Page 41 of Good Directions

“She was caught off guard.” Because she didn’t know about it…

“Eh,” Gus interjects, sitting down in his designated seat, to the right of the head of the table. “I simply don’t buy that you two are dating.”

If there was a soundtrack playing in the background, this would be the moment the record would scratch, everything slamming to a halt. Did Gus just say dating? Who said anything about dating?

I run the scene in Pour Decisions over Memorial Day weekend back through my mind, step-by-step. I poked, Hux flew off his stool, threatened to pound me into the ground, Gus inserted himself between us, Milo told Hux to knock it off, and then Jace threw down the challenge.

I bet you anything that you can’t find a date to Willa’s wedding.

To which I stupidly replied, I’ll take that bet.

A bet that didn’t involve dating.

Unless I missed something.

I take another bite of my lunch, letting Gus’s comment sink like the lead balloon that it is. Acknowledging it will only give them fuel.

“You are dating, right?” Jace asks.

Fucker…

“What’s going on between Sawyer and me isn’t any of your business.”

“Because bringing a coworker is cheating.”

For fuck’s sake…

“Is it though?” Ewan asks, walking into the room. “Because I thought the deal was just that he had to find a date, could be anyone.”

And with that, Ewan is back at the top of my list of favorite siblings.

“The deal was that it has to be a date, as in, not platonic,” Hux clarifies. “Since someone here seems to think he is full of such great romantic advice, even though he has zero romantic experience to speak of…”

Oh yeah…that’s what I was giving him shit over—not chasing Dolly down when she had a bit of a meltdown. Fuck, I need to learn to keep my mouth shut.

Hux isn’t wrong about my lack of romantic experience either. Not because I’m incapable like he’s implying though. It’s for other reasons. Reasons I’ve never shared with these guys. Or anyone for that matter.

“Fair,” Ewan says, plopping down at the table with a full plate. “Then, yeah…bringing a coworker would be cheating.”

Five sets of eyes look at me expectantly, like baby brother’s declaration is going to evoke some massive protest from me. I’m not going to give them what they want. Nope. I’m going to keep eating my lunch and ignore the knot that is now gnawing at my insides. The one that is telling me I’m in deeper than I realized.

And that I’m going to have to drag Sawyer in further too.

“Anton, gonna do a little dance or something?” Willa asks, stopping just inside the double door, parking her hands on her hips. “Y’all are looking at him like he’s going to bust out in the Hokey Pokey at any moment.”

“Or something…” Hux replies, smirking.

“What’d we miss?” Milo asks. “Oh, fried green tomatoes…”

I roll my eyes, secretly thankful he’s so easily distracted by the food. If any of them is going to be able to see through me, it’s Milo. He has an uncanny knack for it.

“Nothing,” I tell him. I turn back to the group, looking at each one of them before speaking. “I’m only going to say this once, so listen good. What’s between Sawyer and me is none of y’all’s business. Got it?”

“Shoulda thought about that before you had opinions about everyone else’s relationships, Son,” Auggie chides, breezing in. He passes by the buffet table like it’s not even there, making his way straight to the head of the table, sitting down, looking all business. “Now, big news, I just got an email from Ernie⁠—”

The collective groan from all seven of us drowns out my father, the sheer mention of our tax guy’s name like an arrow to the eye. No, scratch that, a dull spoon to the eye. Ernie is a nice guy, and about as dedicated and passionate of an employee as you can get, but his passion is taxes. Which does not make him the most interesting man in the world. In fact, I’ve had burnt toast that is less dry.

I sit back in my chair, slyly pulling my phone from my pocket so that neither my siblings nor Auggie can see that I’m no longer listening. I’m far enough down the long table that I’m mostly hidden from my father, but given the mood all my brothers seem to be in, I wouldn’t doubt that any one of them would rat me out in a heartbeat.