AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It’s okay,” Ike says. “I’m sure it can wait until later.”
“What if something’s wrong?” Nat asks. “Maybe he needs you. You should really just go and call him.”
“It’s fine,” Ike says again, his voice tight now, and he steps away, walking into my grandpa’s garden.
“I put my foot in it,” Natalie mutters.
“It’s okay. It’s been a really shitty week.” I pat her arm and then take off after my boyfriend. “Hey.”
“Look, you were probably right all along. I should have bowed out. I just didn’t want to disappoint you, but it wasn’t a good idea that I came. I’m not trying to be rude.”
“I’m not upset.” And it’s the truth. I’m not. “You’re dealing with a lot of stuff, Ike. I probably wouldn’t want to hang out with a bunch of strangers, either.”
“They’re nice. But man, are they always in your business like this?”
Okay, now I might get upset.
“If in my business, you mean do we get together often? Yes. Do they keep up with each of us and the things happening in our lives? Absolutely. I see my cousins several times a month and the parents once a month. More in the summer.”
“I don’t know how to do that.” He’s looking down at his sneakers, his hands on his hips. “I don’t know what that looks like, Soph, and I’m not so sure that I can deal with it. It sounds great, but I don’t know if it’s something that I can have. Hell, I don’t think it’s something I deserve.”
“What are you even talking about?”
He shakes his head, refusing to look at me. “We’re so different. You deserve someone who fits in during things like this.”
“You do fit in.”
“You need someone who doesn’t mind getting the third degree whenever he spends time with your family.”
Now I don’t know what to say. What in the hell is happening?
“So, let me get this straight.” I don’t even bother to keep my voice down now. “You’re bailing on me because I have a wonderful family? What kind of absolute bullshit is that, Isaiah Harrison?”
Now he does look at me, and the hurt I see in his eyes is enough to break me.
“Ike.”
“No.” He shakes his head once and scratches his chin. “You’re right. I’m fucked-up. This whole thing is fucked-up. I’d better go before we say more shit we don’t mean, and I make even more of an ass out of myself.”
He walks through the crowd that’s now watching us and listening intently, then through the gate, letting it swing closed behind him.
“You have got to be kidding me,” I mutter in frustration. “Who bails because their girlfriend’s family is too nice? Like, who even does that?”
I move to set off after him, but Will puts his hand on my shoulder.
“Hang on, tiger. Let me have a word with him. I would tell you to calm down, but that usually puts me in the doghouse for a few days.”
“Yeah, don’t tell her that,” Meg suggests as Will walks out the gate after Ike.
“I won’t feel like I have to walk on eggshells around anyone. Not ever.”
“And you shouldn’t,” Grandma Gail says with a soft smile. “But that boy isn’t trying to hurt you or us. I saw it the minute you two arrived. He’s grieving.”
“Grieving?” I stare at her. “I don’t—oh. His dad.”
My own father nods. “We can all piece together who said something to the media about Ike cheating, honey. Even Ike sees it.”
“He won’t call his dad out on it,” I reply, looking over at the gate.
“And then we didn’t stop talking about it,” Mom says. “That wasn’t good.”
“No, none of us should feel like we have to sidestep him,” I reply.
“Of course not,” Grandma says. “But we should be mindful of how he’s feeling. I think he’s a good young man who has a full plate right now. It’s good that Will is talking to him.”
“I’m going out there, too,” I decide and walk toward the fence. I can’t stand to see Ike hurting.
I need to fix it.
Chapter 18
Ike
“Wait up.”
I stop at the truck and look back to see Will jogging toward me.
“I’m sorry,” I begin. “I shouldn’t have spoken to her that way, definitely not in front of the whole family, but also not at all. I’m just not myself right now, and I shouldn’t have come. I’m not sure that she should be with me at all, Will.”
“Okay, hold on.” Will leans on the truck and crosses his arms over his chest. “I don’t want to have to cut out your heart and eat it. That’s just not appetizing to me.”
“Fuck, is she crying?”
“No, she’s mad as hell.”
I feel my lips twitch. “It’s hot when she’s mad.”
“You love her.”
“More than anything. That’s why I’m here today.”
“But you don’t like her family?”
Ashamed, I shake my head. “No. That’s not it at all. Everyone’s been great. I have no reason to dislike anyone in there. But it’s a lot, Will. I have three other members in my family. Well, my sister is married and has two kids, so add them in, but that’s it, and none of them lives anywhere near me. My sister couldn’t get out of the house soon enough after she graduated, and I couldn’t blame her. I haven’t seen her in two years.”
