Because it wasn’t about her.
David had known Bette’s faults going in. She’d been a demon in bed, but that was the only time she wasn’t focused on how other people saw her. Vanity had her in the salon twice a week and kept her spray tanned and perfumed. Vanity had her shopping for and dressing him before they went to visit her friends or her parents, because everything he picked out was unacceptable.
And vanity couldn’t allow her to believe his sister with her clunky shoes, straight bangs and thick glasses could have romanced and won a woman like Janice, or have fans and a brother who adored her and thought she was perfect just as she was. But she did, and David couldn’t be prouder.
Essie was one of a kind. While he’d let himself be swayed by the tide—in retrospect too often for his liking—Esther Mills had always gone her own direction. Like Rory, she never apologized for who she was or how she felt, and it seemed like some people were finally appreciating her quick wit and quirky personality. The YouTube channel that he’d helped her with in his off hours had become a hit with enough followers and sponsors for both of them to do it full time, but he wasn’t kidding himself. Essie was the main attraction.
David had held back from quitting his job once that happened—at Bette’s insistence, but after the breakup her father had let him go without notice. He’d looked almost as shocked as David that he was canning his best accountant for no reason, but Bette usually got what she wanted. Hell, she’d almost convinced him to marry her because his parents wanted grandkids and he was tired of finding bridal magazines in his bathroom.
Now, thanks to the fandom community and his sister’s charisma, he was free to do as he pleased. Eat cheese from a can. Binge every single episode of Firefly in one sitting. Wear jeans instead of suits. Sleep in on Mondays.
Kiss anyone he liked.
“It doesn’t matter, Essie. A few charred bobble heads were worth finally being my own man. I didn’t know how deep I’d gotten until I took a step back.” Until I realized I didn’t want to be married to the boss’s daughter as much as I wanted to sleep with my best friend.
Essie was clearly relieved. “Thank goodness, because I started having panic attacks as soon as she hit month four. You’ve never had a girlfriend last that long before and she didn’t like anyone she didn’t bring into your relationship. Especially Rory.”
That last bit didn’t surprise him. David’s previous girlfriends had never been fond of his best friend. Rory Finn had always been on the list of reasons they had for seeing other people.
He’s always around.
You’re late. Were you with Rory and Rig again?
There are too many people in this relationship, David Mills. And I’m not one of them.
David couldn’t really blame them. No woman, no matter how lovely or sexually stimulating, ever took precedence over the friendship he had with Rory and Rig. They were the ones he changed his schedule for, broke dates for, waited around for…
That should have been his first clue.
Still, he felt like an ass for staying with someone like Bette for so long. He just…hadn’t been paying attention. “I’m really sorry, Essie. I never realized she was such a—”
“Bitch?” His sister waved it off. “I’m a busty pinup of a lesbian with tattoos and a Harry Potter obsession. I’m used to it. She, on the other hand, got her breasts as a graduation present, and she’d rather be thrown into a pit of angry alligators than visit Comic Con. Our kind don’t usually mingle.”
He hadn’t been Bette’s kind either, but neither one of them had realized it until it was too late.
He wasn’t going back to that again. That pale imitation. He was done playing the part of what he thought a successful adult male was supposed to be. No more pretending.
Their parents were still getting used to the new him. They’d always expected Essie to forge her own unique way in the world, but they never imagined their dutiful, responsible son would be her partner in crime. Or that he would like men.
Luckily for him, they didn’t know how not to be supportive. Essie had come out when she was thirteen and instead of crying or trying to dissuade her, they’d all taken a trip to the library for books on the subject, then gone out for ice cream. For David? They’d just listened and hugged him—after telling them they’d always thought he could do better than Bette. They wanted whatever he wanted. Whatever would make him happy.
And that had always been his problem. Until now he’d never wanted anything enough to step out of his comfort zone and make it happen. Acknowledging that made him sound like a shallow son of a bitch, but there it was.