Hello everyone! Happy last day of undergrad! Oh, is that just me? Sorry. Then happy Tuesday to all of you. Hopefully it's not a bad one. Thanks for reviewing and reading the last chapter. I'm glad you enjoyed Sunday brunch with the Hastings', even if Toby didn't lol. Four chapters left, not including this one; we'll be done by the end of the week. ;) The chapter title comes from "Benson Hedges" by Fun. Hold on to your hats and sunglasses, friends, because there's about to be a showdown up in this bitch.

you're beautiful, for all your big mistakes, you stayed the same

It's mid-July and the day burns as hot as a furnace. It had come out of nowhere, really; May had been rainy and cool and June had been balmy, breezy and pleasant. As though the devil himself had flipped a switch, July had come in with blazing sunshine and skin-baking humidity. However despite the unbearable heat, Toby and Spencer had promised to take Grace to the lake. As much as they'd like to reschedule for a day that didn't fry their insides like eggs, they decide against it. They'd both been extremely busy lately, Grace had been spending her days at KinderCamp and honestly they could really use the family time. So, they pack a picnic lunch, some beach towels and an umbrella, slather on sunscreen and head to the lake.

Unfortunately, they're not the only family with this idea.

It isn't until they've settled in the sand that they hear Vivian's unmistakable voice, Wren and Melissa arm in arm behind her. Grace's excitement wanes significantly, but she tries her hardest not to let it show, remembering the porcelain doll incident a few months prior. She reluctantly shares her sandcastle tools as Vivian expresses interest in them and the two passive-aggressively build a pretty stellar castle, with a moat and drawbridge and all. Melissa, too, expresses her passive-aggressiveness through envy. She side-eyes Spencer and claims she wouldn't be caught dead in a bikini; not at her age, not after having a child. Spencer rolls her eyes and informs her sister that she looks fine; no, better, actually, since she'd become a mother. Toby watches their sisterly banter from beside his wife observingly at first, but something catches his attention shortly thereafter.

Wren's eyes are lingering far too closely and for far too long on Spencer's scantily clad body for his liking. He's smiling wistfully and Toby doesn't have to venture a guess as to where his mind is; it's all over his face. Maybe it's the intense summer heat fueling his aggression or maybe this time Wren's just gone too far; maybe today is the final straw. But whatever the reason, Toby jumps up from his lounge chair and announces, "I'm going to hit the snack stand, maybe get Grace a Popsicle. Wren, you want to come?"

He may have phrased it like a question, but it's really more of an order. Thankfully, the smug Brit realizes this and nods affirmatively. "Yeah, sure. Vivian loves those things. Come on, then."

They trod purposefully towards the snack stand, but before they can join the line, Toby pulls his counterpart aside. Wren eyes him nonchalantly. "What's wrong?"

"You need to stop," Toby warns him. "You think you're being subtle, but everyone notices and I can't have you acting like that in front of my daughter."

Wren stares back, indignant. "I have no idea what you're talking about, mate."

"Oh I think you do," Toby disagrees. "Look, I've tried so hard to ignore the way you look at her- the way you talk to her, even- but it's gone on long enough. Stop objectifying my wife. For God's sake, Wren, you're married to her sister. Try having a little tact."

"I don't know what you're on about," Wren insists, a bit more irate. "I love Melissa."

"I'm not doubting that," Toby says. "I know that you two are perfectly content. But I also know that, given the choice, you would trade with me in a heartbeat and that is sick. I will never understand why Melissa ever took you back, knowing that, but that's your business. Leave Spencer out of it."

"I can't help the way I feel, mate," Wren tells him, his eyes narrowing. "You aren't about to tell me my feelings are wrong, are you?"

"Yes I am," Toby replies. "When you're feeling these things about your sister-in-law? Your married sister-in-law? Yeah, it's wrong."

Wren shakes his head. "You don't know the half of it. You have no idea what went on between us back then."

"No, I do," Toby says. "She told me everything. Just because you two kissed a couple of times doesn't make you soul mates. It only makes you as bad as her English teacher."

Wren rolls his eyes. "She wanted it as much as I did, mate."

"Maybe, back then," Toby says. "But that was a long time ago. She's moved on. I'm not going to say I'm sorry she didn't choose you, because I'm not sorry at all. But I am going to tell you to get over yourself and to stop making yourself look like a jackass in front of your family."

