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“Oh, well, that’s…” my mother scrambles for an adjective that won’t be an affront to the two people at the table who chose not to attend my game. She settles on “nice.”
“Weston, what are your plans for college? I assume you’re going to play football?”
Of course football is how my father would choose to enter the conversation. But he’s talking, which means we’re not sitting in silence. His voice is neutral, not antagonistic like Liam’s, so I don’t intervene.
“My dad went to Lincoln University, and he’s always wanted me to attend there as well,” Wes replies. My father’s eyebrows raise slightly in response to this information, a subtle acknowledgement he’s impressed.
Lincoln is known to be one of the most competitive universities in the country academically, and it’s revered for its football program in particular.
“That’s a worthwhile opportunity,” my father acquiesces. It’s the equivalent of a ringing endorsement from him. “I assume they’ve shown some interest?”
“They made an offer,” Wes replies. “But I’m still weighing my other options. Like Arlington. Coach Phillips spoke very highly of you, sir.”
I thought the enmity in the room hit its peak when Liam last spoke. I was wrong. The tension in the room ratchets up to that of a taut string about to snap in response to Wes’s casual words. Liam’s the one who snips it.
“You’re looking at Arlington? Are you fucking kidding me?”
“Liam,” my mother admonishes. My brother doesn’t say anything else, but he glowers, first at Wes, then at me.
“Lincoln’s program is higher ranked.” I’m surprised my father is the one who breaks the strained silence. To disparage his alma mater and the team he used to coach, of all things.
“Yes, it is,” Wes agrees. “But Arlington is Maeve’s first choice.”
I stare at him, stunned. Surprised he realized that, and even more shocked he’s factoring it into his own future plans, especially given the recent upheaval in our relationship.
“It is?” my father questions, looking at me.
“Yeah, it is,” I admit, looking away from Wes and cutting my chicken. “I applied to lots of places, though.”
Dinner doesn’t last much longer, and it’s mostly filled with my mother and Wes talking. I chime in a few times, but my father and brother are silent.
“What time is it?” I ask my mother as soon as we all finish eating.
She checks her watch. “Almost seven.”
“Wow, we’d better get going,” I tell Wes, looking at him meaningfully.
He catches on quickly. “You’d better hurry up and change, Stevens. Then we can get moving.”
I give Wes a clueless look because we didn’t actually make any plans past dinner. I was thinking we could escape my house and go to the cabin. What am I supposed to change into?
“Change?” my mother asks. “Where are you two headed?”
“Mini golf,” Wes responds.
“That sounds fun.” My mother stands and starts collecting the dishes. “Better dress warm, Maeve. It’s chilly out.”
“Okay, I’ll do that,” I say, standing. I shoot Wes a look to make sure he really meant it, and he just gives me a serene grin.
I head back out into the front hallway and up the stairs to my room. I pull off the blouse I was wearing and start pawing through my closet for a cute sweater to change into. There’s a knock on my door just as I’ve pulled one over my head.
“Yes?” I call out, expecting it to be my mother, checking up on me. It’s not. It’s Liam. And based on the agitated expression on his face, he hasn’t come to apologize for his moody behavior at dinner.
“What is it, Liam?” I ask impatiently as I grab my winter coat out of my closet and shove my phone in the pocket.
“He’s considering Arlington?”
I sigh. “I guess so. He didn’t tell me.”
