CHRISTIAN
The room was filled with small talk, silver clinking against porcelain. Laughter spilled here and there, but I wasn’t part of it. Not really.
Penelope was deep in conversation with Jess and Lucas, her face lit with an excitement I hadn’t seen in months. Lucas said something, and she tipped her head back to laugh, picking up her wine glass and taking a huge gulp of the contents inside of her glass.
On the other side of the table, Maya leaned toward my mother, murmuring something that had them both smiling like co-conspirators. Liam was near the fireplace, having a quiet conversation with my father—I don’t even know how he puts up with my egoistical father.
Like you don’t take after him—my thoughts jabbed at me.
Which left me. And Alex.
He sat two seats away, sipping from his
