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But he had nothing to lose.
“Well, I would be happy for you, too,” Reeve replies, stealing guacamole off my plate. “Except… what are you doing with Josh?”
“We’re taking things slow,” I say firmly, batting his hand away. “Getting to know each other.”
“Yeah, you’ve said that before. You’ve been saying it for what, two months now?”
“That’s not a long time,” I remind him. “Not everyone falls in love in five days flat. And I’ve got Lottie to think about.”
“What about her?”
I give him a look. “She needs stability. I can’t just bring some random guy into our lives out of nowhere.”
“Josh isn’t random. And she seems to get along with him just fine,” Reeve replies. “We’ve got a whole group chat going, where they both lecture me about recycling and microplastics in the water supply.”
“Sounds like fun,” I say wryly.
“It’s a hoot. But they’re clearly bonding. So…?” he prompts me.
“So, that means there’s even more to think about!” I protest. “What if she gets attached to him, and it doesn’t work out?”
Reeve sighs. “Are you worried about her heart getting broken… or yours?”
I don’t have an answer for that, so I busy myself constructing the perfect taco bite: equal parts al pastor and adobe, with three different kinds of hot sauce. Reeve watches me, waiting for a response, until finally, he breaks.
“Look, I know you’re my big sister, and you’re the one who always has it figured out…” he starts, looking exasperated. “But has it even occurred to you, you might be doing this all wrong? I’ve seen you with Josh, at the wedding, and here these past couple of months,” he adds, “You’re different with him. You flirt, and you joke around, and seem sohappytogether. I was trying to remember when I’ve seen you last like that,” he adds. “But I can’t. Because you’ve never been like this with a guy before. You don’t ever even date?—”
“I do!” I protest, interrupting. “What about the guy from your gym? And that horticulturalist?”
“Begonia Bill?” Reeve snorts. “You ran circles around that idiot. He lasted, what, three weeks?”
“Still, I tried,” I mumble, suddenly feeling emotional.
“No, you didn’t,” Reeve argues. “And that was fine, because you always said, you just hadn’t met the right guy. But Josh? He’s damn near perfect for you. He’s flying across the country every week, just for a chance to spend time with you. So why are you still making excuses, and playing it safe?”
Well, damn.
I swallow hard. “Way to call me out on all my doubts and insecurities,” I mutter.
“Tough love, sis.”
“Now I know why you got the margaritas,” I add, and take a long gulp. The tequila burns, but not as deeply as his words.
Reeve softens. “I know it hasn’t been easy, raising Lottie on your own. And when she was younger, I understood you had to put her first. But she’s not a kid anymore.”
“She still sleeps with a nightlight, and turns off movies before the end if they’re too sad.”
“The light is so she can stay up reading astrophysics books until 2am,” Reeve counters. “And who wants to see Macauley Culkin die from a bee sting anyway? Trust me, she’s old enough to understand you dating. Hell, in a couple of years, she’ll be doing it for herself.”
“Five years,” I mutter, still gulping my margarita. “Ten, if I’m lucky.”
Reeve grins. “She just wants you to be happy. We all do.”
I look up. “Did she say that?”
He nods. “She thinks you get lonely, when she goes away. Staying with the grandparents, and all these camps and classes. She’s worried about leaving you alone.”
“I’m not alone!” I protest, feeling a guilty pang. “I have friends, my work… annoying family members determined to interfere in my life,” I add.
