“No, I am not dating anyone, and I won’t be until my divorce is final. I do not believe it’s right to do otherwise. Which is a shame, because Lola is dragging things out and demanding many, many things I have no intention of giving her, considering she slept with one of my former teammates. If she wants fifteen million dollars and a vacation home in Belize, she should askhimfor it, not me.”
“Makes sense to me.”
Diego spreads his hands wide. “Of course it does. But we’re not here to talk about me and my troubles. We are here to talk about you and my boy Bobby. How was your weekend with him?” He rubs his hands together. “Are you ready to tie the knot yet? I need to be a best man, Melissa. It’s my turn. I have been in two weddings in three months, and I was runner-up in both. But since Bobby has no brothers, I will be in like Flynn.”
“You ever wonder who Flynn is?”
“All the time. I figure he must be some strange little Irish man. But you are changing the subject. Answer my questions,por favor.”
“The weekend was great.” I sigh and nestle my head into the leather headrest that seems to be formed perfectly for me. I hope Diego doesn’t want to chat the entire ride, because I could easily fall asleep in this seat, and let me tell you, I need the sleep. “I couldn’t have imagined it any better than the reality.”
“That is what I love to hear.”
When Diego is silent for a few seconds, I turn my head toward him, because I can’t imagine he’s done talking about Bobby and me. He looks like he’s debating whether or not to say what he’s thinking.
“Spit it out,” I order him. “You know you’re going to say it, so don’t keep me waiting. As much as I enjoy talking to you, I also enjoy sleeping, and I intend to do some of that on this flight.”
“Ooo, didn’t get much sleep last night?” He waggles his eyebrows.
I poke his leg. “Stop it. Now you’re the one changing the subject.”
“Would you really move to L.A. for Bobby? If you fall in love, I mean.”
I nod. “I would. I don’t want to leave my parents and my friends in Chicago, but I’m a fully healthy adult who can fairly easily adapt to living somewhere else if it means I can be with the man I love. Bobby doesn’t have that luxury.”
Diego purses his lips. “What if he did?”
My eyebrows draw together. “What do you mean?”
“Bobby has spent the last thirteen years of his life sacrificing for Kelli and Nanette, and rightfully so. He also doesn’t regret a minute or penny of it. But what he forgets is those two love him as much as he loves them. I think they would happily make sacrifices for him to help him get the happiness he deserves, if he’d only give them the chance.”
My eyes widen. “You’re saying you think they’d be willing to move to Chicago with him?”
“I do.”
“Have you mentioned this to him?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Bobby is a proud man. He sees himself as their protector—their provider. Disrupting their lives is not something he would easily consider. This isn’t a conversation to have lightly with him. And I’m not a good person to initiate it.”
I press my hand against my chest. “Well, I don’t think I’m a good choice for that conversation, either.”
“No, no,” he pats my knee. “I’m not saying that. I think the idea needs to come from Kelli. He’ll initially shut her down, but she’s a lot like him. If she doesn’t get what she wants, she will keep going after it. And usually, if he knows something will make her happy and won’t hurt her or turn her into a spoiled brat, he’ll end up giving it to her.”
“But how do we …” I shake my head. “You know what? I don’t need to have a part in this. I don’t want Bobby to ever feel like I’ve manipulated anything to get him to move. In fact, I’m not sure that them moving to Chicago is the best idea anyway. Kelli has her friends and school and her soccer team. Nanette has her … well, I’m not sure what she has, but her medical team is there, and I’m assuming she has friends and maybe family. I don’t really know. But none of what they decide to do is up to me. I need to stay out of it. I appreciate your thoughts on it, but I’m not going to ask you to do or say anything one way or another. However, I do want to know why you think he won’t want to hear it from you. He loves you like a brother. You know that.”
“I do know that. And that’s part of why he won’t listen. Him moving to Chicago will benefit me greatly, because I love him and want to see him more often. I have a … what’s the word … some kind of interest?”
“A vested interest.”
Diego snaps his fingers. “Yes, I have a vested interest in him moving to Chicago. He’ll think I’m trying to get him to move just to be near me, which I know won’t work, because I’ve always tried to get him to live where I live. Yet he still lives in California, much to my dismay.”
I settle my head back against my seat. “Well, you do what you gotta do, but leave me out of it from here on out. I don’t even want to know if you talk to Kelli or she talks to him about it. I only want to hear about it from Bobby himself.”
“Aye-aye,senorita.”