Returning my focus to May, I tell her truthfully, “I don’t understand what you want me to do. Your dad and I didn’t exactly discuss what was going on with us. I thought I’d made it clear how I felt about him, but...”

“But you’re not the best at communicating,” she fills in for me. “And Dad can be a ball of anxiety. I think he doubts his own worth sometimes.” Her face softens as she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. “You make him happy though. He’s always smiling, even if he’s not always happy. But when he’s around you, his smiles are different. It’s like he lights up inside whenever you look at him.”

A little ball of hope begins forming in my chest. That’s what happens to me whenever Brenden looks at me. And I want to be that for him too. I want to be the one who makes him the happiest, who gets to see his most genuine smiles.

But I still think he could do better than me.

“Okay, so here’s what we’re gonna do.” May slaps both hands on the counter and fixes me with a very intense stare. “Remember that fake story I told my grandparents about how you and my dad got together?”

How could I forget? She said she basically tricked me into asking him out by telling me she was going to find someone else to do it.

“Well, consider this another version of that, only for real this time,” she says. “I know you love him. I’m pretty sure you’ve loved him for years, even if you didn’t realize it.”

“I—”

She holds up a small hand to silence me. Which is more intimidating than it has any right to be, but probably also for the best, since I have no idea what I was going to say. “It’s time for you to pull your head out of your ass. Excuse my language.”

That almost makes me laugh, because she’s been swearing since she walked in here.

“If you can be brave enough to really be what he needs, then I’ll help you get him back.”

“What?” I ask dumbly.

The look she gives me has me thinking I should keep any sharp objects out of her reach. “But if you’re not ready, if you can’t do it... then I promise I’m going to make sure he gets over you. I’ll find him someone else who will love him like he deserves.”

Just like that, the tiny ball of hope she gave me evaporates. The thought of Brenden with someone else makes me sick. I might not think I’m good enough for him, but apparently, I’m selfish enough not to want him with anyone else.