The Bromance Book Club - Lyssa Kay Adams Page 0,54
Gavin dealing with her father in any way whatsoever. He’d met Dan in person exactly once—a few months after the twins were born and Dan stopped on his way through to a business retreat of some kind. And as far as Thea knew, Gavin had only spoken to her father on the phone a handful of times since then. Yet the thought of not having to deal with her father, of not having to call and let him know she wouldn’t be at the wedding, was hot fudge sundae–level tempting.
“No, thanks,” she said. “I’ll talk to him eventually.”
Gavin nodded. “If you change your mind, let me know.”
“OK,” she said slowly. “Thanks.”
After Gavin and the girls left, Thea decided to take out her confusing emotions on the wall. The banging and crashing brought Liv up from the basement like a zombie in search of brains.
“Coffee,” she grunted.
Thea pointed at the pot. “You might need to heat it up.”
“Where is everyone?”
“Gavin took the girls downtown for some shopping.”
“How long are they going to be gone?”
“Not sure. Why?”
“You and I should go get pedicures or a massage or something,” Liv said, stifling a yawn.
“I don’t think I—” Thea stopped herself mid-sentence. She was about to run through the litany of reasons why she couldn’t. She had to get groceries, fold some laundry, plan the family menu for the next week. But why shouldn’t she do something relaxing and totally for herself today? Gavin had the girls, and even if they weren’t gone very long, he could be home with them all day. And since Liv had the day off, why the hell not?
Thea nodded. “You know what? You’re right. Let’s go crazy and get sushi too.”
* * *
• • •
“This reminds me of watching you get ready for your wedding.”
Thea met her sister’s gaze in the mirror of the dressing room. It had taken some major coaxing on Liv’s part, but Thea had finally agreed to hit the mall for some shopping. A mall on Black Friday was pretty much the last place Thea wanted to be, but Liv reminded her she needed to replace her Southern Belle wardrobe.
“I remember you trying to zip me into that dress,” Thea responded, turning to see how the black dress she was trying on looked from behind.
“It fit.”
“Barely.”
“You were pregnant with twins.”
“My ass had its own zip code.”
“You were happy.”
“Was I?”
Liv sat up straight, and one eyebrow went stratospheric. “Weren’t you?”
“I was nervous,” Thea clarified. “I wasn’t sure if I looked happy.”
Liz snorted. “Nice save.”
It wasn’t a save. Thea had been happy. Terrified, but happy and hopeful and one hundred percent naïve. If only she’d known then what she knew now.
“Well, Gavin definitely looked happy that day. Never would’ve guessed that he’d end up being just another asshole.”
Thea slipped out of the black dress and started to put her own clothes back on. “I don’t want you to hate him, Liv.”
“I don’t hate him. I’m disappointed in him.”
Thea once again met her sister’s eyes in the mirror. “What do you mean?”
“You guys were my OTP.” One true pairing. “It sort of gave me hope that maybe there actually were some decent men left in the world.”
“He is a decent man.”
Liv gathered a stack of clothes into her arms and shoved them at Thea. “Why are you defending him?”
“I’m not. I just—” Thea hefted the load of clothes she’d decided to buy higher in her arms.
“Just what?”
“I just think it’s dangerous to expect anyone to be perfect.”
Liv snorted. “Well there’s a cryptic statement.”
One that Thea had no intention of expanding on, but Liv wasn’t easily swayed. By the time their food arrived at a nearby sushi restaurant, her sister was primed and ready for attack.
“So, what gives?” Liv asked, dipping a spicy tuna roll into soy sauce.
“What do you mean?”
“Why are you going easy on him, all of a sudden?”
“I’m not. All I did was point out that he’s not some kind of evil mastermind.”
“Something has changed. What is it?”
He offered to deal with Dad for me. He kissed me and made me want to forget everything bad. He made pancakes with the girls. Thea shook her head. “Nothing.”
“Don’t shut me out, Thea.” Liv looped her pinkie finger with Thea’s. “You and me against the world, remember?”
Thea sucked in a breath. Liv wasn’t going to let this go. “Okay, there is something I haven’t told you.”
“I knew it,” Liv hissed. “What did he do?”
Thea explained about his conditions, leaving out the part about kissing. That one was