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“So what if I am.” He closed the laptop once more. “What if I want to wallow?”
She gave him a disapproving look. “You’re better than that.”
“Am I, though?”
“I believe you are.”
“I don’t know where this sudden faith in me comes from, but it’s more than I have in myself right now.”
She sat down in the chair across from him. “Why?”
“I don’t know. As much as I love being with my family, I always leave feeling inferior.”
“Because of your dad?”
“Him, but also my siblings.” He let out a breath. “They’re both perfect at everything they do.”
“I’m sure that’s not true. Nobody’s perfect.”
“And then there’s me. The biggest screwup there ever was.”
This caused Merritt to laugh loudly.
He gave her a blank stare. “I’m glad I’m amusing you.”
“Gus, you are not the biggest screwup ever. You’ve made the same kinds of mistakes many men in your situation have. But you’re taking positive steps to better yourself, and that makes you smarter than the rest of them.”
He seemed to relax, his mood shifting, his gaze softening when he looked at her. “I was wrong about you, Mer.”
She was beginning to like his nickname for her. “How so?”
“You are a very kind person.”
She smiled. “Well, thanks.”
“I didn’t know I’d get a free life coach when I married you.”
Her head tilted and her lips scrunched to the side in disapproval.
“I meant that as a compliment. I might even call you … a friend.” He feigned shock.
A smile spread across her face. She felt the same way. It meant a lot that he had stood up for her with her father. And despite their rocky beginnings, she didn’t hate being around him as much as she thought she would when she’d agreed to this insanity.
He eyed her. “So, that’s it?”
“What?”
“I just said all those sweet things and called you my friend, and you’re gonna leave me hanging?”
“A real friend doesn’t give out compliments and expect the same in return.”
“That’s not why I said it … but compliments are always nice to hear.”
“Hey, I think I’ve already said some pretty nice things about you today.”
“You have, but not the one I want to hear.”
“Which is?”