“Are you a little rusty about how to be a human? Because you barely said two words to her.” I felt anxious all through dinner about what Kevin had shared. That mixed with being worried about Whitney had me less than good company. Whitney texted me during dinner and while I should have told her I would text her later when I was alone, I couldn’t, which had us texting back and forth for at least ten minutes. “You were so checked out.”

“I just have a lot on my mind, Kev.”

“Like what?” I don’t respond, I just drop to one of the bar stools circling the island and shake my head. “Since when can’t you tell me what’s going on?”

“I don’t even know where to start.”

“Well—”

“Jacob Maxwell Price!” Michelle screams as soon as the door slams. I wince at the use of my full name as she enters the kitchen. “I know you have better manners than that. Do not make me call your mother. You know what? Better yet, I’ll tell her next week when we have lunch.”

My eyes widen. “You have lunch with my mother?”

“Yes.” She turns her nose up and walks to the other side of the kitchen. “You and Trey are heathens that don’t call her and I’m the wonderful, considerate child she never had. Plus, I’m a girl.” She bats her eyelashes at me. “And I’m going to tell her that I set you up with a very sweet girl and you fucked it all up.” She stomps. “Well, I won’t say fuck because I have manners unlike YOU!” She crosses her hands over her chest. “What was that?”

“Please tell Georgina that I apologize for my behavior, I just… a lot happened while I was in Mexico and I’m just not ready to date anyone.” Coward.

I swallow, trying to ignore the voice inside of me telling me that now was the time to tell them and I couldn’t keep prolonging it.

“Did you meet someone?” Michelle asks, her eyes wide and a smile pulling at her lips like she’s already planning another double date for me and whoever the potential mystery girl is.

Tell them.

I shake my head. “It’s complicated.”

Michelle cocks her head to the side. “Jacob, since when don’t you tell us things?”

“That’s what I said.” Kevin speaks up and I can see him studying me. They both are. The sound of a phone buzzing breaks their stare and I’m grateful for a second to get my thoughts together in preparation when Michelle answers the phone.

“Whitney, hi honey,” she says, walking out of the room.

“I want to talk to her!” Kevin calls to her and it takes everything out of me not to scream that I want to also.