She reminded herself that her family welcoming Jamar into the fold was a good thing. She wanted them to like him. Taylor forced a smile that she wasn’t really feeling and tried her hardest to suppress her resentment.

As the evening progressed, her dad made a pot of his famous hot chocolate and directed everyone to carry their mugs outside to the stone fire pit he’d had installed. When Jesamyn brought a bag of marshmallows for toasting, Taylor had to take a mental step back to make sure she was at the right house. Everything seemed too perfect.

And then her brother ruined it all.

Sitting in one of the Adirondack chairs circling the fire pit, Darwin said, “Did I mention that Caleb Mitchell started at our firm this past week? That’s yet another one of Taylor’s classmates who’s gone on to do big things.”

Taylor spun around in her chair and glared at her brother. “What is that supposed to mean?”

Darwin’s eyes grew wide. As if she would ever buy that innocent look from him. “It means that we just hired Caleb Mitchell at the firm,” he said.

“Why do you have to be such an asshole, Darwin?”

“Taylor.” Her mother’s strident tone rankled. Why in the hell didn’t she say anything to her son?

“He’s so transparent,” Taylor said. “You know he only brought up Caleb so that he could compare him to me.”

“No, I didn’t,” Darwin said. “I was making small talk.”

“By pointing out that one of my classmates is now a fancy lawyer at your fancy law firm?”

“Look, if you’re feeling some kind of way about Caleb’s success, that’s on you.”

“Oh, screw you.” Taylor tossed her wooden skewer into the fire pit and stood. “I’m tired, and I need a shower.” She looked to Jamar. “Where are the suitcases?”

“I put yours in your old bedroom,” her dad called from his chair on the other side of the pit. “The young man’s is in the spare room, where he will be sleeping.”

Taylor didn’t even attempt to argue. She’d known better than to expect her parents would be okay with her and Jamar sleeping in the same room. She went back into the house and upstairs to her old bedroom, her anger at Darwin’s attempt to belittle her intensifying by the minute.

Once in her room, Taylor hefted her carry-on onto the bed and unzipped it.

There was a knock at her door.

“Taylor?” came Jamar’s voice.

“Come in,” she called. She continued with her unpacking, taking out the jumpsuit she planned to wear to tomorrow night’s party.

“Are you okay?” Jamar asked, leaning against the closed door.

“I’m fine.” She sighed. “What you witnessed down there was par for the course when it comes to my brother.”