“So we go over there together, and I gradually distract your cousins so you can talk to him privately.” She bent her head toward Miriam. “Miriam will help. We’ll be great wingwomen.”
“Okay. Right.” I took a deep breath and squared my shoulders. “Let’s go.”
We integrated ourselves in the circle with the boys. True to her word, Olivia expertly cut our circle of seven in two, with me and Isaac on the outskirts. I forced a smile, trying to squish the unpleasant nerves twisting around in my stomach. This wasgood, talking to Isaac. This was what I wanted. “Having a good time?”
He smiled back. He was so good-looking, not in Tyler’s pretty-boy gilded way, but solid, handsome. He felt steady. “Yeah. It’s really... something.”
I tried to see the party through his eyes, all these adults who’d known each other for decades, all us cousins with our lifelong bonds. Probably a little boring to him. “What are the parties you usually go to like?”
“Most of them are dorm parties, so...” He shrugged.
“Dorm parties soundamazing.” Ugh, too overeager. “I mean, everything about college sounds amazing to me.”
“Seriously?” He sounded skeptical. “They’re pretty different than this vibe.”
“Oh, well, this isn’t my vibe. This is my family’s.”
He tilted his head. “And what’s yours?”
“Oh, um. I guess I’m not so much of a partier. I don’tmindthem,” I said hurriedly, in case he adored them. “But I’d rather hang out at home. What are college parties like?”
He laughed. “Sloppier.”
We lapsed into silence. I’d thought, after last night, I’d be better at talking to Isaac—but the conversation still came in spurts and jerks, instead of a smooth banter, an ebb and flow.
The room was filling with people now, guests arriving, their voices rising as they came in and falling as they joined groups. My attention skipped to the door every time a new person entered the room. Stupid. I wanted to be focused on Isaac, wanted to be totally into our conversation.
Tyler entered the room.
Our gazes connected. My throat went dry and I licked my lips. A bundle of nerves swarmed like bees in my belly.
Okay. Obviously I wanted to keep hanging out with Isaac, but I’d promised Tyler an introduction to my great-uncle, hadn’t I? Actually, I’d promised him three, and none had happened.
How did I extricate myself from Isaac while making it clear I wanted to keep talking to him?
“Hey, Isaac. Shira.” Tyler appeared at our sides, summoned by my indecision. He wore the nice white sweater I’d seen him in two days ago and a pair of dark-blue pants. Hanukkah colors. I would have smiled, if I wasn’t frozen. “You look gorgeous.”
I felt like I’d been sucker punched. He thought I lookedgorgeous? Wait, no, he was back to flirting, as natural to him as breathing. “Um. Thank you.”
He reached out and ran his hand along my sleeve. “Is this velvet?”
I yanked my arm away, glancing at Isaac, who watched both of us noncommittally. How could Tyler justtouchme like that in front of Isaac? I’d told him I didn’t want Isaac to think I might be interested in another guy.
Of course, I had touched Tyler’s cashmere sweater the other day, but no one had been watching.
I swallowed. “Yup.”
Friends. We were friends. Friends talked at parties.
“You’re in New York, too, right?” Isaac asked Tyler.
“Yeah, NYU. You?”
“Columbia.”
“Mm.” Tyler turned to me. “Shir, what are you drinking?”
“Um. Hot chocolate. With Baileys.”
