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Carrie and I arrive at our parents’ favorite brunch spot in Butterfly Cove, ready to nurse our hangovers with copious amounts of food and all the liquids imaginable.
Coffee. Water. Orange juice. Repeat.
The air is seasoned with the scent of fish, fried hush puppies, and salt that drifts off the ocean, making my stomach rumble viciously. Kalaine’s is a bit swanky for my taste, but the food is incredible and there’s a stunning view of the bluffs surrounding the white-capped ocean, which crashes against them.
We spot our parents sitting beneath a canopy of tropical pink flowers winding up and inside the wooden arbor above their table. It’s not Sunday, but Mom and Dad are certainly wearing their best.
I roll a set of chunky bracelets around my wrist, and sneer at the outfit Carrie’s let me borrow. My hair is curled, my eyeshadow is smokey, and I’m one wedgie away from crawling out of my skin.
“Stop fidgeting,” she hisses, discreetly swatting my hand.
“You’re the one who put me in this contraption,” I hiss back. “How the hell do you expect me to get this thing off to pee?”
Her eyes roll the same way they had when she helped me into what she’s calling a ‘romper,’ two hours ago. “Would it kill you to embrace elegance for once in your life?”
I tug at the material, sneaking its way up my ass crack with every step we take, and grumble, “In these wedges, probably.”
“Happy birthday, honey,” Mom greets me, standing to place a kiss on my cheek. “Two days late, but better late than never, right?”
“It’s no problem,” I assure her, soothing the guilt stamped on her face.
A plain white cake sits at the center of the table, with tiny clusters of edible flowers along the edges and three gold candles in the middle, waiting to be lit.
“Awe, this cake is so…” Boring? Tragically dull? Drastically opposite of me in every way? “You shouldn’t have.”
“Anything for you.” She cranes her neck to look behind me. “Where’s Koa?”
I don’t meet Carrie’s gaze when I easily spout a lie. “Um, he couldn’t make it.”
“Oh, that’s a shame.” She frowns. “I was looking forward to hearing all about you two finally pursuing a relationship.”
For years my parents have hoped something would happen between us, and maybe I’d entertain the idea if it weren’t for that damn spark I’m after. The kind of zing that slaps a person in the face when they’re least expecting it and demands attention, no matter how hard they try to ignore it.
“I’ve always liked that boy,” Dad chimes in before wrapping me in a tight hug. “Reliable, strong, and hard-working. He’s perfect for you.”
Carrie glares daggers behind his back as she mouths, “Koa?”
The pinched smile I give her is one born and bred in guilt. But what does she want from me? Mom asked if I’d been dating anyone, and in a panic, his name popped right out of my mouth.
“Well, we’ll just have to catch up with him next time,” she says as we all take our seats.
I cringe at the use of ‘next time’ when I know damn well there won’t be one.
Now to avoid seeing them until I can weasel my way out of this.
Faking my death is looking more and more attractive.
“Sorry we’re only now celebrating. We’ve been so busy remodeling the guest house with Marcus and Heather.” Her eyes dart over our faces with all the enthusiasm of a town gossip. “We even added a nursery.”
I snort. “Unsurprising, given how much those two bone.”
Do I sound bitter?
Carrie purses her lips, confirming that I do, and I instantly feel bad for it. I’m beyond happy for my cousin and his wife, but I’ve had a front-row seat to watch their love story unfold, all while suffering one failed relationship after another.
Dad asks my sister about her latest endeavors as his market analyst for the international branch of his company, while I bite the inside of my lip to hold back a groan.
We get it. You’re smart, beautiful, and have a stable relationship with Mr. Perfect—and shocker, he’s Dad’s second-best developer.
