“What?” I groan. All eyes are on Weston. He massages my hands in his lap as he nods his head at me. “When did you tell him? What did he do?” I’m not holding back. The secret is out, but this part of the story is a mystery to me. Asa acts like he’ll kill anyone who ever tried to approach me.
“Remember the week after Asa’s leave, when I came over to take Jim to chemo?”
“Oh yes, the car accident. You’d broken your nose in a fender bender when you weren’t wearing your seat belt,” my mother supplies.
I’m dizzy. I’m delirious. When I look at my dad, he’s grinning as if this is the most fun he’s had in weeks.
“Asa broke my nose when I told him I was in love with Crosby,” Weston says brightly. I can’t believe my ears. My whole face feels hot, and my body is buzzing like it’s been plugged into a socket.
“You love me?” I say. “And my jerk brother broke your face?” I’m entranced by Weston and his candidness.
“I deserved it. He’s told me you were off-limits since we were ten.”
I lean over to Weston and put my hands on his cheeks. Closing my eyes, I bring my forehead to his and try to batten down the hatches on the emotion that’s leaking out of me.
“Crosby and Weston are in love. How about that?” my dad says joyfully. He raises his glass to toast my mother, who looks on in apparent shock.
“You’ve been gone a long time, Crosby, but my feelings haven’t changed,” West says to me.
“Same,” I tell him. He kisses me gently on the lips. Dad is smiling so big, it looks like his face will break.
“How long has this been going on?” My mother seems desperate for someone to match her concern. “BeBe, you’ll have to drop that class. My goodness, Weston could lose his job if you two are sneaking about.”
“Diana, I would never do anything to risk Crosby’s safety or threaten her future. I’ll get her in another section. Our relationship will remain completely platonic at school.”
I snort. I can’t help it. My mother puts a hand across her heart like she can’t handle the news.
“You want to be a fashion designer. You don’t need the class,” Weston tells me.
“I need romance.”
“I’ll give that to you—only outside of school.” Mom looks like she might faint.
“Mom, we were never sneaking around. West has always been a gentleman. If anything, he protected me from messing around too early. Growing up with Asa and Weston was like the ultimate cockblocker. Better than a chastity belt because no one would touch me,” I say. We’re still holding hands. Mom might need a few days—or years—to process.
“Diana, look at it this way. We’ve always felt like Weston was part of the family, and this way, he can be,” Dad tells Mom.
“Won’t Asa feel left out?”
“Asa is a true brother to me, and I’d never hurt him. Crosby and I will do whatever it takes to make sure he’s okay.”
I turn my attention back to my food and eat everything on my plate. I didn’t realize how much I’d missed my mother’s cooking until it was right in front of my face. Weston grips my hand through the entire meal. When I sneak glances at him, my whole body swoons. Weston is so incredibly good-looking, he should grace the cover of a book, star in ads for button-down white shirts with the cuffs rolled, exposing his forearms. If there aren’t ads for those, there should be. He could advertise watches. Holy crud, I’d pay to watch him drink coffee or eat salad or clean a toilet, for that matter.
“Why are you staring at me?” West asks playfully.
“I can’t get enough of your face.” He leans in and brushes my nose with his. If I had known Weston was waiting for me like this at home, I probably wouldn’t have taken two years to come back from Italy.
“It’s wonderful. I’m pleased. Dinner was delicious,” my dad states. He places his napkin on his plate, and Weston moves to take him back to his bed.
“Crosby, it’s going to take me some getting used to,” my mother tells me as she gathers the dishes.
I stand up and help her, piling the soup bowls into the crook of one arm.
“That’s okay, Mom. Weston and I aren’t going anywhere.”
10
Weston
I should feel relief, and you’d think I’d be able to relax a little. But the thing with Crosby is that I always feel like I can’t get enough of her. I don’t want any barriers between us, any roadblocks or people who don’t approve. I’m so serious about my feelings for Crosby Dashen that I want to get started on forever with her, not worry about what Diana thinks or like I can’t display my feelings for her in public.