally noticing me.
“Hey.” I squeeze her tight in a hug. “How are you?”
“Same old, same old.”
“Are you excited?” Melanie asks her.
“How many times does a son of mine get married? Of course I’m excited.”
She knows where she is and what she’s doing. That’s a good sign.
“Why don’t we get this show on the road?” I throw my arm around Beth and lead her through the entrance of the bridal store.
An attendant greets us with flutes of champagne and directs us to a plush couch facing a raised square while another attendant ushers Melanie out the back.
I have Beth on one side of me, Finn on the other, and when Finn’s leg brushes against mine, those fuzzy tingles swarm my skin. Which is not at all an awkward reaction to have to someone in front of my mother figure. Nope. Not going to dwell on that.
“Don’t we get to make our own selections?” Tilly asks. “I want to see her in a big princess dress.”
“She should be in a turtleneck,” Finn says. “With ruffles.”
That is the exact thing Melanie said she didn’t want, and I’m starting to understand why I was her only hope. My head swivels in his direction way too fast to be casual. I guess my face says my thoughts out loud because he pats my thigh mockingly.
“I’m joking. I’m not allowed an opinion.” He mimes zipping his lips and then picks up Melanie’s phone. “Where’s Sophia’s number?”
“We’ve already pulled some dresses for her to try,” our babysitter says.
At least, I’m assuming she’s the babysitter to make sure we’re not getting too drunk or rowdy out here while the other attendant helps Melanie into the dresses.
“But if you see anything you like on the racks, we can get her to try them on too.”
Melanie’s mom jumps out of her armchair and starts scouring the racks of sample dresses.
I turn to Beth. “Did you want to have a look at the dresses too?”
“No. I’m just happy to be involved. How many times does a son of mine get married?”
Okay, it’s one of those days. Her long-term memory is intact, but her short is … well, short. As annoying as the repetitive conversations can be, this is considered a good day. I hope she’ll be able to remember this tomorrow and take this experience with her.
“Oh, shit,” Finn says. “This hospital I interviewed with is calling. Here.” He thrusts Melanie’s phone at me and jumps up to run outside and answer.
I’m met with who I’m assuming is Sophia staring up at my double chin. Terrible angle. I lift the screen so I don’t look like Jabba the Hutt and give an awkward wave. “Uh, hi.”
“You must be the best man. I’m Sophia.”
“Curtis.”
“I got excited when David told me his pseudo-brother was going to be my date for the wedding. Of course, he then had to break my heart.”
“Yeah. Wrong team,” I tell her. “Sorry.”
“How’s the setup with Finn going?”
I almost choke on my spit. “Setup?”
“Mel has plans for you two.”
“Oh, we know. I just didn’t realize everyone else knew. As nice as I find Finn, dating him wouldn’t be smart. For either of us. Better to be good friends with how often we’ll be seeing each other.” He can be my fantasy for a little while, my video fodder until I find some other inspiration.
“Then you should set him up with someone you know. Finn is adorable and dopey and deserves to be loved.”
I’d rather stab myself in the eyes with fiery sticks than see Finn with someone else. At least while he’s so good for my content. The video I posted from the night of the engagement party has been my most watched in the history of my videos—ever.
“I am not dopey.” Finn’s back. I didn’t even hear him come back in.
He’s behind the couch, and he leans over my shoulder to talk to Sophia. His cologne smells like something spicy but mildly sweet. Like patchouli. It’s intoxicating.
I hold in my breath. I cannot get hard right now. I will remember that scent for my next filming session though.
“You’re lucky you’re in Chicago where I can’t give you a noogie,” he says to Sophia and then reaches over me to take the phone out of my hand.
When he pulls away, I can finally breathe again.
Melanie comes out of the changing room in dress number one, a very simple A-line dress. It’s chic, sure. Sleek and minimalist. Definitely not avant-garde.
“No,” Sophia, Tilly, and I all say in unison.
“Not princessy enough,” Tilly says.
“Too plain,” Sophia adds.
Melanie looks at me for comment.
“It’s chic but doesn’t have … character.”
