“I do, too.”
Excitement bubbling, she drags me inside the earthy atmosphere of Panera Bread and into the line at the front counter. “So.” She laughs. “Oh goodness, where to begin? I got this great job. It’s remote, so I choose my own hours, which isfantastic. And the opportunities for growth are incredible. I’m still living with my parents, of course. This economy, right? But my mom saw your mom at the store a while ago, and she says you moved out toSunset?”
“Uh. Yeah.” I try to find a smile, but it feels wrong on my face. “Mae and I applied like over a year ago or something.”
“I heard it was almost impossible to get there. Have you seen the Bachelors?” She practicallyswoonsbehind a guy ordering a bread bowl. “They’resohot. Oh my goodness. I’m dating this great guy right now, but I don’t know if it’s really going to work out. He doesn’t understand how badly I was abused by…” Her smile falters. “…well…by Walter in high school. I guess calling himgreatis a stretch in that regard, but I mean, he’s aguy, so perfect isn’t really accessible. I just wish he understood when I saystop, I mean I’m about to have a panic attack, and it’s not juststop it, it’scomfort me.”
I blink. “But…those are different things.”
“Hm?” Talira turns toward the cashier. “Oh, hold on.”
“Stopandcomfort meare different things,” I say as she surveys the menu. “If you don’t mention the second one, how is he supposed to know you don’t meanstopandgive me space?”
She orders, then absently says, “We’ve been together for half a year. He should know better by now, and anyway it doesn’t really matter.Howdid you get accepted to live in Sunset?”
Uh. I scan the menu for myself, order a cup of tomato soup. “You just apply and fill out the application, which is strenuous.”
“Right…but is there, like, a trick to it?”
“I think that Cri…” I bite my tongue. “I think that one of the Bachelor guy’s assistants cross-references supply-and-demand skills, so the more you have and the more work you’re willing to do, the better.”
“Huh.” Talira retrieves her food when it’s ready, and I get my cup of soup before we head to a table in the corner. “So listing that I have a job that’s remote doesn’t do me any favors.”
“You applied?” I ask.
“Of course, silly.” She beams. “I was hoping I could run in to you. Wouldn’t it be so fun to live together in that beautiful little town where we might stumble upon a wholecelebrityat any moment?” She sighs, dreamily. “Who knows, I might even fall in love with one. Only one of them is taken, you know? The second youngest. The artist. Lukas doesn’t really strike me asavailable, but…have youseenhim? In person? At all?” She swoons some more. “Wow.”
It occurs to me that none of the romantic happenings of the Bachelor brothers as of late have been particularly publicized, save the fiasco at the Creator’s Ball…with…Maelin.
“You…know who Zakery’s with?” I ask.
“A wholeprincess. I saw one picture months ago.”
One picture. Of Maelin. Who has…albinism.
“She wassocute. Pink and white.”
And looks exactly like me, in pink and white shades.
“She had to have dyed her hair for the occasion.”
Talira didn’t recognize my own sister? My owntwinsister?
Or is she trying to get me to confess that Iknowthe Bachelor brothers? Personally. Because they’remybrothers.
Something feels…off. Odd.Wrong.
I don’t know how to explain it exactly, but I’ve seen girl time now. I’ve seen how Clara and Maelin talk. I’ve watched Crimson and Crisis. I have felt the way they all include me and each other. It’s not like this; it doesn’t feel likethis.
Cautious, I lift my soup bowl to my lips, then remember that I’mlowering my walls. Which means being less of a skeptic. More open. Kinder. Less judgy. Less…damaged.
I shouldn’t expect the worst of Talira for no real reason. It’s been years since we’ve seen each other. Who would think that someone they know is with someone famous, anyway? That’s not the kind of thing you justassume.
“So you have or haven’t met the Bachelor brothers?” Talira asks, lifting her sandwich, which just makes me think of Kyran. I should get him a sandwich when this is over.
Forcing back the hesitation, I say, “Well…it’s a small enough town. Everyone sees some of them around now and again. Mostly Viktor.”
“Gah. Viktor. He’s sobroody. I would do anything to catch his eye.”
