Chapter 10 #2
“Jack’s ten years older than us,” Sloan says. “And he’s the youngest.”
Sloan, Margot, and I are the same age—twenty-six—and Harlow, Graham, and Sasha are all twenty-four.
“Geez, he was in high school when we started Kindergarten,” I say. “No wonder I feel like I barely know them.”
Sloan nods, sipping on her straw again. “So, Jack was interested in working with Everett and Graham?”
“Yes, very,” I say.
“I think that’s so great,” Sloan says. Her smile is bright. “It’s been so terrible seeing him so sad. I’m glad he’s got something new to do.”
“Well, I mean, I’m guessing he’s still sad,” Harlow says. “His wife died.”
Sloan frowns. “Oh God, I know that. I’m just saying, it’s good he’s moving…” She shakes her head. “Not on. That sounds bad. You can’t move on, right? Not fully. Not from love. But he’s moving…”
“Forward?” I offer.
“Forward!” Sloan points at me. “Yes! I like that.”
Harlow nods. “Okay, forward. That works. Forward with a job. Forward with a house for just him and the girls. Forward with Meg.”
“Meg?” Sloan asks, setting her glass down on the table. “Meg who? What do you mean?”
“Meg Snyder. They went to dinner last weekend.”
Sloan sits up taller. “They did? Why?”
Margot laughs. “Well, I assume because that’s something people commonly do on dates.”
“It was a date? You’re sure?” Sloan asks.
“Yes. What else would it have been? I don’t think she was doing his taxes at the Blue Stone,” Harlow says.
The Blue Stone is the fancy, white-tablecloth restaurant in Sapphire Falls. Definitely a date spot. Not a casual meeting spot.
Meg is an accountant, but no, I don’t think she was doing Jack’s taxes.
Margot watches Sloan with both eyebrows up. She glances at me. I shrug.
“Why does this surprise you?” I ask Sloan.
“Isn’t he heartbroken?” she asks. “Widowed? Miserable? Still in love with his dead wife?”
“Shhh!” Harlow says, laughing. She glances around. “Good lord, Sloan.”
Sloan slumps on her stool. “Sorry. That was a jerk thing to say.”
I give Margot, then Harlow, a wide-eyed what-the-hell-is-going-on? look. They both shrug.
“Sloan?” I ask carefully. “Are you okay?”
She lifts her glass. “I’m a little drunk.”
“Ah.” I nod. “Is that why you’re acting jealous of Jack going out with Meg?”
She shakes her head. Then stops. Then nods. Then groans.
Margot leans closer so she can lower her voice. “You like Jack?”
Sloan covers her face. “It’s just…I didn’t know he was dating. I didn’t think he’d be ready for that for…a while. A long time.”
“But it bothers you that he is?” Harlow asks.
“I guess it does,” Sloan says. She looks up at us. “It’s a stupid crush. I didn’t know it would bother me.”
“That’s…” I start.
“Let’s talk about something else,” Sloan says quickly.
We all exchange glances. So, this is…interesting.
Jack is a lot older than Sloan. He’s also a widower, which complicates things. Plus, their family connection would make it…something? Jack is not blood-related to Sloan or her dad. They’re not actually cousins.
So, yeah, the lost-his-wife-to-cancer thing is probably the most complicated thing.
Oh, and he has three young daughters. Who lost their mom.
Whew.
I don’t know if sweetheart Sloan is ready for all of that.
“That is what you need,” Sloan says, turning to me.
“What is?”
“You need to date someone. Someone else. Not Everett. We need to set you up.”
She’s clearly desperate to change the subject, so I’m going to let her. Also, she’s drunk so I’m not sure trying to divert this conversation would work anyway.
“I don’t think so,” I tell her. “I’m fine. It’s a crush. So what?”
“So crushes have a way of making you make stupid choices,” Sloan says.
She glances in Jack’s direction. He’s sitting in a corner booth with his brother Charlie.
“Like not living your life. Not going out with someone else great. Not doing good things for yourself because you get hung up on someone you can’t have. ”
Well…she’s not wrong…
“I’m not really in the mood to date anyone—”
“But you should do it anyway.”
“She might have a point,” Harlow starts.
“No,” I tell them. “That’s not an option.”
“Why not?” Margot asks.
She doesn’t seem to be challenging me. She just seems curious.
Yeah, why not?
I can’t be with Everett. Why wouldn’t I date someone else? Maybe I should. I probably should. That might prove that Everett is just a guy and he’s not actually the best guy I’ve met in…forever.
“I’m not taking love life advice from you all,” I say, sliding off my stool.
“Why not?” Harlow demands. “We’re brilliant. And we love you!”
“Because two of you are dating my brothers which means you don’t have great judgement at all,” I tell Harlow and Margot.
They just grin, because they know I’m full of crap.
“And one of you is drunk and crushing on her cousin.”
“Hey!” Sloan says, wrinkling her nose. “He’s not really my cousin.”
“How about you and I go home?” I ask Sloan. “Before you say anything else you might regret?” My gaze finds Jack. “Or do something you might regret.”
She nods. “Yeah. He looks good tonight.”
Jack is a good-looking guy, there’s no question about that.
“And he’s not here with Meg,” Sloan says, pointing at Harlow.
Harlow holds her hands up. “Good point. But maybe you should leave before he needs someone to kiss at midnight.”
Sloan moans. “I do not want to watch him kiss anyone.”
Harlow laughs. “I was more worried that you would go kiss him, but yeah, that’s a good reason to leave, too.”
Margot also gets to her feet. “Graham and I will drive you,” she says. “He’s not drinking tonight, and I’d rather be somewhere more private when the clock strikes midnight.” She gives us all a wink.
“Fine. I’ll go find my incredible boyfriend and stick close to him the rest of the night,” Harlow says with a fake eye roll as her feet hit the floor, and she hugs us all goodbye.
Graham seems to feel the same way Margot does, because he happily agrees to drive Sloan and me home.
I’m upstairs and in bed at five minutes to midnight.
Kiss-less.
Thinking about Everett Clark.
And all the reasons we can’t be together.
And all the reasons he’s perfect for me.
It’s going to be a long year.