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“Why don’t I believe it?”
“Yeah.”
“Because she told me months ago she was clingy and hasn’t been with me once.”
“You should be thrilled,” River said. “Sounds like that is exactly what you wanted.”
He stopped the beer from going to his lips. “Why would she be one way with me when she hasn’t been with anyone else?”
“Could be she has matured,” River said. “She was younger before. Or maybe she heard what you had to say and is honoring it. People can change, you know. More so if they like someone.”
“But no one changes forever,” he argued.
“Sure, they do,” River said. “If they want to. But that’s the problem, isn’t it? You aren’t looking for forever. You’ve got it in your head that no one would want you for you.”
“I didn’t know you were that kind of doctor,” he said. “When did you get your shrink license?”
“Life experiences,” River said. “And being in love. It’s possible to find someone that can see beyond the faults you’ve got. And we know you’ve got a lot of them.”
Brooks laughed. “If you’re hungry get something to eat. Guess I don’t have manners either.”
“I ate with my wife earlier,” River said.
“Then why aren’t you home with her?”
“Because I know my big brother well. I asked you a question that required more than a one-word answer. Then you sent my call to voicemail. After an hour I decided to drive by. I saw the lights on and only your truck. So yeah, I figured that was your form of a smoke signal.”
Funny how his brother knew him so well, but Ivy couldn’t figure him out.
Which begged the question why he wanted her to figure him out when he ended up hurting her anyway.
Just as he figured he’d do.
“This was going to happen anyway. Might as well happen now.”
“That she’d get sick of your moodiness and move on?” River asked.
“I said I needed space,” he said quietly.
“Oh,” River said. “Now I need to know the reason for that. What happened? Something had to have happened because a few weeks ago everything was fine. Was some guy hitting on her again?”
“No,” he said. He didn’t know if he had the answers to give his brother.
“It has to be something,” River said. “I’ll just stay here and keep asking until you tell me. Was she blowing your phone up nonstop while you worked and wanting to spend every night together?”
He knew his brother would do it too.
“No, she doesn’t do those things. The condom broke last weekend.”
“Okay,” River said. “Shit happens. Wait it out. Deal with it then. Kids are a great thing.”
“Says the guy that is looking forward to being a dad. But it’s not a big deal. She laughed when I got pissed.”
“Why would she?” River asked.
“Because she’s on the pill. She said no worries. She was proud of herself for being responsible like that. I never knew she was on the pill.”
“Then there was nothing to get upset over,” River said. “Unless...”
