Page 20 of Rush

I wipe at my eyes, my laughter dying down.

“What about you, Arianna? Any brothers or sisters?” Missy asks me.

“No. No brothers or sisters. And call me Ari. Everybody does,” I say. Well, people who actually call me by my given name.

“An only child. I’ve always thought that would be incredibly lonely,” she says, sounding genuinely concerned for me.

You have no idea.

“It was okay.” I shrug. “It meant I didn’t have to share any of my stuff.”

“Well, I was reading this article the other day, and it said that only children are overachievers, and they tend to be leaders.”

“Yeah, and they’re also selfish and spoiled.”

“Ares Kincaid!” Missy cries out. “Ari is not spoiled.”

My cheeks are hot with embarrassment.

“I never said she was. But you don’t even know her to make that assumption,” he tosses back at her before his eyes shift to mine. And those judging eyes of his are saying, But I know you. I know who you are. A worthless drunk.

I want to tell him that he doesn’t know a thing about me, but what would be the point? He’s already made his mind up about me.

“I’ve seen enough to know that she’s a sweet person,” Missy says, smiling kindly at me.

I try to return her smile, but it feels off.

Ares stares at her, his eyes softening in that way only a sibling’s can. Then, he wraps an arm around her neck, pulling her to him, and presses an affectionate kiss to her forehead.

She pushes him away, feigning irritation, but I can tell she secretly loves it.

I know I would if I had a brother who cared for me like he clearly does her.

“Ignore my brother. He’s being a butthead today.” She turns back to me. Elbow on the table, she rests her chin in her hand. “Tell me about you,” she says to me.

“Uh…there’s not really much to tell,” I say around a spoonful of salted caramel gelato, trying to cool my heated face down.

She is so bright and positive, like a ray of sun, and her positivity is infectious, unlike her asshole brother.

I’m sitting here, trying to soak up as much of her zeal as I can. I really don’t want to bring down the mood with tales of my miserable existence.

“Sure there is!” She rings out a laugh. “Okay, I’ll ask questions. Are you from New York?”

“Nope.” I shake my head.

“Didn’t think so. You don’t sound like a native.”

“I’m from Atlanta originally,” I tell her. “But we moved around a bit with my dad’s job, so I’ve lived in quite a few places. My accent is a bit of a mixed bag.”

“Best place you’ve lived?” she asks.

“Here.” I smile.

I jolt when I hear Ares’s voice talk in my direction. “Makes sense. There are a lot of bars in New York. Plenty of places to party.” The dig is blatant and cruel.

My eyes flash up to his. His are on me. Steady and hard and judgmental.

My face burns with humiliation. I dig my spoon into my gelato, staring down at it.