“You have a fake boyfriend?”
“Dad!” Juliet exclaims. “Keep up. Summer pretended to date Justin’s brother so that…” She pauses, turning to me. “I actually have no idea why you would do that.”
“Because I was sick of defending Justin to all of you. Every time he didn’t come to a family party, you were all so disappointed and told me over and over that he didn’t really love me. And look”—I gesture to Justin—“he proposed. See? I told you he loved me.”
“For the record, I did not propose. I was on one knee to clean up the fruit punch.”
“Cranberry juice,” Aunt Carma corrects as if Justin’s beverage is of utmost importance right now.
“My mom said you were going to propose tonight.”
Justin flips his head to her like he’s disappointed she couldn’t keep one little secret.
“I had to tell Summer.” She stands by her gossip. “You were like two different people.”
“Hewastwo different people,” Hailey adds.
My dad frowns. “Justin was two different people?”
All four of my sisters turn, chastising him in unison. “Dad, keep up!”
“Well, which one do I like?”
“You like the twin, Caleb,” my mom says to him.
Justin throws his arms out. “Do you have to pick favorites right now? Because I can hear you.”
“Can we go somewhere to talk privately?” I grab his arm, pulling him out of the line of fire from my family and into the kitchen. He keeps his head down, avoiding my gaze. “Justin, look at me.” His blue eyes reluctantly drift to mine. “I really am so sorry.”
“Was this your plan all along? Get me around your family just to humiliate me as payback for never getting to know them?”
“No.” I reach for him to try and console him, but he pulls away. I don’t blame him. I just blew up Christmas and our relationship and the Davidson family. It was quite a bomb that I dropped. “I shouldn’t have said anything in front of everyone, but I saw you on one knee, and after what my mom said, I just thought you were asking me to marry you.”
“I was going to wait until later when we were alone.”
“Honestly, I’m surprised that you thought proposing was a good idea.”
“I thought it was a good idea because I thought that’s what you wanted.” The bitterness in his words makes me feel terrible.
“It is what I wanted. One month ago, I would’ve given anything to have you ask me to marry you.” I gaze at Justin, seeing traces of the man I fell in love with months ago. His drive, ambition, and need to succeed all attracted me to him—until those same qualities sucked the life out of our relationship. I can see that now.
“So if Caleb hadn’t come along, everything would’ve been fine?”
“We had problems way before Caleb showed up. We both know an engagement between us would’ve been for the wrong reasons. For me: so that I wouldn’t be alone anymore and could finally get married. And you: a proposal out of duty, something to appease me, a reward for putting up with your crazy work schedule. Eventually, our real wants and needs would’ve come through, and we would’ve ended things. I’m just glad we didn’t waste even more time not saying how we really feel for the sake of being polite.”
“Summer, I was ready to commit to you, and I was going to try and be around more.”
“I know, but I don’t want to ask you for more than you’re able to give right now, and you don’t want to feel guilty all the time when you don’t meet my high expectations. That’s not how either of us wants to live our lives.”
Justin doesn’t immediately say anything. He just looks down, running his hand over the countertop. “Caleb loves you.” He looks up. “Did you know that?”
I nod.
“So I guess it’s my turn to stand down?”
“I don’t want this to ruin your relationship with him.”
He laughs, but no smile accompanies it. “Caleb is my twin brother. It would take more than a woman to break us apart. We’re family.”
