On cue, Eleanor’s eyes flicked over Kate’s T-shirt with a smirk. Clearly, she wasn’t done. “Oh look, wearing another one of your teenybopper boy band shirts, I see. What are they called again? BTS? It’s like you never outgrew your tween phase.”
The cackle that followed grated on my damn bones.
Next to me, Kate tugged at the hem of her T-shirt. “You’re hilarious,” she mumbled. Her voice wavered slightly, and I had to clench my fists to keep from saying something I’d regret.
Eleanor opened her mouth to throw another jab, I was sure. I was faster.
“That’s enough,” I roared. “You’ve put Kate down for the last time.”
“Leave it,” Kate hissed beside me.
Grinding my molars, I made eye contact with everyone around the table. “Am I the only one bothered by the sh…crap this woman says to and about Kate?”
“Calm down,” Eleanor sneered. “You haven’t been here long enough to understand our inside jokes.”
“Jokes?” I asked incredulously. “Those weren’t jokes. Insults delivered with a smile maybe, but definitely not jokes.” I held her stare. “Apologize.”
Eleanor laughed. “You’re crazy.”
“You will apologize to my—”
“Dammit, Tristan.” Tossing her napkin on the table, Kate jumped up and hurried out of the room.
So did I.
When I found her pacing on the porch, I knew I should’ve told her I was sorry for sticking my nose where it clearly did not belong.
“Why do you let her talk to you like that?” Guess I wasn’t apologizing. In my defense though, I genuinely wanted to know. She never took shit from anyone, especially not me, and yet, she allowed her sister to walk all over her.
Whirling around, those hazel eyes pierced through my heart, but she didn’t say a damn thing. In those few moments of silence an awful, awful thought entered my brain.
“Is it because of that prick? Do you still have feelings for him?” I didn’t want to hear her answer, and yet, at the same time, I couldn’tnotknow. “Tell me.”
She shook her head. “Why do you even care? It’s not like we have a real marriage.”
“What if—”
“Kate?”
Thank fuck for Kate’s parents’ timing. I’d almost said something I had no business saying.
“Mr. and Mrs. Rivera, I apologize for my outburst.” Scrubbing a palm over my neck, I gave them a quick glance before shifting my attention back to Kate. And shit, if the same confusion marring her features didn’t bubble through my veins.
“I should…uh…probably go.”
I made a move to leave but before I could take a single step, Mrs. Rivera’s hand clamped down on my arm. “You will do no such thing.” Facing Kate, she said, “We’re the ones who should be apologizing.”
“What?” Kate cried. “Why?”
“Because.” Her father threw an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. A knife between the ribs would’ve hurt less than the pain in my chest. Rubbing at the spot, I listened as Kate’s father said the words mine never would.
“We’re sorry, princess. Truth is, we don’t agree with the way your sister treats you, but we naïvely hoped the two of you would figure it out. We never considered how much it could hurt you, or how you’d stay quiet about it because you didn’t want to cause a scene.”
Kate sniffled, and when those beautiful eyes of hers filled with tears, my heart tore in two. I wanted to wrap her in my arms and never let go.
But her father was already doing that.
A burst of envy shot through my veins. Not just because I wanted to trade places with the man, but because their relationship was something I’d never have.
