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“It only happened a few months ago.”
“A few months? Like how many?”
“Six?Ish?”
I took a deep breath so my head didn’t explode. There was a reason I was drawn to women who weren’t temperamental, and my over-the-top siblings probably had a lot to do with it. Both my sistersandbrothers. “We’ve talked plenty of times over the last six months and you’re just telling me you were engaged now? Also, you’re twenty-one, for God’s sake.”
“I’m graduating in the spring. Besides, Pierre and I broke up.” She sniffed delicately. “He’s probably screwing Terri. I suspected something was up when he gave the lead inCat on a Hot Tin Roofto her, although he had me audition three times.”
“Wait a second, he’s your drama teacher? Uh, can you say ethics violation?”
“Oh, please. I’m an adult. Don’t be so pedestrian.” She rolled her heavily made-up eyes and shoved me back. “It’s over anyway.” She frowned and seemed to finally notice I was in my pajamas. “Are you going to bed? It’s not late.”
“It’s not early either.”
“Says the old man thirty-something,” she teased.
“Everyone is old to you, squirt.” I ruffled her hair, and she shoved me back with a faint smile. “I was on my way to shower.”
“Oh, sorry. Dammit, do I smell chicken?” She charged into my living room, dropping a cursory kiss on Lucky’s head on her way to the bucket of chicken, now covered on the coffee table. She flipped off the lid and let out a dramatic sigh. “I almost forgot I’m vegan.” She pursed her lips and then pulled off a crispy piece of skin. “Maybe just a little wouldn’t hurt.”
But she didn’t move fast enough, so Lucky nipped it out of her hand and streaked across the room and down the hall.
“That little stinker!” But she was laughing and her tears seemed to have dried.
At least for now.
She dropped her coat on the arm of the couch and flopped down beside it before dragging the bucket of chicken into her lap. “Ahh, to hell with my diet. Not like anyone is going to see me naked anytime soon anyway.”
“Hey, hey, my ears.”
“Oh, jeez, Sparky, I’m a grown woman. We have needs too, you know.”
“Yeah, fine, I just don’t want to hear about them.” I sat beside her and snagged another piece of chicken for myself.
“What are you up to? I mean, you’re wearing pajamas, but then you mentioned taking a shower, so does that mean you’re heading out?”
“Would that be so shocking? ItisFriday night.”
“True, but how long has it been since you’ve partied on a weekend? Months?” She elbowed me, her long blond hair flinging into my face. “Years?”
“Hardly.” I snorted. “Besides, my idea of partying at my age is far different than yours.” I frowned as I realized I’d never asked Kitty how old she was. It hadn’t ever entered my mind.
She couldn’t be too young. Her voice definitely didn’t scream barely legal. Or worse, not legal. Jesus. I knew better than to assume.
Of course, I didn’t make a habit of meeting women on classified pages on pet websites either.
“Hello, I’m talking to you. Why do you have that wrinkle right here?” Emma leaned up to rubbed her thumb between my eyebrows. “What’s up with you? You seem even more thinky than usual. Is it because Dad’s thing is coming up?”
“What thing?”
“Duh, his Thanksgiving shindig at the chalet. What is your deal? Have you been working too hard? You need some recreation too.” Her smirk told me that the kind of recreation she had in mind did not include gladhanding with Dad’s supporters and my enormous extended family.
And now, Emma’s broken engagement meant I was the only one of my siblings who hadn’t had a steady relationship in a millennia. Just about all the rest of our brothers and sisters had a significant other, at least the last I’d known. Even the triplets, which was basically a shock because Fraser, Felicia, and Corwin had all been born with the player gene fully activated.
God, I was the eldest. Single at the holidays for several years running was a recipe for disaster when your father was the mayor of a small town and your mother lived to decorate and micromanage her children’s lives.
No wonder I’d deliberately put the Thanksgiving hellscape out of my mind.
