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“Like, I was covering for him. He’d told his family that he had a girlfriend and well, I’m a bad girlfriend. So, I went to the wedding as his fake fiancée. We were going to break up when we got home and then when Mom and Dad showed up, we decided to go through with it for them.”
Wyatt seemed to take a moment to consider this. “That is such a Whitley story.”
I laughed and smacked his arm. “It’s true. The whole relationship was fake.”
“But it’s not fake anymore,” Wyatt said. His eyes shifted down to the festival again. “I know you, Whit. I’ve known you your whole life. You’ve never looked at anyone the way you look at Gavin King. If you don’t love him, I don’t know what love is.”
I flushed at the comment. At the ease with which my brother saw right through me. “I … I …”
“Just because it’s the person our parents want for you doesn’t make him the wrong person.”
“I didn’t say that,” I said defensively.
He laughed. “Yeah, but I know you. He’s good for you. You two look so happy together. I haven’t known him long, but I can tell, Whit. There’s a reason you agreed to go through with this with him. And there’s a reason you’re going to stick it out.” He touched my arm. “Just let yourself be happy, okay?”
“Okay,” I whispered as tears came to my eyes. I hastily swiped them away. “Thanks.”
“What are big brothers for?”
“Generally? Being a dick and beating me up in middle school.”
Wyatt laughed. “Hey, you’re the one who stole my high school girlfriend.”
I shrugged with my hands out at my sides, giving him my best look of innocence. “Some people just have more game.”
He rolled his eyes. “Get inside. You’re ridiculous.”
I waved him off and headed inside to find my mom. I was glad that we’d had that talk even if it hadn’t gone at all how I’d expected it to. At least he’d kept me from obsessing about what my mom had in store for me.
When I stepped inside the country club ballroom, I was surprised to find it empty, save for my mom. Some part of me had been expecting her to throw some big, elaborate party with all the women that I’d hated growing up. But it was just my mom, holding an envelope and a small box.
“Hi, sweetheart.”
“Hi, Mom. What’s this?”
She smiled down at the box and then back at me. “I wanted to throw you a party, but with the festival, there wasn’t time. Plus, I didn’t think you really wanted one.”
“I didn’t,” I admitted. Not that I’d thought she’d accept that.
“Also, I saw how small your apartment is in the city. Even when you move in with Gavin, you won’t have that much space. What’s the point of havingthingswhen you have nowhere to put them?”
I stalled in place. “That was … thoughtful.”
My mom laughed softly. “I can be thoughtful sometimes, dear.”
I didn’t respond to that. It would only result in an argument, and I could see my mom was trying not to fight.
“So,” she said softly, “I did this.”
She passed me the envelope. I tore it open and found a letter, signed by dozens of women. I recognized at least half of them. Inside was a check written to me for five figures. My eyes bulged.
“Mom!” I protested.
“It’s from all of us. In lieu of a party … and since I’m not paying for the wedding,” she said quickly, “I wanted you to have this.”
“It’s way too much. Dad needs it for his treatment. You need it for after …” But I couldn’t get the words out.
And my mom choked on the sound ofafter. She dabbed at her eyes. “His insurance is covering most of it. I’ll have life insurance for … after.” She pressed the check back into my hands. “You need this for now.”
