Dinner was already set on the table when I came back downstairs. Aunt Wendy had outdone herself, as usual. Chicken parmesan, garlic bread, some kind of fancy roasted vegetable thing that I’d pretend to eat and a salad that I’d completely ignore.
Uncle Mike was just taking his seat, scrolling through something on his phone, while Caleb and Ryan were already at the table.
Of course Ryan was staying for dinner... I should have figured as much when I saw him loitering around earlier.
I hesitated in the doorway for a moment, wondering whether I shouldn't maybe come up with some excuse to eat in my room.
But then Aunt Wendy caught sight of me and beamed. “Come sit, sweetheart. We were just about to start.”
I sighed. She’d clearly put in a lot of effort and I felt too guilty to bail now. So,
