“I don’t believe this,” Nova said on the other end of the line later that night. “It’s perfectly obvious how you feel about her. Not to mention that it’s reciprocated—”
“Nove…don’t,” Russ said on a heavy sigh. “Please. It’s like…we’re on different planes. Not that I wouldn’t mind being on the same one with her, but I have no clue how to get there.”
A long pause stretched between them. “You didn’t even tell her, did you?”
“What would have been the point?”
“Oh, I don’t know…maybe so you could freaking move on, already?”
“And maybe some of us are better at that than others, okay?” At her silence, he sighed again. “Sorry, that was low.”
“Damn straight. Not to mention stupid.”
“Yeah, well, that’s fitting, seeing as I’m all about stupid these days.”
“No,” she said, more gently. “What this is all about is you not liking messy. And falling for someone that fast is about as messy as it gets. But even you know the best things in life are messy. Cotton candy. Lobster.” She chuckled. “Sex.”
“Don’t think this is appropriate brother-sister conversation.”
“Dude. If I were a guy I’d go for Meg in a heartbeat. Just sayin’.” When he didn’t respond, she said, “I think you’re making a huge mistake, Russ. Seriously.”
But he hadn’t, Russ thought after his sister hung up. What he’d done was save both him and Meg from even more heartache down the road.
Really, it was better this way.
***
Crying over a guy she’d met three days before was beyond dumb. But once Meg got Abbie to bed, the damn tears just wouldn’t stop. She knew she’d get over it—get over him—but right now, it hurt. Of course, she had no one to blame but herself, letting herself get carried away like that. Seeing rainbows where there weren’t any.
“When are you ever going to learn?” she muttered, swiping Abbie’s toys off the floor, a fresh barrage of tears spilling over her eyelids when she got to Bit, the rabbit Russ had given her. Sniffling, Meg sank onto the edge of the sofa bed, hugging the plushy critter to her chest, imagining the thing smelled like Russ.
What a weirdo, she thought, holding the floppy thing out to look at it. Buying her kid a toy and then pulling the vanishing act.
Frowning, she swiped her hand across her eyes to focus on one of Bit’s paws. Holy moly. You could hardly tell, unless you looked closely, but…
She carried the toy over to the end table lamp to get a better look. Yep. That was definitely a worn spot.
Great. Not only was the man a world-class heartbreaker, but he gave her kid used toys?
Furious, Meg stomped to the kitchen, fully intending to dump it in the trash. And yet, when she lifted the garbage can cover, the poor little bunny looked at her with those soulful button eyes…
Ah, hell.
However, although Bit won a reprieve from the trash can, over the following week Meg remained more or less determined to exorcise Russ from her thoughts. And her family from her business. On neither account was she particularly successful. Although she might have succeeded, at least on the Russ front, had Nova not come in for her appointment the following Monday and wrangled Meg into having lunch afterward.
Okay, maybe not wrangled, exactly. More like, Russ’s sister said, “How about lunch?” and Meg said, “Sure,” and ten minutes later they were sitting in the fifties-homage Coach House Diner near the Institute, lusting after every platter of food that sailed past.
“I’m a little surprised you agreed to come to lunch with me,” Nova said, backing up to let the waitress set a chef’s salad the size of Milwaukee in front of her.
“Not nearly as much as I am that you asked me.”
Nova smiled. Then sighed, drizzling creamy Italian dressing over her greens. “I need to know how you feel about Russ.”
Meg’s eyes shot to the duplicates of Russ’s in front of her. It hurt. “Why?”
“Because I’d at least like to have the facts straight before I meddle.”
Over a short, soft laugh, Meg shook her head. “Let’s just say he’s the one who stopped this thing in its tracks. Not me.”
“He say why?”
“Not really. Other than some jibber-jabber about being afraid of becoming my cage.” Meg dunked her fry in a ketchup puddle. It broke in half. Rats. “Funny thing is, two weeks ago? I would’ve agreed with him. Was no more ready for something solid and real and permanent than I was to fly to the moon. Then I met your brother, and it was like…whoa.” She lifted her eyes to Nova. “Usually when you fall so hard and fast for somebody, it leaves you feeling unbalanced. Dizzy. With Russ, though…it was like…” She laughed softly. “Not realizing how unsteady the ground had been under my feet until it stopped shaking. But it was pretty clear only one of us was willing to take that great big next step. And it wasn’t Russ.”
Across from her, Nova smiled. “Except for all his protests, you’re exactly what Russ needs in his life. What he wants, no matter how hard he pushes you away—”
“I’m not so sure. Heck, I probably would send him over the edge. Constantly changing jobs, moving the furniture around every week—I bet he hasn’t changed anything in years, right?”
“That’s true, but—”
“So maybe it is better this way, ending it before we drive each other nuts.”
“Meg. Stop.” Smiling, Nova reached for Meg’s hand across the table. “I know you’re what he needs because he’s already had someone like you in his life. And he was happier during those few years than I’ve ever seen him.”
Meg stilled. “What are you talking about?”
Nova released a breath. “He’s gonna kill me for interfering, but… True, my brother hasn’t rearranged his furniture in two years. But his wife did, every few weeks. And believe me, he’s no stranger to baby toys being strewn all over creation.”
“I don’t—”
“Russ is a widower, Meg,” Nova said, tears shining in her eyes. “His wife and little boy died in a car crash two years ago.”
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