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The waitress acknowledged me, then gestured around the table with the pen in her hand. “Anyone else ready?”
Nobody said a word.
I glanced around at the three sets of eyes all glued on me—all glassed over with emotion. That couldn’t be right. I blinked the haze of alcohol away and glanced again.
Still glassy.
“What?” I questioned the table.
Being ignored, the waitress stepped away.
Sydney was the first to speak, and she did it with tears in her eyes. “Um, I just really want him coming to Sunday dinner. He belongs there with us. I want him to know that.”
I nodded in agreement. “I’ll be sure to mention it to him. I’d like him there too.”
“Also, I think what you’re doing for him is quite amazing,” she added.
“He deserves it,” I said. “I’m not doing anything he shouldn’t have been getting his entire life.”
“May I say something?” Jenna asked.
I looked to her. “Of course, as long as you’re not going to tell me how interested he is again.”
She smiled and pushed her long, dark hair back over her shoulder. “Not that directly, no.”
“Even indirectly, save it.”
“Just hear me out,” she requested.
The waitress returned with my drink. I popped the straw in my mouth and narrowed my eyes at Jenna, took a generous sip, then waved her on. “Fine. Go.”
She slid her mostly finished drink to the side and angled herself to face me. “Okay, first, I don’t even know this man, but I’m telling you right now, when I do meet him for the first time, I will be hugging him.”
I smiled at her.
“Yeah, Stitch is definitely getting embraced. Jesus.” Tori shook her head. “I hate it when children are dealt shitty parents.”
“It’s a terrible thing that happens every day, unfortunately,” Jenna said, then turning back to me, she continued. “I’m wondering, because of his horrible upbringing and the way he views himself, if maybe he doesn’t feel worthy of you…and that’s why he hasn’t made any attempt to take your friendship any further.”
Tori began nodding fast, and pointed at me when I looked at her. “Absolutely. That’s it. Nail on the head, right there.”
“And he’s probably felt this way since last year, when you asked him out,” Jenna went on. “Which was why he blew you off the way he did. Not that I’m excusing rude behavior, because he could’ve told you he wasn’t planning on going or at least been a little nicer in his rejection, but I’m thinking this is some deep-rooted issue with him. He sees himself as nothing, you said it. And then he sees you as, well…you. You’re sweet and beautiful and kind to him, Shay, and he doesn’t feel deserving of it.”
I had stopped sipping my drink, but my fingers were still wrapped around the stem of my glass, and hearing what Jenna had just said, they were now gripping it tightly.
Even in my half-drunk state, I was fully processing what she was saying. I just didn’t know whether or not to believe it as a true possibility.
“Oh, my God,” Syd whispered.
My head snapped left. “What?”
“Oh, my God,” she repeated, still as a whisper as her eyes stayed unfocused on the table.
“What, hon. Spill it!” Tori shouted.
Syd looked over at me. “I can’t believe I forgot about this,” she said. “I mean, at the time, it was such a passing thing, and I didn’t press…”
“What?” I yelled, needing to know what the hell she was talking about already.
“After the party last year, I was working at Whitecaps and Stitch was, you know, Stitch. Broody. Making all kinds of noise in that kitchen. He was in such a bad mood back then.” She grinned at me. “And look at him now. I almost saw a smile out of him the other day.”
“Syd.” I leaned closer and snarled, “Focus.”
“Right. Anyway, he was glaring at you while you were filling salt shakers or something, and I suggested he just talk to you and quit with the whole silent treatment thing, and he said something about you having this light, and him not being good enough for it.”
My eyes widened.
“He said that?” Tori questioned.
“See,” Jenna said.
Syd nodded in confirmation. “In very few words, yes, that’s what he told me. He said you invited him to that party and what would he do there? Like he didn’t belong, you know? And then he said he had no business being around you. That you had light. He thinks you have light, Shay. And he doesn’t think he can touch it. He’s not good enough.”
“Yes, he is!” I blurted out in anger, which was purely reactional, since Syd wasn’t meaning what she’d said as a putdown; she was simply stating how Sean felt about himself. Regretting my outburst, I winced and leaned away. “Um, sorry. I know you’re not saying he’s not good enough. I just hear that and, well, it pisses me off.”
