My mom clears her throat. "Maybe we should get the check. Unless anyone would like dessert?"
"No, thanks," Riley mutters, chewing on her lip.
Brad looks at his dad. "What else? I know there's more. Just tell me."
"Go ahead, John," my aunt says in an angry tone. "Tell him."
Uncle John leans back in his chair, his eyes meeting up with Brad's. "I had to use some money to pay off our debts."
"You mean YOUR debts," Brad says, his jaw tightening.
Uncle John sighs. "Brad, we all know who's at fault here. We can't change the past. What's done is done."
"Yeah. Got it." Brad rolls his eyes. "Continue."
"Selling the house will help pay off some of it, but not all. We also had to sell the boat, some of your mother's jewelry, and the cars."
"You don't have cars anymore?"
"We traded them in for something cheaper. We'll be taking your SUV back as well and seeing what we can get for it."
"When is that happening? When I go to school?"
"That's the other issue. You'll need to delay med school for a year or two."
"Wait—what?" Brad lurches forward, bumping the table and causing his water to splash out of the glass. "Are you kidding me?"
"I'm afraid not," Uncle John says. "I had to use your college account to pay off what I owed."
"I can't fucking believe this." Brad rubs his hand over his jaw. "This can't be happening."
"Honey, it'll all work out," his mom says. "It won't be on your timeline, but you will be going to medical school."
"With what money?" he shoots back.
"Your father will be going back to work. And we might cash out some of our retirement."
"So that Dad can gamble it all away?" Brad gets up. "I'm going outside. I need some air."
"Brad, wait!" Riley follows him and they make their way to the door.
"I suppose we should go," Aunt Sheryl says, getting up from her chair.
"I'm so sorry about this." My mom takes her wallet out. "I didn't know it had come to this. Obviously I knew about the divorce but—"
"You knew about the divorce?" I ask her.
"Nate, not now." She drops some money on the table for the check.
Uncle John is already heading outside. My mom goes around the table to whisper something to my aunt.
I knew this dinner would be awkward, but I thought it'd be because of the news of Riley dating Brad, not his parents' news. I figured they were here to tell him something, but I didn't know what.
Brad isn't going to med school. His parents are splitting up. He's losing his car. He'll have to find a job.
If he hadn't taken Riley from me, I might feel bad for him. But I don't, not even a little. His life may be going to hell, but he still has the girl I love.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Riley
"Brad, wait!" I race to catch up with him as he sprints through the parking lot.
"I knew they were here to give me bad news," he says, still walking so fast I can barely keep up. "I expected the divorce, but I didn't think they'd tell me they're broke. They took my fucking college fund. I can't go to med school. What the hell am I going to do?"
"Could you get a loan?"
"Not this late. School starts in a month."
"Then try to get a loan for later. Could you start halfway through the year?"
"I don't know. Maybe." He stops next to his SUV, leaning against it and shaking his head. "None of this would've happened if he'd just stopped gambling. How the hell did he lose that much money?"
"He can earn it back. Lawyers make a lot, right?"
"He was making a million a year, but he didn't save much. He was always buying expensive cars, suits, wine, jewelry for my mom. And then the country club memberships, which cost a ton. I bet he's still paying for those. My parents don't want their friends thinking they can't afford the membership anymore."
"They'd pay for that over your education?"
He huffs. "Hell yeah. They'll do whatever they have to to hide this from people."
"That's crazy! Who cares what people think?"
"They do. Couldn't you tell by the way they were shooting questions at you?"
I look down. "They don't think I'm good enough for you."
"It doesn't matter what they think. No one will ever be good enough."
"Brad!" his dad yells, waving at us from across the parking lot. "Pull the car up. We're leaving."
We get in the SUV and Brad pulls up to the entrance. Everyone gets in and nobody says a word the entire drive back.
We arrive at the house and as I'm getting out of the SUV, Nate comes up to me. "You should go. This is a family matter."
"You used to say I was family."
"Yeah, well, you're not anymore."
Brad comes up beside me, putting his arm around me. "She can stay if she wants."
"It's my house, and I didn't invite her. I'd kick you out too if I could."
"It's your mom's house, not yours. C'mon, Riley."
Brad and I go around Nate into the house.
"Would anyone like some coffee?" Kathy asks.
"Not now," Brad's mom says, sitting on one of the chairs by the couch. Her husband sits in the one next to it. "We need to speak with Brad."
"Maybe I should go," I tell Brad.
"No." He grips my hand. "I want you here."
"The girl should leave," Brad's dad says. "This is a family matter."
"The girl has a name." Brad walks us over to them. "Riley is my girlfriend, and she's staying."
Brad and I sit down on the couch. Kathy comes over and sits beside us while Nate stands off to the side.
"So what is?" Brad asks. "What other bad news could you possibly have? Did Paul knock up his girlfriend? That'd be just what we need. A baby to join this fucked-up family."
"Brad, stop it!" his mother scolds.
"Does he know?" Brad says. "Did you tell him?"
"Yes, we already spoke with your brother."
"Brad, we need you to come home," his dad says. "Your mother needs help getting the house ready to sell and I can't afford to hire anyone to do it."
"And you can't do it?" Brad asks, sounding annoyed.
"I'll be—" He glances at his wife. "I'm going away for a while."
"Where are you going?" Brad asks.
"He's going to a special program to help him deal with his addiction," Brad's mom says.
"You're going to rehab?" Brad says to his dad. "And how much does that cost?"
"It doesn't matter," his mom says. "Your father needs help. We don't have a choice."
"Where are you going to live?" he asks his mom. "If the house sells."
"I've picked out a condo in Scottsdale. You know the one. It's close to the pool you used to work at."