When We're Thirty Casey Dembowski (the chimp paradox .TXT) 📖

He knew Hannah felt the same way. Her affirmation that she would ask her parents about the party had held obvious wariness. She hadn’t even planned on telling them until Thanksgiving. A houseful of guests would have her parents on, if not their best, at least good behavior, she’d said. Will had asked for clarification, but she’d shaken her head and moved onto the next topic. He’d thought their biggest hurdle would be Jonathan. He hadn’t considered that Hannah’s parents might be anything other than supportive. They seemed like sitcom parents from all the stories Hannah told him over the years—loving, open, and progressive. But Hannah’s whole body shrank any time the topic came up, and each time her sister called, Will watched her visibly exhale whenever it wasn’t Stephanie saying she’d spoiled their secret. Now, the fierce woman, who had moments ago stared down the man who had tried to push her out, retreated into shadow.

“This all sounds great, Dad.” He took Hannah’s hand securely in his own. Her palm was sweaty against his. “We were planning on visiting Hannah’s parents this weekend. We haven’t had a chance to share the news with them yet with Hannah’s work schedule, so can you hold the announcement?”

He hadn’t wanted to give his father that information, but there was no other way out of the situation. Jonathan had laid down his conditions for his acceptance—or possibly the first phase of his war plan—and they couldn’t be circumvented. But Will would fight to get them on his own terms.

“Certainly. Let me know when it’s taken care of.” Jonathan’s eyes alighted in the knowledge he’d received. Already, Will saw the wheels turning on how he could use this to his advantage.

Will hated that he knew that about his father. He despised the chess game his life had become and that he was still only average at it despite years of experience. Jonathan had checked them into a corner.

Chapter 26Hannah

Hannah poured another round of wine—rosé, in memory of summer. Kate and Madison had come over for an evening cocktail since Will had a business dinner on her first Friday off in two weeks. They sat on the balcony, the sights and sounds of the city washing over them. Madison clinked her glass against Hannah’s and Kate’s.

“What are we toasting?” Kate asked, though she didn’t wait to take a sip.

Madison waved her glass toward the view. “Global warming, for giving us this fabulously warm day in November?”

“But the polar bears,” Hannah said with a giggle. There’d been too much wine and not enough food or sleep.

“We’ll make a donation,” Madison said. “In lieu of wedding favors, we’ll donate to the polar bears. I’m texting Jon right now.”

Hannah snatched the phone from her hand. “They are at an important dinner.”

Madison rolled her eyes. “Please. This is just another way for Jonathan to force the boys to spend time with him. He calls up some golf buddy and acts like he wants to invest, blah, blah, blah. He hasn’t invited Will to one in ages.”

Hannah tried to keep her expression neutral, but inside, fireworks were going off. The pact was working.

“Drama, drama, drama.” Kate took another sip of her wine. “I don’t know how you two deal with it.”

“Wine, a poker face, and The Real Housewives,” Madison said.

“The Real Housewives?” Hannah and Kate asked at the same time, causing another round of giggles.

“Trust me, it will make you feel so much better about yourself and your life choices.”

“Hannah prefers streaming Jersey Shore for that.”

If she’d had something to throw at Kate, she would’ve. Hannah settled for giving her the finger. Kate stuck her tongue out.

“They’re from New York,” Hannah said. “Do you think we Jerseyans like the New Yorker descent every summer?”

“We talked about this.” Madison pointed her finger precariously close to Hannah’s nose. “You are a New Yorker—say it!”

“What?”

“Scream it from this balcony.”

Hannah looked to Kate for support, but her best friend motioned toward the railing. “You heard her.”

There was no way out of this. Both Madison and Kate stared at her expectantly. The longer she waited, the more likely one of them would make her yell something worse. Soon, they would be playing the Penis Game or yelling “tampon” at the top of their lungs. That wouldn’t endear her to the neighbors—not in this neighborhood. She put her wine glass down and stood up, setting her shoulders.

Hannah gripped the railing and shouted, “I AM A NEW YORKER!”

Hoots and hollers sounded behind her. Triumphant, she whirled around and found herself staring into the tired and confused eyes of her husband.

“Hi,” she said. God, he looked hot in that suit. A part of her wanted to skip across the small space and wrap her arms around him, pulling him down into a much-too-public display of affection. The rest of her—the part not muddled by wine and warmth—knew that tonight was not the time for that, not when he had that completely drained look in his eyes. “Everything okay?”

He scanned the small party on the deck, his eyes hovering on the empty bottles of wine, on Kate and Madison, and finally making his way back to her. The night had been planned. He knew girls’ night was happening since both he and Jon would be MIA all night, and yet he still looked surprised—concerned?—at Madison’s presence.

“What are you doing?” he asked, his tone not angry but not sounding happy either.

“I...” She blushed. “Madison—”

“She was owning her New Yorker status,” Madison said. “And it’s about time.”

“I didn’t realize shouting from the rooftops was a way to own your New Yorker status.” Okay, that definitely held more than a hint of anger.

Madison shrugged. “It was the best I could come up with on short notice.”

After a too-long moment, Will’s eyes left Madison and landed on Hannah. They softened as he took her in—messy bun, Wilderness Weekend tee, skinny jeans—and then finally, he smiled. “And are you a New Yorker now?”

Had she owned her status and shed her