Page 73 of A Pretty Fixation

Mr. Rosmond and Noah are wrapping up a playfulargument about some TV show. They help bring the food to the table, and Calebpulls the chair out for me, sitting beside me afterward.

Dinner with the Rosmond family is enjoyable.They’re so funny and loving. Happiness lives in this home.

“Do you have a cute sister my age?” Noah asksafter Mrs. Rosmond finishes sharing a story about Caleb.

“She doesn’t have any siblings,” Caleb grits.

Noah frowns. “That’s too bad.”

I like how he’s uncaring that I’m adopted, and mysiblings won’t resemble me.

Mr. Rosmond harrumphs before speaking. “So,Jordyn. Caleb says you grew up in West Hartford.”

“I did.”

“What a thing, huh,” Mrs. Rosmond remarks aftersipping her wine. “Gavin searched so hard, and to think you were only afifteen-minute drive away.”

“It’s difficult to unseal documents,” Mr. Rosmondadds. “That’s why we were hitting roadblocks. Perhaps it would have beendifficult for you too if you were searching as well. But you couldn’tremember.”

“Hm.”I remember some things now, and it’seating at me.

Caleb squeezes my thigh under the table. “Guys.Let’s not talk about that.”

“You must have a big heart,” Noah jokes. “I mean,there’s not much to my brother, yet you like him.”

“Hey!” Caleb tosses a pea across the table at him.

I giggle as they proceed to bicker. It’s prettyentertaining to watch.

“My god,” Mrs. Rosmond groans and shakes her head.

After dinner, Caleb shows me his bedroom. It’slarge. Like at the dorm, he has soccer posters. But I’m astonished by thenumber of trophies he’s won.

“Holy crap.” I quicken to the shelf, eyes widewhile looking at everything. “It’s packed.”

Aside from soccer, Caleb has first-place awards inother sports and academics.

I glance back at him. “You’re not human.”

He shrugs nonchalantly. “I was a poor kid. Iwanted to achieve as much as possible. Prove that I was talented. That I coulddo anything.”

I frown, understanding. “Because your birth mom’sboyfriend made you feel otherwise.”

Caleb lowers his head and looks away. “I don’tknow if I should show you something. We agreed we’d stay in the present.”

“Show me,” I urge, curiosity getting the best of me.

He walks into his sizable closet and returns witha small metal box, opening it before me. “This is stuff you gave me back then.”Not me. Dove.

I swallow hard and accept the box, sitting on hisbed to look through it.

Caleb sits beside me.

The first thing to catch my eye is a smooth darkstone with the initials C and D.

Everything will probably make me feel sad.

Maybe I shouldn’t do this. It seems unfair toCaleb. But I sense he’s hopeful, so I continue.

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