Page 3 of Tell Me It’s Right

I make it two steps onto the patio before I catch sight of my dad across the pool, which is almost enough to make me spin on my heel. A herd of screaming children rushes past me, followed by some woman telling them not to run, and that’s when I notice who my father is standing next to.

The internal groan vibrates through every cell of my body.

The girl smiles along politely to whatever my dad is telling her while she sips a glass of champagne. Looks like one of the Hastings daughters. Like most of the adults, she’s dressed like she’s ready for the country club instead of a kid’s birthday party.

If he’s doing what I think he’s doing…

As if sensing my thoughts, he looks up, meets my eyes, and smiles. Nothing about it is warm. He gestures for me to join them.

Yeah…absolutely the fuck not. He can play matchmaker with one of his many other kids. I pretend not to see him and slip back inside.

I’ve been in this house all of ten minutes and it already feels like ten minutes too long. The perks, I guess, of growing up here—at least I know all the right places to hide.

I swipe a beer out of a cooler before heading to the second floor. It’s quieter, the music and voices drifting up muffled. I fish my phone from my pocket once I hit the bay window that overlooks the pool and pull up my texts with Leo.

Liam:You suck

Leo:That bad already?

Liam:I think my dad’s arranging my engagement

Liam:And Christine is campaigning for teen mom of the year

Leo:Ah, the Candyman never rests

Leo:Oh come on. Christine’s nice

Liam:Too nice

Leo:Did Casey open the present yet

Liam:Yeah

Leo:And he loved it, didn’t he?

Liam:Stop trying to make me feel better

Leo:Right

Leo:You’re a disappointment to the whole family

Leo:You have bad taste in music

Leo:And you really fucking need a haircut jesus christ

Liam:thank you

Chapter Two

GRACIE

How quickly I have become a complete failure.

I stare miserably up at the door, my arms cramping under the weight of the box in my hands. Maybe I should let it crush me. I would like nothing more than to flop onto the perfectly manicured lawn and lie there until I perish. To slowly waste away while these shiny suburban couples witness my demise. To?—

“Stop whatever dramatic monologue you’ve got going on in your head and help me with these.”

I glare at my brother over my shoulder. I suppose I should be kissing the ground he walks on right now. Leo hoists another box out of the moving truck. His white T-shirt is already soaked through with sweat, but somehow his blond hair is still perfectly coiffed. Mine, however, clings to my neck, the curls already taking on a mind of their own in this humidity.

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