Meeting The Unpredictable (15 page)

“No, dear, we’re all set to eat.” Marie and Thomas turn and walk out of the room when I see Brandon give Tyler a spiteful look. I pause for a moment to glance at Tyler. His shoulders are tense and his eyes are hard, which is nothing like the guy I’ve spent the last few weeks with.

I pull on Tyler’s arm and whisper, “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me she left you for your brother.”

Tyler groans before rubbing his hands over his face. “I don’t really like talking about it, Lennie. It’s bad enough that she ditched me two weeks before our wedding, but when I add on the fact that she dumped me for my older brother I end up sounding like a daytime soap opera.”

“The other day when we saw her at the farmer’s market would have been a great time to fill me in.”

“I told you. I don’t like talking about it, not with you or anyone else, for that matter.”

“I’m the last person who’d judge you.”

Tyler sighs in frustration. “Can we not talk about this now?”

“Yeah, sure,” I snap. “Let’s go eat with your dysfunctional family.”

I haven’t spilled my deep dark secrets, but I thought after everything Tyler has told me about Amber that he’d trust me enough to tell me about this.

Tyler shakes his head and walks the same direction as the rest of his family, but he doesn’t even bother to see if I’m following him. I’m half-tempted to say fuck it and walk right out the door, but Tyler drove, therefore I’m stuck. I reluctantly follow him and take a seat at the table.

“Lennie, where did you say you’re from?” Marie softly asks as bowls of food are being passed around.

“Originally, I’m from Dallas, but I’ve lived here and there for years.”

Amber rolls her eyes and Marie sighs.

“Here and there?” Brandon repeats. “That’s pretty descriptive.”

“I usually move every couple of months.”

“Oh, goodness, why would you do that?” Marie says.

“I’ve found I have a lot to offer the world and it feels like I’m cheating someone out of that gift if I stay in one place for very long.”

Amber chuckles and shakes her head.

“I’m sorry; did I say something that was funny?”

Amber lifts her nose up in the air. “I’m just trying to figure out what gift you think you have.”

“Enough.” Thomas, Tyler’s father, snaps. Thankfully, he’s looking at Amber.

“What do you do for a job?” One of Tyler’s other brothers questions.

“A little of this. A little of that.”

A few snickers break out but the room goes quiet the second Marie clears her throat. “I’m sure your parents are proud.”

I laugh. “Nope. They have about the same reaction as everyone at this table does, but I’ve found that I enjoy life when I live for myself and not to please others.” Marie gives me a fake smile, but the conversation ends as everyone starts eating.

Twenty minutes pass and the conversation changes from the weather to the Cowboys until the little boy, who I’m guessing is close to four, begs to be dismissed. With his tablet in hand, he runs out of the room.

I hate awkward moments. I go out of my way to avoid them, but suddenly, I’m smack in the middle of one. With the little boy gone, I decide I might as well have a little fun. “How long have you and Amber been married?” I question Brandon.

“Oh, umm. Eight years?”

Amber clears her throat. “Five.”

Tyler tenses next to me, and suddenly I hate myself for bringing their marriage up. No matter how over her he claims to be, having to see her at his own family functions has to be hard.

“I apologize for bringing up the huge elephant in the room. It’s just I’m still processing Tyler’s ex being married to his brother.”

“Lennie,” Tyler mumbles under his breath.

“It’s not a big deal. Amber’s over him and we’re happy,” Brandon smugly adds.

“Oh, I was under the impression that Amber is still concerned about what Tyler does.” I look over at Amber with a smirk. “After all, you’re the one who told Marie you saw us together.”

Brandon’s eyes harden when he looks at his wife.

“Amber is just protective of our Tyler, that’s all,” Marie adds.

“Protective? Oh, I’m sorry. I was told that she cheated on Tyler with his brother.” Both Marie and Amber gasp while the men share a shocked expression.

“That’s really none of your business, but like Brandon said, that was years ago and this family has moved on from that little slip-up,” Marie angrily states.

Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Tyler’s chest rise and fall. His parents and brothers might be over what happened, but he’s not, at least not the part that involves his brother.

“I wondered when I first met Tyler why he’d put his life on hold for years after one bad break up, but it’s not Amber that screwed him up, it was you.” I point at Brandon. “His own brother, someone who was supposed to protect him, slept with his fiancée.”

“How dare you come in our home and try to start trouble!” Marie shouts. “This family doesn’t need some low life woman causing problems.”

I don’t react to her comment. I knew from the second she looked at my tattoos with disgust that we weren’t going to get along.

With a lackluster smile, I look around the table. “Unlike some of you, I’ve never pretended to be anything I’m not. If Tyler had put this situation behind him, I never would have brought it up. But I’m guessing it’s hard to forgive someone who’s never admitted to doing anything wrong.” I look first at Brandon, then to Amber.

Brandon’s smug voice fills the air. “You really had to dig at the bottom of the barrel for this one, huh, Ty?”

“I’m sure if your wife wasn’t sitting at the table you’d be the first to ask Lennie for her phone number.” My eyes widen when Tyler finally decides to chime in. “Then again, you two have a wonderful marriage, don’t you big brother? All those late nights at
the office
don’t take a toll on either of you.” Amber’s mouth drops open as she stares at her husband.

“Oh, I get it. Once a cheater always a cheater?”

“Enough!” Thomas shouts. “I think we’ve had enough family time for one night. Marie and I will take care of all the dishes. I think it’s best for everyone to go home and cool off before anything else is said.”

“Fine by me,” Brandon growls before grabbing his wife’s arm and walking out of the room.

“And before you invite anymore guests over, Tyler, I suggest you talk to them beforehand about proper manners,” Marie adds.

“You invited her, Mom,” Tyler replies. “
You
insisted that she come, and
you
failed to mention that you had invited the whole family. Maybe if you had I would have informed Lennie about what she was walking into.”

“That’s just it, sweetheart. There was nothing to inform her of.” Tyler laughs without humor.

“I get that you were in a hard spot, but you’ve never had my back. I went off to college and my own brother started sleeping with my fiancée, and from day one you’ve demanded that I accept that.” Marie’s face falls. “I’m not in love with Amber, and I haven’t been for a long time, but that doesn’t mean coming here and watching her with my brother...watching her with kids that could have been mine isn’t painful. I suck it up because that’s what you want me to do, so don’t come down on Lennie who was only—in her own weird way—protecting me.” Tyler looks down at me. “Let’s get out of here.”

I nod my head and follow him out the door. Once we’re in his SUV, he looks over at me. “You just couldn’t help yourself, could you?” His voice is harsh.

“I’m sorry.”

“No, you’re not.”

Anger boils to the surface. “Okay, you’re right. I’m not sorry.” Tyler huffs and starts his vehicle. “No wonder you haven’t moved on. You’re not still hung up on the girl. You’re hung up on how your own brother could betray you.” Tyler looks away without saying anything. “And your family just expects you to accept them.”

Tyler rubs the bridge of his nose. “It happened a long time ago. It doesn’t matter anymore.”

I reach over and grab his hand. “If it hurts you then it still matters.”

Tyler gives me a small smile before putting the vehicle in drive. The entire trip back to the apartment is made in silence. When the two of us make it to Tyler’s door, he pauses. “I think I’d like to be alone.” Alone is the last thing he needs, but I won’t fight him. Tomorrow he’ll wake up and realize that I’m the only person who’s stood up for him, or he’ll wake up hating me. The second option has my stomach turning.

“For years you’ve sat in your apartment and counted the days. But lately, you’ve made the days count. Promise me, whatever happens, you won’t stop living your life.” His eyes flare seconds before I give him a quick kiss on the cheek. “You’re an amazing man, Tyler Brooker, and one day soon, you’re going to find your own happiness.” I give him another smile, one I’m hoping won’t be my last, before I turn around and unlock Jodi’s door.

