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“Hey?” Zach asked, shaking his head. “Cady’s all bent out of shape.”
“Get in,” Patton nodded at the passenger door.
“We’re kind of in the middle of something. There’s not a lot of time to get things pulled together, you know.” Zach laughed. “You have a thing for Cady—we all know you two are hot for each other. But your timing sucks—”
“Zach,” Patton cut him off. “Did you know Bianca’s been engaged before?”
Zach frowned. His jaw tightened before he responded. “You were engaged before. Did you tell Cady? Don’t be a dick, Patton—”
“Three times?” Patton finished.
He wasn’t sure what was worse, the look on Zach’s face or the way his little brother gripped the truck for support. “Three?” He looked at his brother.
“Can you get in the damn truck?” Patton asked again.
“There’s more?” Zach was pale.
“Just—”
“No!” Zach yelled back. “I know what you’re trying to pull. You want me to call the wedding off? You want me to believe you, without talking to her? Without listening to her side of the story.”
Patton’s own anger rose. Not at Zach necessarily—but for the whole situation. He didn’t want to be the bad guy. He wanted to be the voice of reason. Sometimes the truth hurt, but it didn’t change the fact that it was the truth. A truth that had cost him Cady. “Ask her why she broke off the engagements. Ask her about her DWI, too. What else don’t you know?” He paused. “I know you care about her, but you need to ask yourself if you know her the way you think you do. Maybe it’s better to consider postponing things until then.”
Zach was staring at him with such hatred that Patton stopped talking. They’d been so loud that neither of them heard Bianca come out of the shop.
“It’s all true.” Bianca stood, her hand braced on the handle of the shop door. “I was engaged th-three times. I should have told you. About everything. I’m sorry, Zach.” She looked at the ground.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Zach asked, his voice tight and unsteady. “A DWI?”
Bianca shrugged. “I...I was embarrassed.” She spoke quickly, her words so soft and rushed it was hard to understand her. “It’s not something I’m proud of...something I’d planned. Patton’s right.”
Zach was staring at her now. “About what?”
Bianca looked at him, the pain in her eyes so intense Patton looked away. “We’re rushing this. I think maybe...” Her voice broke. “We need to...to break off our engagement.”
Patton felt the weight of her words. His grip tightened on his steering wheel as he looked at his brother. Zach’s fists were clenched tightly, his posture so rigid he worried his little brother might just break.
“Don’t you think we need to talk?” Zach bit out. “Just the two of us?”
Bianca drew in a deep breath. “Yes... I guess... I don’t know, Zach.” She sniffed
, tears spilling down her cheeks. “Nothing I say can change my past...” She shook her head and wiped her tears away. “It’s the right thing to do. We both know it.” She cleared her throat, drawing Patton’s attention. “So, I’m going to go break the news to my family. You...you should get in touch with your mom before she gets here—so this doesn’t get...w-worse.”
Zach almost went for her then. Hell, Patton was tempted, too. But she held her hand up, keeping him at a distance.
“Bianca—” Zach’s voice was brittle.
“Please, Zach.” Bianca shook her head. “We’re all adults here. This isn’t the end of the world. Just...us.” She disappeared inside her shop.
Zach spun to face him. “I’m sorry your life is shit. But that doesn’t mean you need to spread it around.” He spun on his heel and walked to the shop. He paused at the door, breathing hard. He stared at the handle, then backed away and headed toward Patton’s truck. “I can’t deal with Mom right now, but I’m sure you can.”
Patton sat there, watching his little brother’s truck disappear down the street. He took in a deep breath and picked up his phone.
* * *
“WHAT DO YOU NEED?” Cady asked Bianca for the hundredth time.
Bianca shook her head, her nose swollen and her eyes red and bloodshot. “I can’t think. I know there are things that need to get done for work...but I can’t wrap my head around it.”
