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“Then uncomplicate it for me.”
“I should have told you the truth. But I didn’t hide it from you because I think you’re weak or flighty or can’t take care of yourself. Doesn’t make what I did right, but I’m so used to people expecting me to solve their problems that I justdoout of habit now.”
“What do you mean?”
“The people in my life don’t care how I fix things, as long as they get done. They don’t want to know the details or the full truth of the situation, or my methods. They just want the problem to go away.”
“Maybe I am a naïve kid, but what kind of shit are you involved with that you need to use these questionable methods? You buy and sell companies, right?”
“Technically, yes.”
“So how does that create a world where you get stalked and kidnapped and have people try to kill you? And what kind of shit are your friends and family doing that puts them in positions where you need to fix their problems?”
“I can’t go into specifics, but let’s just say that some of my father’s dealings haven’t been completely above board.”
“Is that a way of saying he’s done or is doing illegal shit without saying it?”
He nodded.
“Not shocking. I got weird vibes from him.”
“My dad?”
“Yeah. Can’t put my finger on it, but he made my brain itchy. Kinda like lemon face and my old bosses. Something about him is like…off. But your mom and sister are awesome. Especially Emily. She’s officially my favorite person in this family.”
“Ouch.”
“I’m still mad at you,” I threw out. “You explained, thank you. But that doesn’t mean you automatically get a pass for lying.”
“I suppose that’s fair. Emily won’t stop gushing about you either.”
“Really?”
“Are you really surprised after you two ganged up on me during the tasting? Or how you spent the whole time we were finalizing flower arrangements last week chatting like sleepover buddies? I haven’t seen her giggle that much since she was a tween.”
“In our defense, you made it really easy to gang up on you at the tasting. You should have known better than to give your opinion on things.”
“I thought that was why I was there? To give her my opinion so she could choose the right menu for her guests?”
“You’re hopeless.” My eyes went to the ceiling for a beat, my sigh theatric. “Your job as the man of honor is to validate her choices. Unless she’s saying she wants liver and onions as her main, and ambrosia salad instead of a cake, then your actual thoughts are not necessary. Your job is to tell her she made the right choice even if you don’t think it is.”
“But…that makes no sense. Why ask for my opinion if you don’t want it?”
“You really are clueless. Why do you think she chose you to help her organize her wedding?”
“Because I’m her brother?”
“Exactly. You’re her brother and she wants you to be there with her, literally right next to her, while she gets married. She chose you out of all her friends, most of whom are already married and who would be way more helpful with all the nitty-gritty of planning a wedding.”
He blinked at me, his mystified expression fading to understanding.
“You know that dumb stereotype that women start planning their weddings when they’re little girls?”
“Sure.”
“Think about what kind of childhood she had. What kinds of things were shoved down her throat when she was young. Did anyone encourage her to play sports or take an interest in science or encourage her to figure out what she loves and who she is? No. She was raised on a steady diet of being told her only purpose in life is to be pretty, get married, and have babies to carry on the family legacy. And she was shamed and punished every time she stepped one toe out of line or tried to take any sort of control over her life and future.”
“I never thought of that.”