Beth loops her arm with mine. “I agree with Curtis. It’s pretty, but it needs something extra.”
“Okay,” the attendant says. “Think that’s unanimous.”
“Does it matter if I love it?” Finn asks.
“Not even slightly.” Melanie turns and charges back toward the dressing room.
She tries on three more dresses, all of which have good features and bad. I kind of want to mash the three concepts together.
When she comes out in the fifth dress, a collective gasp fills the room.
It’s a sleek, body-hugging dress with intricate lace, and then around her hips sits a silk overskirt with a giant sparkly flower holding it together.
The lace dress is visible where the skirt splits. It looks like two dresses in one.
“It’s perfect,” I say. It’s chic mixed with a touch of extravagance.
“Really?” Melanie’s face lights up. “This is my favorite too.”
“Me too,” Sophia says.
“It’s not a complete princess dress,” Tilly says, “but it’s a good compromise, and it hugs your figure beautifully.”
“And this is the best part.” Melanie unclasps the skirt part to reveal the mermaid lace dress in full.
“Ooh, that’s sexy. I like it,” Beth says. “It gets my vote.”
It’s unanimously agreed. Except for Finn.
“Am I allowed to have an opinion yet?”
Melanie points at him. “If you tell me how you hate it and ruin my love for it, I’ll be super mad at you.”
“I was going to say I love it, but maybe that will make you hate it because I have such bad taste. Apparently.”
Completely unanimous, then.
“Yay.” Melanie twirls in it and sways her hips. “Just checking if it’s dance floor appropriate. Check.” We all stand now that she’s chosen, but she refuses to get out of the dress. Eventually, she says, “Fine. I’ll go get changed back into my boring people clothes.”
Finn ends the call with Sophia, Tilly and Beth get to talking, and that leaves Finn and me standing next to each other.
Quietly.
“Oh, hey, how did the job interview go?” I ask.
He pulls back, frown marring his gorgeous face. “Job interview?”
“Yeah. You said your call earlier was about a job interview.”
His features relax. “Right. Right. Yeah. Job. Uh, I got offered the position, but I don’t think I want to take it.”
“No?”
“It’s in pediatrics. Which would be awesome, obviously, because kids are great. And cute. But … fuck, I thought it was hard looking after the old people nearing the end of their lives. I can’t imagine seeing kids go through it.”
“Uh, I know I’m not a nurse, but aren’t you supposed to help stop that from happening?”
He looks at me like I’m making no sense, and then he face-palms. “It’s in the pediatric oncology department. Probably should’ve specified that.”
“Ouch. Yeah, I couldn’t do it.”
“But it’s a job. And I kinda need one of those.”
“Money does help when it comes to the all-important luxury of, you know, eating.”
His situation reminds me of the subscriber who messaged me a couple of days ago.
It’s not the first time someone’s reached out to me, but it was the first time I’d had a completely normal conversation with a Nutter.
How my followers started calling themselves that, I’ll never know.
Maybe because it kind of rhymes with Gunner? Gunner’s Nutters. People are weird.
But that’s my point. Most of them who reach out might seem normal at first, but then it’s all I want to know what your feet taste like or sending me dick pics.
Once they send those through or start getting inappropriate, I stop replying but don’t block them unless they get abusive and ask why I’ve stopped talking to them.
There’s a fine line between the fantasy of me and forgetting I’m an actual human being.
This new guy though—well, he’s not new. I checked his profile and found he’s been subscribed to me for over a year. But the messaging is new.
It’s hard to know what made him reach out. And why all he wanted to do was talk about stick figures and job interviews.
On our way out of the bridal store, I take out my phone and open my app to where the messages come through. I’ve had countless messages in the last few days, most of them repeat offenders of dick pics but harmless in the sense they lack any abusive behavior. I have to scroll to find KingdomHearts.
Should I ask how his job interview went? I’ve never reached out to a subscriber before, but I find that interaction so … weird, that I have the urge to make sure the guy is okay. What if he reached out because he just wanted someone to talk to? Maybe he needs help?
Decided, I tap away at a message.
Been thinking about you. How did your interview go?