Page 13 of My Girl to Use

“He’s judging you,” she says at one point, glancing at me over her fork.

“Already?” I lift a brow. “Harsh.”

“He has standards.”

“Clearly.”

She huffs out a small laugh, then shakes her head like she didn’t mean to. I watch her for a second, the way she relaxes in pieces, like it’s not something she’s used to doing all at once.

“So,” she says after a beat, setting her fork down. “That woman earlier.”

I lean back slightly, already knowing where this is going. “My sister.”

Her brows lift. “Really?”

“Yeah.”

She studies me, like she’s trying to line that up with what she saw. “You two didn’t sound like siblings.”

“We’re not exactly on the same page right now.”

“About?”

I hold her gaze for a second, then shake my head slightly. “Family stuff.”

She watches me a moment longer, like she’s deciding whether to push, then nods once. “Okay.”

“And you?” I ask, shifting the focus. “Is he yours?”

Her hand stills where it rests near Levi’s swing, her expression tightening just slightly before she exhales. “No.”

I set my fork down. I’d have bet my car on it.

She glances at me again, smiling gently. Then, she nods slowly. “He’s my brother.”

That catches my attention. “Your brother?”

“Yeah,” she says, her tone quieter now but steady. “My mom dropped him off at my old apartment a few months ago. In a box.”

I stare at her. “You’re serious.”

“Yeah.”

“Jesus.”

She shrugs like it’s nothing, but I can see it in her eyes, in the way her shoulders tense just slightly. “I didn’t even know she was pregnant. He just…showed up one night, and that was it.”

“And you kept him.”

“Of course I did.”

The answer comes fast. Certain. No hesitation. Something in my chest tightens.

“You didn’t think about calling someone?” I ask carefully.

“Like who?” she shoots back, her gaze sharpening. “The police? CPS? No, thanks.”

I hold up my hand. “Alright. I get it.”