Fair Catch by Ruddick Jessica

Author:Ruddick, Jessica
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Peake Ink Press
Published: 2020-03-26T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 15

Rachel

ELI GRIMACED AS I regaled him with a recap of Cara’s baby shower. He pulled a cheese fry from our appetizer plate, and the cheese stretched nearly a foot before it let go. “Honestly, why did she need a third baby shower? Doesn’t she already have everything a baby could possibly need by now?”

“Hell if I know.” I knew a lot about kids but not so much about babies. I’d started babysitting when I was twelve, but the youngest child I’d ever cared for was a toddler. “Mom sends her love, by the way.”

“And Dad?”

I shrugged. “You know him. Most of the weekend revolved around the baby shower, so he wasn’t around much.”

Eli took an exceptionally long time wiping the grease off his fingers with a napkin. Knowing him as well as I did, I patiently waited until he was ready to tell me what was occupying his thoughts. “I think I want to tell them.”

It only took a second for me to realize what he was referring to. “Are you sure?”

He met my gaze steadily. “I’m tired of hiding. And I met someone.”

My eyebrows shot up. “Really? When?” Unless he’d met the guy in the last two weeks, then I was hurt he’d kept it from me. We told each other everything, or so I thought.

“Don’t look at me like that. I haven’t been seeing him long.”

I pushed my hurt feelings aside. “Is it serious?”

He shrugged. “Like I said, I haven’t been seeing him long. But he’s from around here, and we ran into his parents when we were out. We were holding hands, and I immediately yanked my hand away. He merely gave me a strange look and introduced me to them.”

I murmured my understanding.

“They’re going to find out eventually anyway, and I’d rather have it be on my terms.” Exhaustion lined his features. “I’m tired of hiding who I am.”

I arranged my silverware neatly on my napkin while I tried to find my next words. “I want what’s best for you.”

“And that might not be coming out.”

Shaking my head, I reached across the table and squeezed his hand. “That’s not what I said.”

“You think I don’t know how Mom and Dad might react? Especially Dad?”

I wanted to tell him that he was mistaken, that Mom and Dad would accept him. But I couldn’t say it because I didn’t know if it were true. In fact, there was a strong chance that this revelation would forever fracture his relationship with them.

I didn’t want that for my sweet, loving, kind brother. He didn’t deserve it—he deserved for his family to love him unconditionally. He shouldn’t be made to feel like he was unworthy of their love simply because the people he dated didn’t have boobs.

“I know,” I said quietly. “Maybe we’ll be pleasantly surprised.” It was the best I could offer him.

He snorted. “I’ve never been, and I never will be, the son Dad wants. Even if I were straight, I still wouldn’t be. Art is too soft, not strong enough.

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