“So?” I prompt yet again.
“Brew Tea. I’m saving up points to splurge at Brew Tea.”
“You’re going to go to Brew Tea by yourself?”
“If I get enough points, I’m upgrading my reward to include gettingtwodesserts, too. Why?” She glares at me. “Got a problem with that?”
Her little store offersupgrades? I’m obsessed.
Leaning against the door jamb of my closet, I say, “Not a single problem with that, no. Are you going to borrow one of Maelin’s parasols and ask her to make a frilly white dress in your size?”
“You wish.”
I do. I do wish. Desperately, even. Her usual blacks really do it for me, though. I scan her loose-fitting shirt spattered in gold constellations. “What are my chances of getting ayesif I ask to go with you?”
“Poor.” She drags my hamper out of my closet and meets my eyes. “Unless, you’re taking yourlittle sisterout for tea?”
“Ew.”
“That’s what I thought. Woe is me. Rejected by my very favorite big brother.”
My brows furrow. “I thought Kaleb was your favorite big brother.”
Her eyes roll. Again. They get so much exercise. “Whichever one I’m talking to is my favorite. Don’t you know how little sisters work at all?”
“I guess I don’t. I suppose I’ll have to spend more time with Maelin.”
“Rude.”
“Or Clara. Crisis and Crimson are my big sisters, so they’re practically useless, butClara?” Clara makes me sandwiches. Clara is where it’sat. “Best little sister around.”
“Crisis and Crimson aren’t even married toourbrothers yet, you jerk.”
Yeah, true, except for the part where both Viktor and Kaleb have been calling themmy wifefor literally months. So.
Since Morana is far from romantically adept, I forgive her the ignorance. “Isn’t it weird how almost allmybrothers chose girls with names that start with C?”
“No.”
“And then the two youngest brothers are just out here…doing whatever…ignoring the trend.”
“Ew.”
Sighing pitifully, I murmur, “So, what I’m hearing is: I’m not invited to the tea place—with the amazing sandwiches—because I refuse to think of you as my sister?”
“Excellent summary, SparkNotes. Give the e-boy a prize.”
“I love your condescending attitude.”
“That, brother dear, is because you desperately require therapy.”
I did therapy. The entire year hiatus I took off from my job as a professional content creator after my parents died seven years ago consisted of bed rotting and virtual therapist calls. I’m all healed up now, obviously. Even though Morana doesn’t act like it, it’s not mentally unwell to like a woman who’s grumpy—especially not when you’re grumpy, too. I know about book tropes. It’s pretty sexist to suggest that when the woman’s the grump, the guy is sopatientandkindfor dealing with her, yet when the guy’s the grump, it’s justhotand she’s solucky.
No one ever stops to realize that the guy who falls for the grump is thinkinghotandI’m so lucky. Constantly. Twenty-four-seven.
If wewantedsomeone we felt we had to bepatient and kindwith, we’d pick a pretty little sunshine chick with low self-esteem. Shockingly, we didn’t do that because we don’thaveto be patient or kind with someone ready and willing to stab us with a rusty knife at any moment.
There’s nothing more put-me-on-my-knees attractive than a woman who makes me beg.
