“Remy’s a good guy.” She tried to imagine that big, tough guy crying over her, but she couldn’t see it. “We’re friends. I know he cares about me, but he doesn’t love me.”

“I don’t know about that.” Laurel patted her hand. “Men can be strange. Sometimes they get this notion in their head that they aren’t good enough for us and they should walk away.”

“Oh, sweetie, they don’t honestly believe that.” Lila shook her head in sympathy. “That’s an excuse they give to take what they want and leave. It’s the same thing as the ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ excuse.”

“Tell that to my husband.” Laurel’s eyes narrowed. “And Will. He said roughly the same crap to Bridget.”

“Neither one of them…” Lila began and then sighed, one shoulder shrugging. “I just think it’s different.”

No, she didn’t. Well, she thought it was different, but there was no “just” about it. Lila had intended to say something, but she’d stopped herself. “What’s different about Remy?”

“Besides the fact that he doesn’t exactly belong with the rest of us?” Lila asked.

“What does that mean?” She didn’t like the implications.

Lila crossed her arms over her chest. “Come on, Lisa. You have to see it. He doesn’t fit in. Can you honestly see bringing him to family dinners and taking him to church with you? Look, this family has come a long way. He’s not the man I see you with. You need someone educated. Someone who fits in with your family. The man is basically a mercenary. He takes whatever jobs come his way.”

She’d never realized what a snob her sister was. “He’s been doing that to save money. And he protects people.”

Lila nodded like Lisa had made her point clear. “People who can pay him outrageous sums of money.”

“No, you don’t get it both ways. He can’t be bad because he doesn’t have a ton of money and bad because he gets paid a lot of money. Pick one.”

Lila’s head shook. “I didn’t say the man was poor. God knows he’s not. I’m saying he’s uneducated and doesn’t fit into a successful family. Laurel married a Harvard-educated lawyer. I don’t particularly care for what Bridget does but there’s no way to deny she’s successful at it. I’m dating the CEO of a company.”

She exchanged a look with Laurel. They both hated Brock. When had Lila gotten snobby and rigid? What had happened to make her that way when the rest of them were laid back? Yes, they were successful, but Will didn’t judge. Laurel didn’t. Mitch and Bridget were super chill. Mitch constantly complained about how he hated to deal with other lawyers, much less hang out with them because they were successful.