“Hello?”

“Hey. Do you have plans this Saturday?” Bryce asked him.

“Do I ever have plans other than work?” Well that made him feel like a piece of shit. He really needed a life. Actually, that wasn’t true; he had plans with Bryce every weekend.

“Jamie just stopped by. He reminded me we’re getting together at my parents’ house this weekend for Mitch’s birthday. You wanna come hang out with us? Christi will be there. I know she’d like to see you again.”

Umm, Nick wasn’t sure that was such a good idea.  He would feel too awkward. “I have no place at your family’s house for your brother’s birthday. I haven’t even met them. I appreciate the offer, but I have to pass.”

“Ah, come on. What else do you have going on?”

The comment hit Nick in the gut. No, he didn’t have friends other than Bryce, but that didn’t mean they had to hang out all the time. “You don’t have to take pity on me. I think I’ll survive on my own for a night. Hell, maybe I’ll even go out. I have the ability to meet other friends.” Even to his own ears he sounded like an ass, but he didn’t want to be a charity case. He didn’t need a babysitter.

“What the fuck are you talking about? I’m not taking pity on you. We hang out all the time. My family’s the more the merrier type. They’ll want to meet the friend I’ve been spending so much time with.”

It was then Nick realized he wanted this—really fucking wanted this—to be around a big group of people—friends and family. Yeah, he had that himself, but it was different. They all had something to say, whether it was about Nick, his life, or Jill. He couldn’t just relax around them and try to enjoy the present instead of focusing on the past.

“Come on, man. Plus, I might need backup. You forget I’m going to have to pretend to be in a relationship with Christi while I’m there.”

Nick shook his head. Why the hell was Bryce doing this? “Why don’t you just tell them?” He really didn’t understand the reasoning behind the whole lie. Especially since Bryce’s brothers and their wives knew.

There was a pause, and then, “It’s hard to explain. Listen, I need a yes or no, so I can let Jamie know. He’s taking care of the food.”

Nick sighed. “Let me. I can cater from the restaurant.” That would be the only way Nick could let himself go. He needed to contribute. He didn’t want to just be Bryce’s lonely friend, hanging out during their family time.

“I can’t ask you to do that. My clan can eat. That’s a lot of food.”

And Nick understood that need of Bryce’s. He would be the same way. “Then how about we do it at cost? That way you’re paying, but it’ll be a whole hell of a good deal for your family. Deal?” He hoped so. He wanted to do this for them. Wanted to cook for them.

Bryce paused a second before saying, “Let me talk to Jamie. That sounds like a good deal to me. I gotta go. See ya at home.” Bryce hung up and Nick held the phone in his hand. See ya at home. Obviously Bryce said it because they were neighbors, but it felt so natural that for just a second, he’d almost forgotten that was the reason.

***

As soon as Bryce hung up with Nick, he dialed his brother Jamie.

“You’re not canceling,” Jamie said instead of hello.

“What? No shit. Why would you think that?”

“Because this will be the first family gathering we’ve had since you and your girlfriend broke up, but considering you haven’t told our parents, you’re going to have to pretend you’re still together. I’m assuming the reality of that has hit you since we last got off the phone.”

“Fuck you.” Jamie knew him too well. That’s exactly what had happened, but as soon as he’d realized it, the first thing he’d done was call Nick and invite him. Talk about reacting in a way that made no sense. But maybe with a new face there, his mom would find more to talk about other than Bryce and Christi.

“Sensitive today, aren’t we? Why don’t you be a big boy and tell Mommy the truth?”

Because I don’t want to let her down...

He felt like he was always doing that—with the carpet business, the schooling, lack of relationships, and hell, even when he’d gotten sick, because he knew it had killed his mom to see him that way. “I’m not talking to you about Christi right now. I was talking with Nick and I invited him over—”

“You invited your neighbor we’ve never met to Mitch’s birthday?”