I take a deep breath. In and out. “Nope, but I shouldn’t be surprised.”

“Shit. I’m sorry. I didn’t know you didn’t know!”

“Rae, it’s fine. Leila’s not in my life anymore for a reason. Even though I see her every single day.”

“Yeah, how’s that going?” Rae asks as we walk out of the elevator. “I think Leila’s given up texting me because I never respond.”

“I think she’s going through something—I don’t know. She’s been slacking in our seminar, but I’ve seen her sculpting again late at night. I’m trying not to care, but …”

“But you’re you,” Rae says as we reach the bar.

“Look at you,” Dad says, eyeballing Rae. “You going in the park?”

“I can’t resist a waterslide,” Rae says.

“Maybe you can get Chase to go,” Dad says, and my stomach turns because I anticipate the train wreck ahead. “Remember the time you got stuck, Taters?” He chuckles. “He was a big kid.” He makes a pizza pie with his hands out in front of him.

“Dad, come on,” I beg. “There wasn’t enough water.”

“Lighten up, pal. It’s a joke.”

I look to Jack, but he looks away, slouching toward the bar.

“At my expense,” I say sharply.

“Watch your tone,” Dad says.

“Watch your asshole instincts,” I mumble.

Everything goes silent.

“What’d you say?” Dad’s chair skids back behind him, and he puffs out his chest.

I want to repeat what I said, but my temples are throbbing, and my fists are clenched, and I feel like if I open my mouth, I won’t be able to breathe, and I’ll go off. I don’t want that for Taylor. So I grab Rae and pull her away.

Jack doesn’t move. He’s frozen in place.

Rae and I don’t stop until we reach the party room, sectioned off inside the park, where Mom is busying her hands doing god knows what because everything is perfect, and Taylor and her friends don’t even care because they’re all huddled together gawking at a pair of skinny-ass boys who look slightly older than them.

Then Jack is running after me, calling my name. I feel his hand on my shoulder, and I turn to face him. “What the hell was that about?”

“Did you not hear him?”

“He was joking,” Jack says. “You were kind of rude … to your dad.”

I have to literally bite my tongue. “It was his face. You didn’t see it because you weren’t paying attention.”

“What’s going on?” Mom starts.