Page 121 of My Real Love Affair

I grinned. “And?”

“And my mom told him to relax and let me live my life. That I was an actual adult and could make my own choices.” She leaned her head on my shoulder. “But she also made me promise tocheck in daily. So you’re stuck with me FaceTiming my parents at least once.”

“I can handle that.”

“Can you? My dad’s going to grill you about your intentions.”

“My intentions are pure. Mostly pure. Sometimes pure. Okay, not even a little pure.”

She laughed. I loved that sound.

“What was it like being an only child?” I asked.

“Lonely sometimes. But also nice? I got all my parents’ attention. Never had to compete for anything. But I always wanted siblings. Wanted that chaos and noise and someone to share things with.”

“You can have some of mine. I’ve got plenty to spare.”

“How many brothers do you have again?”

“Too many. I lose count.” It was a joke, but I didn’t want to talk about my family. “I have my full brothers and then all the step-brother cousins.”

She laughed. “You have a very interesting family tree.”

“No shit.”

“That sounds overwhelming.”

“It is. Especially when they’re all overachievers who make me look like a total loser.” The words came out more bitter than I intended.

Melody sat up to look at me. “You’re not a loser.”

“Tell that to my father.”

“I will. Next time I see him.” She was serious. “Austin, you’re building something different than your brothers. That doesn’t make it less valuable. I cannot imagine what it’s like to wake up and throw caution to the wind and just live footloose and fancy free. You don’t care about making more money. Isn’t that the burden we’re all stuck with? We spend our lives making money because we think we’re enjoying the perks, but are we? You havemoney and you’re enjoying the perks. From the sounds of it, your family doesn’t need any more money, right?”

“No, they don’t,” I said.

“So, you’re building something different with your life.”

“Building what, exactly? A reputation as the screwup?”

“Building a life that’s actually yours. Not something handed to you or expected of you. That takes guts.” She kissed me softly. “Your brothers might have the Bancroft empire. But you have freedom. And that’s worth something.”

I had never been able to really put my way of life into words. She expressed it in a way I never could. I wondered if I could explain it to my father. Would he get it if I used words that sounded good and thought out?

“Thank you,” I said. “For seeing me.”

“Of course, I see you. Just like you see me.”

We continued to snack and talk.

When the captain announced we’d be stopping in Honolulu to refuel, I was surprised that we had been in the air for so long. An idea struck me.

“How would you feel about a quick detour?” I asked.

“A detour?”

“Honolulu. We’ll be there for at least an hour while they refuel. We could see the city. Get some food. Stretch our legs.”