Page 3 of My December Darling

“Yup.”

“Are all your conversations this riveting?”

“Possibly.”

“Three whole syllables?” I check my pulse. “Warn a guy next time.”

She stares down at her menu, pretending to read it despite already ordering her food. Aiden pulls me into a discussion he is having with Gabriela and her mom, all while Catalina watches with quiet interest. She doesn’t say much whenever we are in a group setting, which only makes me more curious about whatever she is thinking.

Most likely silently judging you.I wouldn’t put it past her, even if Aiden claims she is nice once you get to know her.

When our plates arrive, it doesn’t take me long to understand why Catalina reacted the way she had when I placed my order. Had I known a Dragon’s Breath roll would literally set my mouth on fire, I would have chosen something a bit more palatable.Literally,anythinghas to be better than the food currently burning through every last one of my taste buds.

At this rate, I might be the one needing to visit an emergency room because there is no way my stomach will make it through eating the entire plate of this.

I’d say it is the worst sushi roll on the planet, but with the way Catalina keeps laughing under her breath at me constantly chugging water between spells of heavy breathing, I would be lying.

I’m so caught up in the way her eyes sparkle that I’m taken aback when she reaches across the table and snatches a piece of sushi off my plate.

Before I can warn her against it, she tosses it into her mouth with a smile and chews.

No flinching. No watery eyes. No desperate search for water.

“Show off.” I frown.

She gasps dramatically. “Did you just scowl?”

I glare.

“Whoa. Warn a girl next time.” She mocks me by checking her pulse.

I flip her off with my chopstick, earning a little huff of amusement from her and a choked laugh from Aiden sitting beside me. Gaby and Mrs. Martinez carry on the conversation, and I try to rejoin, only for Catalina to steal my attention again when she reaches over to eat another piece.

“You’re such a baby. This is nothing,” she says.

“If by nothing, you mean awful, then yes, we can finally agree on something for once.”

She leans forward to take a third piece, but I pull my plate closer to me.

“Stop stealing my food.”

Her eyes roll. “Is it considered stealing if you took one of mine when I wasn’t looking?”

Shit. She noticed that?

I hold my hands up. “In my defense, I’m starving.”

Her sigh is soft and resigned. “Here. We can trade.” She doesn’t wait for me to agree before swapping our plates. The move catches the attention of everyone at the table, although no one says anything.

Well, nobody except forme.

“Why did you do that?” I blurt out.

Her brows scrunch. “What do you meanwhy? You hate it.”

“Yeah, well, you’re not exactly known to be the nice sister, so I’m instantly suspicious.” My tone is light and teasing, but with the way Catalina slinks back into her seat and avoids eye contact, I feel like a complete and utter jackass.

For once, we were having a pleasant conversation, and I ruined it without meaning to.

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