Free Caribbean Crossroads by Connie E Sokol

little soap opera had Train Wreck written all over it. “So, Dad wants you at the yard, Mom wants you at the altar. What do you want?”
    He shrugged. “Don’t know. Trying to figure it out.”
    She stiffened. Red warning signals flashed all over her head. Twenty-seven years old and still singing on a cruise ship. Peter Pan Syndrome. Can’t commit.
    “You seem a little old to be undecided.”
    He looked up, his face darkening again. “Am I on a schedule?”
    “No, but I’d think you’d want to be. Unless your income is supplemented.” She had tried to be funny, but it hung in the air like frozen icicles.
    Bryant narrowed his eyes, his voice suddenly strong and bullish. “I told you, I’m here to please my parents. My mom sends me here,” he glanced around “to find a wife, like it’s an option on the buffet line. She thinks marriage will settle me down. My sister tells me. My brother tells me.” Bryant rapped the letter, his eyes hard. “They all think this little show place is great for me. And once I’ve settled down, it gets even better—I get to take over the lumber yard full-time. Wow, what a life. I hate it but it makes them happy, so for the duration, I’m here and making the best of it.”
    Instinctively, Megan knew the outburst had nothing to do with her. But she’d seen that same face and heard that same tone from a hundred temp workers. She sat up facing him squarely. “I don’t know about your life, Bryant, and I’m sure you have your reasons. But where I come from, there are a lot of people without a job. And in fact, if they had a job, or even an entire lumber yard for the asking, they wouldn’t be so quick to thumb their nose at it.”
    “What are you saying, I’m spoiled?” He leaned in toward her. 
    “No, but it sounds like you have a good family who want what’s best for you. And honestly, I’m racking my brain trying to figure out why you don’t jump at the chance. You’re of age, and it seems like a sweet deal that’s ready made for you.”
    “Because maybe you don’t see the big picture.” He shook his head in disgust. “Just like my parents.”
    She paused, then stood up to leave, afraid she was too far into Temp Agency mode. “I’m sorry, Bryant, I’m sure I’ve misunderstood.”
    “No, you have something to say, say it.”
    Megan had seen this attitude before, a hundred times, and it grated on her nerves. Privileged guy, easy money, ready-made job and still whining about the injustices of life. She’d seen plenty of real injustices, of families scraping to feed their kids. But she didn’t want to get sucked into this conversation, not when she’d just apologized to make everything right. “It’s just, that must be it,” she said lightly. “Everybody else sees it wrong.”
    He rose too, all chest and shoulders in front of her, not content to let her walk, like he wanted to explain. “It’s not as simple as it seems. You think I haven’t thought these things through, like I’m some idiot with a microphone who doesn’t think ahead to next week? I know the reality of what they’re asking. And once I commit, the rest of my life is history, as well as my choices. I’ve seen my dad on that road and where it goes. No thanks.”
    Standing this close, Megan could feel his body heat but ignored it as she gave into Temp Agency assistant. “Bryant, all I’m saying is grown-ups do grown-up things, like move on purposefully with their lives, without a guarantee of fulfillment. You’ve obviously got some great options. Of course it would make someone wonder why you’re not taking them. But blaming others for not moving forward, or that they’ll pigeon-hole you for life doesn’t sound fair. Or mature.”
    Bryant’s blue eyes sparked, partly in anger but almost energized by her challenge. He searched her face for an instant before replying. “Wise words. But they don’t sound like they’re just for me, do they? What about you? Are you really here for the