The Acceptance
Page 3

“I would guess your favorite color would be blue.”
“Like my eyes.”
On a laugh she said, “Yes, just like that.”
“Why blue?”
“Because you’re easy and cool.”
“Cool?” That had actually made his voice rise. “Oh, I don’t know about that.”
“You are. You’re cool with people. Not as like your cold to them, you’re cool around them. They don’t ruffle your feathers too much.”
“Around strangers I suppose.”
“But around family?”
She felt the seat next to her bounce a bit. That had hit a nerve.
It took a moment, but she heard him take the breath to tell her about his family.
“I have a wonderful family. But I’ve been on a bit of a self-exploration of sorts for the past few years.”
Courtney nodded. “You needed to find yourself?”
“Yes,” he said with an excited pitch to his voice as if she understood exactly what he meant. And didn’t she? Hadn’t she been doing much of the same herself?
“What made you decide you needed to find yourself? Was your college major not what you thought it would be?”
He laughed. “No. I found out I had a relative I didn’t know about.”
Courtney tucked her hair behind her ear casually. “That could be very broad. You have a cousin you’d never met?”
“A sister.”
“Now that is a bit more intriguing.”
“I suppose. She’s wonderful actually. The last time I was back in Nashville was for her wedding.”
“So you’re friendly with her?”
“Yes.”
“And you’re close to your parents too, so this is why she is a problem.”
There was a chuckle from him. “You’re good at this.”
“I’ve had a lot of practice.”
Tyler shifted in his seat and she could feel hers move as he adjusted. “My mother never told me. I didn’t know I had a sister. I didn’t know she’d been involved before my dad. Nothing.”
“Your feelings are hurt.”
“Were. I’m going with were.”
She was still going with are because he wasn’t over it yet. But she’d give him points for heading back home to try and make amends with it.
“She found your mother then?”
“Yeah. She’d hired some guy to find out about her. She’d been told her whole life that her birth mother died.”
“That would be horrible.”
“Her birth father was crazy.” The word played on his voice as though he were frightened of him too.
“So her mother, your mother, gave her away to keep her from him?”
“Exactly. He’d tried to kill them both. She thought it was better if she lived somewhere else—with someone else. As someone else.”
His voice had grown distant as though he was hearing this story for the first time and it meant something to him. She’d continue to talk then if he was having an ah-ha moment.
“Why would he try to kill them? I don’t understand why people just don’t walk away. It happens often enough.”
“He was some rich—I don’t know what he was,” he said as if he realized there was part of the story missing. “I just know he invested in things. He’d invested in a build my father was building and that was how he found out my mother didn’t die.”
“I can’t even imagine.”
“Neither can I.”
She felt Tyler turn and she knew someone was there.
“Courtney, can I get you a drink?” Celia asked.
“A Bloody Mary would be wonderful,” Courtney answered.
“And for you, sir?” she asked Tyler.
“I think that sounds good. I’ll have one too.” Tyler turned back to her. “I think I’ve only had one Bloody Mary in my life. It was at a bar on Broadway where my cousin was playing.”
“In Nashville?”
“Yeah.” He relaxed back again. “I can’t remember where.”
“Your cousin is a musician?”
He laughed. “Yeah she is. She and her husband actually.” He turned and she could feel his arm brush hers. “Have you ever heard of the Wrights?”
“The singing duo?”
“Yep.”
“Clara and Warner Wright?” She turned so their faces were close.
“That’s them.”
“You’re kidding me? Clara Wright is your cousin?”
He moved and she heard him lower her tray table and then his. “Clara’s dad is my mom’s brother.”
“What a small world.”
“Her brother is married to my sister.”
Courtney dropped her shoulders. “The sister you just found out about is married to your cousin?”
Tyler laughed. “My mom, my aunt, and my uncle are all adopted. So my cousin and sister share no blood relation. And they fell in love before anyone knew who she was.”
“That’s a very romantic story.”
She heard the rustle of drinks being set on the tray and Tyler adjusted them. “I suppose it is romantic. I’ve never been one for romance. I guess I never gave it enough time.”
“How do you give romance time? It just happens, right?”
He laughed again. “You’re asking the wrong guy about that.”
Courtney turned so she faced him fully. “Are you telling me you’ve never had a girlfriend? Or a boyfriend?” She didn’t think the latter was his way, but she’d feel it out.
He’d picked up his drink and she was very certain he’d choked on the sip he’d taken when she asked.
“Boyfriend?”
“Just being P.C.”
He cleared his throat. “I’ve dated a few girls over the years. But nothing ever clicked.”
She felt a click between them. It was probably the altitude so she was certainly going to keep it in check.
Courtney reached for the Vodka bottle.
“It’s on your right. Straw is between the cup and the can of mix.”
She clenched her teeth, not because he was telling her where she’d find things, but because she wanted to keep her mouth from falling open. He’d actually not jumped over himself to do it for her. He’d given her direction and she wondered if he believed in love at first sight because she was beginning to.