Page 137 of Citius

“No, it’s payback.” I began sorting through the reports Owen’s assistant had dropped off at the front desk, fulfilling Owen’s promise from our terse confrontation by elevator this morning.

Even a cursory glance showed that Redwing’s quality assurance testing had been both thoughtful and thorough, accounting for a wide range of variables.

Piper sauntered over and placed her hand on my forehead, her expression one of exaggerated concern.

“No fever. Just crazy.” She pulled back before I could retaliate, her mocking leer at odds with her graceful movements. “Incurable but not terminal.”

“That’s a relief,” Kelsey said, joining in on the teasing as she stepped out of the powder room in a burgundy velvet A-line dress.

“Ooh, that’s pretty,” Piper said, twirling her finger in the air, signaling Kelsey to spin. She admired the flared skirt with a critical eye. “But I’m not sure it’sthewinner. Next!”

Kelsey begrudgingly returned to the bathroom to change.

Piper plopped down beside me, sliding her phone across the summary I’d been reading. On the screen was a picture of an elegant pink birthday cake adorned with pastel buttercream flowers, glittering butterflies, and gilded macaroons. Very Jenna.

“This is what you paid for, by the way,” Piper said with an air offorced casualness. “We’ll say it’s from me.”

Our youngest sister didn’t ask for much. She never had. But over a year ago, she made a special request: for our parents and siblings to join her in Tacoma for a long weekend to celebrate her twenty-first birthday. Every Van Daal in our parental pack was making the trip—except for Piper, due to dress rehearsals for her role as the Sugar Plum Fairy inThe Nutcracker.

And me.

The invitation didn’t include me in the first place. Why would it?

Even so, I’d paid for her cake, and Kelsey would slip a craft store gift card into the present pile on my behalf. Jenna would assume it came from our parents, like every other birthday since my accident.

“Thanks for the update,” I said, pretending to focus on an error log.

Next weekend was already Jenna’s birthday. Where had November gone?

Kelsey soon returned wearing a vintage confection of seafoam green tulle. The dress floated around her like a cloud, its long, voluminous sheer sleeves and sweetheart neckline showing off the right amount of skin. She caught my eye, and I gave her a nod of approval—not that she needed it.

She knew what worked for her body and was selective about what made it into her wardrobe.

Piper darted over, practically vibrating with excitement as she danced around Kelsey.

“Oh, I love it. That’s the one—you’re wearing that tomorrow.” She snagged Kelsey by the wrist, grin turning maniacal. “Come on, time for hair and makeup. I want to take a bunch of pictures. Let’s make Jacobiseethewith envy.”

“He won’t care,” Kelsey said, gently pulling her hand back with a bemused smile. “Besides, we still need to figure out what Morgan’s wearing.”

“Pfft,” Piper scoffed, looking down her nose at me. “She’ll throw on one of her two black cocktail dresses and call it a night.”

Offering a sarcastic smile, I began returning papers to the box. “How well you know me.”

“Because you’re boring.”

“I prefer to be called a minimalist,” I said, hefting the box and heading for my suite.

“Which, as we’ve already established,” Piper called after me, “isboring.”

“So, sue me.”

“Maybe I will!”

Kelsey rolled her eyes, already unzipping her dress as she padded toward the powder room. “Will you two shut up if I make nachos for dinner?”

The answer came in the form of deafening silence.

Good, I thought, dropping the box on my desk. Kelsey’s spicy black bean nachos were my favorite. A fitting last meal, considering I probably wouldn’t be able to eat anything during my complicated not-date.

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