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Because we aren’t the only ones staring at her.
Stellan is too.
But in his own subtle way. A glance here, a look there. And every time he does it, his entire frame tightens up. He gets agitated and angry and I’m sure she can tell because believe it or not, she’s staring back at him. Although her looks aren’t as subtle and every time she does it, we all hold our breaths, thinking that this is the moment Shep is going to catch on that his girlfriend is staring at his twin brother.
“I don’t care,” Callie says stubbornly. “She’s driving a wedge between my brothers.”
“Maybe there’s a perfectly good explanation for it,” Wyn placates.
“Yeah? What do you think makes a good explanation for coming here as Shep’s date and then staring at his twin brother?”
We all shrug and shake our heads.
Even so, it’s Wyn who puts her foot down and separates herself from our group. “You know what, I think that’s enough. We should really make her feel welcome.” Then, turning to Callie, “And that’s your department, isn’t it?”
Callie purses her lips.
At this, I finally say something. “You always made me feel welcome.”
“Yeah, me too,” Echo agrees.
“Yup, come on,” Poe says, reaching out for Callie’s arm and dragging her away.
Thereby dispersing this meeting.
While they all head toward Isadora, I head in a different direction, and approach our other friend, Jupiter. She’s been standing on the other side of the table, carefully keeping away from our group. And I know why. Even if I hadn’t seen her exchange strange looks with Echo — who she’s closest to in the group — I still would’ve known.
I prop my hip against the table when I reach her. “Hey, you okay?”
“Uh-huh. These crab cakes are really good,” she says, developing a sudden interest in the said food item while up until now, she’s been watching Isadora like the rest of us.
And well, also Shepard.
“You don’t have to lie to me,” I tell her.
“No, they really are.”
I give her a look. “I mean, I know.”
“Know what?” she asks, still keeping her eye on the plate of crab cakes as she keeps piling them on hers.
“What it’s like to fall for a Thorne brother.”
That gives her pause and her eyes jerk up at me.
Emerald green and shiny, they’re some of the most stunning eyes I’ve ever seen. And they look so sad even though she’s trying to hide it.
She lowers her plate full of crab cakes. “I’m not —”
“I’ve seen how you look at him,” I say in my kindest and friendliest tone. “Every time he’s around you get this sad look in your eyes. Well, there’s happiness first but then slowly it gets eclipsed by sadness.”
For a few seconds it looks like she’s going to argue, but then her shoulders sag and I whisper, “I’m sorry he has a girlfriend.”
With her eyes downcast, she mutters, “It wouldn’t matter even if he didn’t.”
“Why not?”
She looks up again but this time I know she isn’t going to answer me or clarify what she meant. Instead, she swivels her gaze over to where all the girls are chatting up Isadora. Who’s starting to look more at ease.
“I like her skin,” she says abruptly. “Tanned and pretty.”
I glance over at Shep for a second before saying, “I like your skin too.”
She gives me a look. “No, you don’t. No one likes the kind of skin that burns too easily.”
“No,” I admit, “but people are known to like strawberries and cream.”
Which is exactly how Jupiter looks with her red hair and porcelain complexion.
Jupiter looks at me weirdly before shaking her head and going back to the crab cakes. So she doesn’t see it. But I do: Shep eating cream-dipped strawberries while his girlfriend is busy with the girls, while watching Jupiter. And the way he’s watching her, he’s definitely thinking the same thing as me: there’s something alluring about strawberries and cream.
Which makes me super happy.
I don’t know what’s happening between all these people, Shepard and Stellan and Isadora and now, Jupiter as well. But for the first time ever, I have hope for my friend and I couldn’t be more thrilled.
I also have hope for my guy over there.
Who’s standing beside Conrad at the edge of the lake and seeming to be having a pleasant conversation. Or rather, they’re not arguing or looking angry at each other, which is a win in my book. And after a while, when all the boys decide to play a game of soccer, my happiness doubles because Shep and Ledger are on the same team and even though Stellan and Conrad end up on the opposite side, it still looks like all four Thorne brothers are playing together instead of against each other.
I’m smiling the rest of the day and crazily thinking that nothing could ever dim the joy that this has brought when I get a text.
