Still, he went for a lay-up.
The ball hit the rim and soared toward the prickly, snow-covered bushes.
On Dad’s way over to retrieve it, Gavin stopped him with a hand on his chest. “Please just say whatever you’re going to say. I’m not in the mood to play hoops.”
Considering how much harder leaving Julie behind after this trip was going to be, he wasn’t in the mood for much of anything. This evening would be difficult enough, and while their families were busy congratulating themselves over he and Julie giving in to their physical urges—which was a bit odd, and not something he imagined was common in other families—in the end, all it’d mean was more pain.
More future loneliness, more confusion as they reestablished the confines of their friendship. More suckiness all around. Their only chance was shutting it down before it got incrementally worse. While it wouldn’t be easy, Gavin was determined, for the sake of his and Julie’s friendship.
Dad’s gaze drifted to the house. “I was going to tell Niki about this as well, but I suppose she and I have a few days left for that.” He ran his hand over his shorn hair and then looked Gavin directly in the eye. “They wanted me to play pro ball. I had multiple offers.”
If Gavin were Wyle E. Coyote, his jaw would’ve hit the cement driveway. As it was, it got fairly close. “You always pushed me and told me that I had what you didn’t. As if that’s what was needed to go pro.”
Dad shrugged a shoulder. “It’s true. You were always more dedicated than I was. And maybe a small part of me wanted to live out one of my former dreams via you. Which isn’t fair, and not something I did intentionally.”
Gavin held up a hand. “It’s fine, Dad.”
“I appreciate that. But I’m not done. Despite some great offers from NBA teams, the strain of all the practices and the traveling, and everything else involved in playing at that level, was tearing your mom and me apart. Not to mention the extra scrutiny. It was rougher than it is now for couples like your mom and me.”
That, Gavin knew. Because they’d told him about the looks, about making light with the matching outfits.
“Nowadays, your generation has different issues to deal with. I’m not saying it makes everything easy, but you’ve got dozens of different ways to keep in touch. I don’t have a single regret about the choices I’ve made. The best thing I’ve ever done in my life is marry your mom and have a family.”
There was that nudge for kids again, the fast-forward sensation leaving him dizzy. “I’m glad you feel that way, but that’s another thing that’s different with our generation. There’s not a big rush to get married.”
“Yeah, and it’s a damn shame, because being married to your best friend is amazing.”
Gavin gritted his teeth as frustration surged. In so many ways, it was a beautiful thing to say. His parents’ relationship had always been inspiring. If only there wasn’t a whole lot of implication about him and Julie in the words. “You chose that option, and as I said, I’m really happy that you don’t regret it. But it doesn’t mean it’s what I’m going to choose. I’ve worked my ass off and finally have a chance to play a game I love with a team I love. How could you ask me to give that up?”
“I’m not asking you to. I’m advising you to think through your choices and options, as well as letting you know that having the right person by your side makes all the difference, no matter which path you take. You might not have to fight as hard as your mom and I did for our relationship, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t fight for Julie at all. Or else one day, I’m afraid you’ll wake up and discover you’ve lost her.”
…
Julie stepped between Mom and the stove, and the heat from whatever was bubbling away in the pot permeated her backside.
“I’ve done all the prep work, and the table is set. Now, it’s time for some answers.” She glanced from Mom to Darlene. “Explain this whole reverse parent trap scheme to me.”
The two of them looked guiltily at each other, and Julie crossed her arms and glared. Scary wasn’t really in her mood wheelhouse, but they’d already brushed her question off once, and if they thought she was backing down, they had another think coming.
“There’s this movie—”
“Niki caught me up on that part,” Julie said, accidentally throwing her under Santa’s matchmaking sleigh. “I get the gist. Fast forward to the plotting and execution.”
Mom took her hand and tugged her away from the stove. She was about to stomp her foot and demand answers when Mom pulled out three stools. Julie sat, and Darlene joined Mom, the both of them facing her as if they were about to break devastating news, like It’s time you know that Mommy and Daddy are getting a divorce.
Panic bound her lungs, each breath tightening them more, despite coming up with the fictional metaphor. When it came to her parents, grandparents, and her second set of each of those, their relationships were the standard she held all hers to. Yeah, there were the occasional arguments, and they worked at their marriages, but they so clearly loved one another that their bonds felt unbreakable.
Darlene wrung her hands together. “It mostly involved forcing you and Gavin together as often as possible. Which I know we’ve done a bit of before…”
Julie shot them a look that made it clear “a bit” was an extreme understatement.
“We simply amped it up this time,” Mom finished.
“Simply? You’ve been plotting and scheming for years, no regard to how often we asked you not to, or the big speeches we made.”
“To be fair, sugar,” Granny Frost said, “it was hard to take you two seriously, what with the cape and lederhosen.”
“Those are the outfits you all forced on us!” Julie pinched the bridge of her nose. Holy hell, it was like talking to juvenile delinquents. Ones who were listening to their cranked emo music the entire time, rolling their eyes and ignoring every single word you said.
At the thought of Granny and the moms blasting My Chemical Romance through their EarPods, their eyes heavily lined in black, she almost snickered. This time, though, there’d be no getting sidetracked or letting them off the hook.
“Let’s hear this”—Julie made air quotes—“simple plan.” A lightbulb clicked on in her brain. “You ensured I stayed here with the Frosts.”
Again, Darlene and Mom exchanged a look. Out of the corner of her eye, Julie saw Grams attempt to tiptoe out of the room.
“Grams! You stay right there.”
Her grandmother turned around, a coconspirator in headlights. She reluctantly retook her seat at the counter. “Fine. I admit it. I helped. We all had a big meeting at the first of the month so that we could be more organized and work as a group this time.”