“Where have you been?” Jodi questions from her couch.

“Oh, I was out wreaking havoc on people’s lives.” A coy smile plays on my lips.

“I wouldn’t expect anything less.” Jodi chuckles before patting the spot next to her.

“What are we watching?”

Jodi hands me the remote. “Anything you want.”

I curl in next to Jodi and force my head to stop thinking about the man across the hall.

WHEN AMBER TOLD ME SHE
couldn’t marry me because she was in love with someone else, she failed to mention that person was my brother. While her confession turned my world upside down, I know I would have recovered. The details surrounding that time are hazy at best, but I remember confiding in Brandon. As the oldest Brooker child, I went to him for advice. The memory is almost as sickening as his betrayal. The only thing that made the situation worse was learning that at some point my mother discovered their web of lies and didn’t tell me.

I’m not sure if she found out one year or one day before I did. All I know is she chose to keep their secret.

Amber and I started dating when we were just kids, and I was supposed to suck it up and be the better person. My mother practically demanded I snap out of my funk and be happy for my brother, who only months later asked Amber to marry him. That’s when I found that life was easier the less I interacted with people. Even though Chad convinced me to move in with him, I managed to keep to myself. My days and nights bled into months, which turned into years, but until Lennie Jacobs managed to turn my world upside down for the second time, I didn’t realize how much life I was missing out on.

I can’t go back...I won’t go back to the person I was, even without Lennie around, but for reasons I’m not ready to admit yet, I want to keep her around.

***

THE NEXT DAY, I WAITED
for Lennie to barge through the door and demand I do something ridiculous, but she never did. I guess on some level I should be pissed at her, but I’m not. Lennie behaved exactly how I’d expect, and after the last six years, it’s nice to be reminded that not everyone is fake. When I came to terms that she wasn’t going to come to me, I knock on Jodi’s door. A few seconds later, Chad answers. My eyes widen with shock. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Chad gives me a shit-eating grin. “Hanging out with Jodi.”

“Good for you.”

“Chad, who’s here?” I have no idea when Chad moved past barely knowing Jodi to spending time with her in her apartment. For the last few weeks, my mind has been so consumed by Lennie that I didn’t notice anything else. “Tyler’s here.”

“Oh,” Jodi says with surprise when she sees me. “Lennie’s not here. I think she’s at the animal shelter.”

“Great. Thank you. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt your evening.”

Chad smirks. “It’s okay. I’m sure Lennie would like to see you.”

I nod my head before rushing to my vehicle. The need to see Lennie is stronger than ever. The drive seems to take forever. When I make my way inside, the same lady is behind the counter.

“Mr. Beefcake has returned.” She chuckles, causing me to grin.

“Is Lennie here?”

“Yes, she’s out back walking the dogs.” I glance at the hall Lennie used last time. “Go ahead. I’m sure she’ll be fine with you surprising her.”

“Thanks.” I start to walk away when she grabs my hand.

“When life delivers something rare, you have to reach out and grab ahold of it.” She pats my hand. “That girl is beyond special, but I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know.”

My heart starts racing. “She is special. I’m lucky to have her as a friend.” I stressed the word friend. Instead of replying, she gives me a knowing smile and walks away.

I walk down the hall and past the barking dogs then out the back door. Immediately, I spot Lennie lying in the grass, petting a dog’s belly. I take a few steps before I stop in my tracks.

“It’s okay, baby,” she whispers to the dog. “I know exactly how you feel.” She sniffles. “I wish I could stay here with you forever...but I can’t.”

My chest tightens as my heart starts to race. I feel like I’m intruding on a moment, but in reality it’s Lennie’s words that send my heart into overdrive. “If I could take you with me, I would, buddy.”

Why does this woman feel the need to run? I don’t doubt for a moment that Lennie has a gift that deserves to be shared with the world, but she’s running and I want to know why.