“Wait,” Claire says in shock to Bridget. “Are you serious? Never? He’s never dated?”
“Never. Didn’t go to prom, didn’t hang out at the mall.” My sister ticks off.
“Malls are dying,” I remind them.
“You’d think he’d be crawling with women. Dad’s gone over to his penthouse before—never sees anyone,” Ryan remarks as he offers his fiancée some bruschetta.
“I have spent hours online, and nothing,” Bridget says dramatically, jumping in to spar with Ryan for a stuffed mushroom.
I stare at my little brother.
He’s young but not that young, I guess.
I’m old, though.
Damaged.
Bridget is right—I haven’t even had a real girlfriend. And here’s my little brother, who’s ten years younger than me, all emotionally stable with his future wife.
The love of his life.
The mother of his children…
They’re going to be so well-adjusted.
I swallow the bitterness, open the menu, and stare down at it blankly as around me my family speculates about what’s wrong with me.
They’re right.
I feel sick.
Stunted.
I wish I could just disappear—not have to deal with this family, these people.
I’m not supposed to be here.
Was never supposed to be here.
Who do I think I even am?
“Claire, do you have any hot sisters or cousins?” Hannah jokes. “That we can set Graham up with?”
I don’t have to look up to know Frank is scowling.
“I don’t think we need to be throwing innocent young women at Graham,” my stepfather chides.
“Well,” Claire says with a snicker, “my cousin’s not that innocent.”
“We should totally set them up.” Bridget claps her hands.
“We’ll need to give Graham some relationship lessons, though.”
They all laugh drunkenly.
Something in me snaps.
“Oh,” I say over their laughter. “There’s no need—I actually have been seeing someone, but I…” I trail off.
