“I’m not stuck in a rut.”
“You are, but that’s okay because you love your rut.It’s what you know.You’re comfortable there.It’s easy and predictable, which is funny, since you’re more of an adrenalin junkie than any of us.”
“Except Alex of course,” I say, shooting him a smirk.
“I’m not sureanyof us are as wild as she is.”He chuckles.“But that doesn’t make what I’m saying any less true.”
“I like my life—”
“—exactly like it is.Yeah, I know.Weallknow.What I can’t work out is why you’ve resigned yourself to it.”
“What do you mean?”
Gio turns in his seat to face me.“Okay, then.Answer me this, big brother.When was the last time you went out on a date?”
Damn.He’s got me there.
“And when I say a date, I mean actually out of the house.Not to a club where you pick a willing bed buddy up and take them home for a once-and-done.I mean an actualdate.”
I open my mouth but words fails me, because I can’t actually remember—date or otherwise.
“It’s been a while on both fronts actually,” I murmur.
“Ahh.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake.Stop with the ‘ahhs’ already.Spit it out, G.”
“Alrighty then,” he says in a really bad Jim Carrey impersonation.“And just remember, you asked for it.”
I glance at my GPS, grateful that we’re only a few minutes away from the suit shop where Marco and all of the males in the wedding party are meeting.“Do your worst, brother dearest.”
“I think you don’t want to grow up.”I go to argue but he doesn’t give me the chance.“I thinkyouthink you’re happy with being the fun uncle, the single brother, the one who’ll always swap shifts for others or be up for a night out—you’rethatguy.Not going to be tied down, no responsibilities, no drama.You like things how they are, and you don’t ever want them to change.”
“Yep.And what—pray tell—is wrong with that?”I pull into an underground parking garage and come to a stop.
“Luc, go for the damn promotion, for God’s sake.”
‘Don’t let Mama hear you take the Lord’s name in vain,” I say with a smirk.“But I’m thinking about it.Okay?”
“Nope.You don’t have to think about it.You’ve gotta just say yes anddoit.”
“I’ve worked at 101 my whole career,” I reply.
‘Yep.And you might keep working there.You might not.You might cover Marco when he and Renee go away on their honeymoon, or when they have kids and he takes some long-service leave.There are a lot of scenarios here where you won’t ordon’thave to move stations.But if you do, the only thing that changes is the firehouse and the crew you’re working with.You’re not automatically forgotten just because you’re not there anymore.Is that the only thing holding you back?”
“I like my life, my friends, my family,London ...I like everything the way it is.Why rock the boat when the water is calm?”
He arches a brow as if he can read my mind andknowsthere’s more.
“And I guess I don’t want to let anyone down.That’s dumb though.”
“You’re right—it’s dumb that you think you could ever do that.Although there was that one time when you were twelve and I was nine, and you told me it would be cool to use up all of Val’s makeup because she didn’t want it anymore, andIwas the one who had to do everyone’s chores for a month to pay it back.Nowthatwas dumb.”
“You never snitched though, G.Not once.Not under Val or Mom or even Dad’s interrogation.”
Gio reaches out and wraps his hand around my head, giving it a gentle jerk and flexing his fingers against my scalp.“Because I’ve got your back.Marco has your back.We’re all just waiting for you to believe in yourself enough to try.”
“I’m happy with how things are, G.I’mhappy.Shouldn’t that be enough?”