“What?” I whispered back, confused.
“You said you liked his sweater; you told me you liked mine.You should find something real to compliment people on, not say the same thing to everyone.”
“I like both your sweaters,” I said, slightly taken aback. “Also, sweaters are kind of an easy thing to compliment people on. But I meant it both times.”
“Whose do you like more?”
My lips parted, and I tried not to crow. “Tyler Nelson. Are you jealous?”
He frowned. “It’s just, mine’s objectively better made than his.”
“Okay, then,” I teased. “You win the rich fashion snob contest.”
His frown deepened, and he polished off his drink.
We continued playing until we finished the alcohol we’d brought up, leaving everyone pleasantly tipsy but not too buzzed. Well, except maybe Ethan, who was either a surprising lightweight or had managed to get ahold of those shots earlier. “I’m so hungry,” he said, sending plaintive eyes in my direction.
I shook my head. “It’s not my job to take care of you.”
“Feed me, Seymour,” he sang. “Feed me salt-and-vinegar chips.”
“You’re a baby.”
“I’ll grab more snacks.” Tyler stood. “We could all use them.”
“I’ll help.” It would be my cousins devouring most of the food and drink, after all. I followed Tyler down the hall, down the stairs, and into the kitchen, where a cornucopia of party foods had been laid out.
“You seem like you’re having a good time with Isaac,” Tylersaid stiffly, grabbing a twelve pack of seltzers from the top of the fridge and putting it on the table.
“I am. He’s great.” I beamed at Tyler. “You think he likes me?”
Tyler looked up. “Well, he should.”
I sighed happily, boosting myself up to sit on the kitchen counter, my legs swinging. I pulled a blue corn chip out of the open bag next to me and munched on it. “Honestly, I didn’t think this would work. I thought I’d still be too awkward or weird and he wouldn’t want to spend any time with me at all. And maybe he only is because I’m the only option, but I feel pretty good about the idea that if I convince him to give me a shotnow,it’ll carry through to when we get home.”
“It’s not all abouthimgivingyoua shot.” Tyler sounded irritated. He opened and shut the fridge and cupboards, pulling out salt-and-vinegar chips and a jar of salsa and a chunk of Manchego. “You’re more of a catch than he is.”
I kicked my legs and smiled, delighted. “Why, Tyler. I didn’t know you cared.”
He frowned at me. “I’m serious. He’s lucky you’re giving him the time of day.”
I laughed. “I never would have guessedyou’dbe the one hyping me up.”
“I just don’t think you should see Isaac as some far-off star, your Hanukkah miracle or whatever. He’s fine, I guess. But you could do better.”
“Oh-ho! Could I!” I ate another chip. “I haven’t though, so I’m thinking I couldn’t.”
“You haven’t been open before.” Tyler ripped open a bag of cheese puffs, dumping them forcefully into a bowl. “You probably shut down every possible moment before it happened.”
“Shut down a moment?” I undid my hair clip, shaking my hair out and running my fingers through it. “How so?”
“You know. You move away, you talk through it.”
“I don’t know what you mean.” I shook my head. “I don’t think I’ve ever had a moment.”
He looked up at me. “Yes, you have.”
“Nope.” I licked the salt off my fingers. “Or maybe I don’t recognize them. What do they look like?”
