“You want to go back to med school?” I frown, looking at my baby sister in surprise. She’s never mentioned going back. Not once.
She gives Nina a wide-eyed look. “Well, thanks, friend.”
“Scarlet, is that true?” my father asks her.
“I don’t know.” She shrugs. “I haven’t really thought about it.”
“That’s a wonderful idea, darling. It’s about time you did something for yourself,” Frey says.
Scarlet chews on her lip, her eyes flicking to my father. “Maybe next year I could look into it, find out what the process is.”
She looks at Nina again, and I follow her gaze, catching Nina mouth ‘Sorry’.
“I can speak to Ben if you want? I’m sure with the pull your name has at the university you could get into this year’s class?” Charlie offers.
Scarlet rolls her eyes, looking back at Dad again as Nina’s hand slips into mine under the table. She gives me a look.
Is it weird that I know exactly what she wants?
“You should go for it, Scar. You know I’d be behind you one hundred percent. Anything you need.”
“I agree,” Dad voices, grasping her hand on the table.
“Thank you, Mason.” She smiles softly, looking at Nina with a warm look in her eyes.
I haven’t seen my sister so relaxed in years. She usually spends all her time cooking the food or fetching drinks to keep everyone happy at family meals. To see her with that spark in her eye and to hear that she actually wants to do something with her life—after years of me thinking she was wasted here—it has a warmth spreading through my chest, and I know the woman to my left is entirely responsible.
I lean in to kiss her temple, catching Elliot and Charlie smirking at me knowingly.
I’m completely fucked for this girl.
Nina
“Thank you for coming, Nina. It was wonderful to meet you.” Anthony leans down, kissing the side of my cheek.
He’s a sweet man who very clearly loves his children.
If only that were enough.
“It was a lovely evening. Thank you for having me.”
Mason leans in, giving his dad a quick hug, and pulling back before a second is up.
“Thank you for coming, son. Maybe I’ll see you both again soon?” he asks hopefully.
“I’d love that,” I mutter, even though I know my answer isn’t the one he wanted.
Mase walks me to the passenger side of the car and opens the door. I slide in, taking a deep breath as I process the events of the evening.
Once inside, he picks up my hand, kissing the back of it. “They loved you.”
“Was I too much? I felt like I was a little intrusive with the Scarlet thing. I should have waited to tell you.”
“No, not at all. Nina, I’m serious. Thank you. I didn’t know that Scar wanted to go back to med school.”
“Did you ever ask her?”
He drops his head. “No, and I feel like a dick for it.”