Wren's visage says it all, but before he can express his irritation in words, Spencer appears by Toby's side to ask, "Hey, Grace and Viv heard about Popsicles and now it's all they can talk about. I came to see what was taking so long."

"We didn't get a chance to get them yet," Toby informs her gently. "We were too busy having a much-needed talk."

"What about?" Spencer asks warily and Wren easily fields this.

"He was marking his territory," He says swiftly. "You see I thought it was 'look but don't touch,' and now apparently I can't even look."

Toby frowns. "That's not at all how the conversation went."

Spencer purses her lips, unsure of what to say at first. She tells Toby, "Seriously, your daughter's going to have a coronary. You want to take care of that? I just need a minute with Wren."

Toby would much rather walk across a bed of nails than leave her alone with him, but he nods and turns away, granting her wish. Wren is giving her a look of satisfaction, the one he always gives her, as though she would realize eventually that he was her real knight in shining armor, her real prince, and they would ride off into the sunset together and never look back. What Wren fails to realize, however, is that they are not on the same page; they're not even reading the same story. He might be stuck in the middle of his, but he'll never get to the end, not on the path he's going. Spencer's already got everything she wants; Spencer already has her happily ever after.

"Stop looking at me like that," She demands but he does nothing to wipe the smug grin off his face.

"It's amusing, that's all," Wren defends. "He gets much too bent out of shape over the most trivial things."

"It's not trivial, Wren, it's pathetic," Spencer says. "Think about Melissa. Think about Vivian. Think about what it's doing to them. Do you even care?"

"How dare you say that," Wren accuses. "They're my family. I would do anything for them."

"Then stop," Spencer insists. "God, I told you a long time ago that you're the only boyfriend of my sister's I've ever liked, but I think I might've spoken too soon. She could do better."

"And so could you," Wren nods towards the snack stand where Toby's finally acquired his daughter's sweet frozen treat. "I'm not talking about myself or anything, but you could do better than the carpenter."

"For the last time, his name is Toby. Not calling him by his name is not going to make him go away; it's not going to make him insignificant," Spencer seethes. "And for the record, I really don't care what you think. You have this delusional teenage dream that we belong together, but you really don't know me at all."

"Spencer-"

"Does it look like I'm finished?" Spencer cuts him off. "There is no one in the world who would do for me what Toby has. He is loving and dedicated and kind and I cannot picture my life without him. He's an amazing father, he's an amazing husband and, honestly, he's made me happier than I've ever been in my entire life. Toby has been with me through everything; good, bad, all of it. I love him more than I ever thought was possible, so it doesn't matter how you feel, Wren. It doesn't matter what you're thinking or what you want; it doesn't matter. Because it's always going to be Toby; always. It always has been, it always will be. And if you can't see that, you're as delusional as you are immature."

Toby approaches slowly; no doubt, he's heard the whole thing. Spencer steps back, dignified, and closes with, "Now, if you'll excuse me, my husband and I are going to enjoy the lake."

They leave Wren behind and Toby snakes an arm around her waist, saying, "Why did I ever think I needed to fight that battle for you?"

"Because you underestimate me," Spencer smirks. "You forget that I've been dealing with Wren longer than you have."

"Maybe," Toby tells her. "But at least you don't have to deal with him eyeing and drooling over the person you love."

"Well, maybe now you won't have to, either, given our little chat," She tells him and then pauses a bit, saying, "I'm really sorry."

He pulls a face. "For what?"

"For Wren!"

"Spencer," He smiles. "You're not his keeper. He should be the one apologizing."

"I know, but we don't have a chance in hell of that happening," She says. "And you wouldn't have to deal with him if it wasn't for me. You, unfortunately, married my family, too, when you married me and I know that's not what you signed up for."

Toby frowns. "Come on, you know I don't fault you for that. If it weren't Wren, it would be some other guy. You're the most amazing woman I know; who wouldn't want you?"

Spencer smiles slowly and says, "Someone else might be less upfront about it."

"Maybe it's a British thing," Toby shrugs and Spencer laughs.

"Yeah, those British guys," She agrees playfully. "They're not all they're cracked up to be."