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I drop my gaze to my plate of half-eaten pancakes. I don’t want them to worry about me. Dad’s had difficult teenage years, so all I want is for him to be happy and live stress-free.
“You’re right,” I tell my twin. “Sorry.”
Evie picks up her fork and continues eating. “I don’t approve of them making out in my face, but I’m not letting this delicious pancake go to waste.”
Mom and Dad are still making out like teenagers as we finish our food and get ready for school. It’s not until Dad’s phone rings that he and Mom are forced to separate.
“I need to run,” Dad tells us. “They found a home for the siblings.”
Lily smiles. “That’s great.”
“It is.” Dad kisses her on the head, then Evie, then me, though he’s careful not to hurt me. He wraps his arms around Mom and kisses her again, so passionately I feel it deep in my heart. Man, that’s intense stuff they’ve got going on there. It’s great that they haven’t lost their love over the years like some couples do. I, along with the rest of the Musketeers, am very lucky our parents are still crazy in love with each other.
He tells us all to have a good day before leaving the house.
“I’ll see you kids at school,” Mom tells us as my sisters and I head for Evie’s car. She puts on loud music and we sing along with it like we do every morning. My face hurts a little, but I’m not giving up our morning routine.
Lily, sitting in the back, sticks her head between the seats. “Nervous?”
I want to shrug, but my shoulders are as stiff as the seats. “Yeah, everyone’s talking about what happened. I shouldn’t care what those kids think of me, but…” I shake my head.
Evie turns her head to glance at me for a second. “Wanting to fit in is normal. Caring what others think about you is normal.”
“But that’s the thing. I don’t really care what anyone thinks of me. Except for the guys on the team. We’re supposed to be a family, but I don’t mesh well with them.”
“And Topher, yourteammate, hurt you,” Lily says. “That’s messed up.”
“He never liked me, so…”
“That’s not an excuse.”
I stare out the window. “Can we please not talk about this? Talk about anything else. Evie, how’s your portfolio coming along?”
“It could be better,” she grumbles.
Lily scowls at her. “It’s amazing and you know it.”
My older sister is nervous to go to the prestigious art college because she doesn’t think she’s as talented as the other students. But she’s wrong.
“Maybe talking about my art isn’t a good idea,” Evie says. “How about you gush to us about you and Xavier, Lil?”
Lily glances at me and Evie. “I think Liam will jump out the window if I start talking about me and Xavier.”
I nod. “You got that right. Listening to you talk about making out or snuggling in bed together or cozying up on the couch isnotsomething I’m interested in.”
Evie laughs. “Okay, good point. So…we have nothing to talk about? That’s sad. I’m leaving in a few months and I’ll miss you guys like crazy.”
It sucks, but that’s life, I guess? Growing up and moving on with our lives. I hate thinking about it because I don’t want to face the reality of me, Lily, and the Junior Musketeers breaking up. I know it’s healthy to move on and meet new people, but I don’t really want to do that.
“I just got so depressed,” Lily whines, probably sharing my thoughts. “Ooh, I know. Let’s discussThe Heart of a Lady. It’s theperfectRegency romance. Have you read it, Evie?”
She taps her chin. “Would that be the book you insisted—over and over—that Imustread or I haven’t lived life?”
Lily’s cheeks redden. “Oh…I guess I got a little carried away.”
“Understatement,” Evie mutters. “You know I don’t like reading romance, especially Regency. Now, if it was fantasy, I’d be all over it.”
“You and Uncle Zane could be twins,” Lily says.
