“That sounds nice,” I said.
“It was.” He shrugged, switching his hand position from ten-and-two to one on midnight on the steering wheel. “She goes to a warmer coast in the winter months.”
That could be half the year if she lived out here.
“Do you miss her?” I asked gently.
He gave me a wry look. “Yes. I think she’d be devastated if I didn’t.”
“Oh.” Was he a mama's boy? Or was she overly doting? Not that I was gonna knock someone for having a good relationship with their family.
“It’s fine, Tori. We’re not codependent. We talk maybe once a week, and when she gets back, we exchange souvenirs. I usually give her something pretty like perfume or flowers.” He gently clasped my hand in reassurance. “She’s not involved in my relationships.”
Probably because none of them had been serious yet.
Besides, if we did get married, she’d be gone half the year.
Oh my gosh. Why was I even thinking about that?
I glanced out the window and sighed at myself.
Westbrook was so pretty sometimes. Most people had taken down their twinkly lights, but lampposts streaked by, and the stars only got brighter the farther we got from the suburban center. The further we got from my failures.
I traced the back of Angel’s hand. “My parents don’t get too involved in our relationships either. Even with each other. They taught us to make good choices, but it was easier to let us sort ourselves out when they couldn’t manage it.”
“You seem to get along with the raven,” Angel said.
“Kat. Yes. Not that I don’t get along with Jen, but…maybe because she’s the oldest, she comes off as always wanting more ‘respect’ than an actual relationship,” I said. We’d barely touched on family dynamics in psychology classes.
“Did she have to babysit often?” Angel asked.
“Almost never.” If she had, she might’ve taken more precautions against getting pregnant.
“Is she jealous you’re hotter and smarter, then?” He brushed his thumb over my knuckles.
I faltered for a second and accidentally banged my knees together.Hotter?He’d never met, let alone seen Jen. He must’ve presumed Kat’s sexiness would outweigh any of ours, though.
“I-I’m not sure that’s it. Maybe we just don’t mesh. She and Kat shared a room for a few years, but Jen didn’t like anything too…off-center.”
“So, she didn’t like Kat,” he said.
I shrugged. “It could’ve been they didn’t have much in common. Jen always seemed annoyed when her friends took an interest in Kat, even if it was as innocent as complimenting her fashion sense.”
At one point, Jen had forbidden her Homecoming date to pick her up at the house so he wouldn’t meet her ‘weird’ sister. It was ridiculous. Kat was nice enough to everyone. She’d flash our guests a slightly feral smile, ask how we were doing, and go about her day. Yeah, people stared at her. Usually in fascination. Maybe that was what worried Jen.
“She didn’t avoid me as much because her friends would only ask me about classes,” I said. Plus, I wore oversized jackets and leggings instead of band tees and fishnet stockings. “I was pretty tame by comparison,” I admitted.
He nudged my arm. “I think you’re secretly kinda naughty.”
I snorted. He’d been singing a different tune to his friends about me being too sweet.
“You don’t know me, Angel. Not really,” I said, dragging the hem on my skirt down.
“I’m a quick learner. Especially when I’m intrigued.” He glanced over, his eyes glittering with mischief.
Nerves lodged in my throat. “You still had to ask for my class notes.”
“Maybe I just wanted to talk to you,” he said.
