“Mom?” said Jenna. “Tina?”
CHAPTER FIVE
Tina
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I must have looked like a startled rabbit. I couldn’t speak for a moment, my throat going dry, my vision oddly hazy. My twin had been oddly evasive lately, barely spending time at home, dodging my questions and looking shifty whenever I asked what was going on.
“Look Tina, butt out okay?” she sniffed haughtily. “I’m doing fine in class and you’re just jealous I have a boyfriend whereas you’re still … you,” she said, shrugging. “Can’t you do something with your hair? It’s such … I dunno, curls are out, can’t you get a blow out or something?”
I brushed my hair back self-consciously but it was no use. The curls sprang back into place like springs, a halo around my face. But I was sick of my sister’s nasty attitude and revealed some claws of my own.
“You tell me what’s going or find another driver,” I hissed. “I’m through chauffeuring you around.”
That sparked some fear in Jenna’s heart given that Ubers don’t exactly come on campus. “Oh Teen, you know, I have a boyfriend up in the City now. In fact,” she confided, her voice hushed, “he proposed two days ago. He gave me a massive diamond ring but I can’t wear it around campus because other girls would be jealous.”
I immediately sniffed something amiss. Jenna would never hold back on bling, especially if it’d make her the envy of other women. Either the diamond was flawed or she was making this all up.
“Fine, do whatever you want,” I said stiffly. “But don’t come to me if you need my notes before exams.”
“Oh Teen,” Jenna wheedled, cocking her head sassily. “It’s just Contracts this time,” she said. “I only missed two classes and I need your help.”
“No way,” I said firmly. “There’s still three weeks before the final, do your own reading. Why don’t you study at your boyfriend’s? Does he not have a desk or something?”
“Because he wants me to be his hostess,” she whined. “We go out almost every night, I swear it’s a job unto itself. But Teen,” she confided. “Tonight I’m meeting his dad and brothers,” she said with a dramatic air. “For someone who’s engaged, it’s about time I met his family,” she added, pouting.
I sighed again. Jenna was onto another adventure, complete with fancy dinners and beautiful clothes. Meanwhile, I was just having dinner with our Mom … again. Okay, fine. A date with Mom. I had an hour to get ready before driving up to the City.
“Listen Jenna,” I said. “Just be careful okay? You’ve told me nothing about this guy, you’ve missed a ton of class, and it’s weird, okay? Everyone at school is wondering what’s going on since you disappeared off the face of the earth.”
“I just have a private life, okay?” she snapped. “Butt out Tina, I’m fine.”
I sighed again and headed up the stairs. What could I do? I started changing and bracing myself for a tete-a-tete with Mother.
CHAPTER SIX
Jake
The brunette was like a startled deer, her caramel eyes wide, almost quivering at the sight of me. He curls were riotous, streaming about her shoulders, and she was wearing a flannel dress. It was definitely her. The girl from the party, the one who I’d had the amazing sex with, was at this family dinner.
“Mom?” asked Jenna again, staring at an older woman sitting next to my dad. “What are you doing here?” she demanded in a rush, her eyebrows beetled as her face turned an unflattering shade of red.#p#分页标题#e#
The older woman was gracious and elegant, a genteel, older version of Jenna. Her blonde hair was swept back and she wore an expensive suit, laying one hand gently over my father’s.
“Jenna, I should ask the same thing,” she purred smoothly. “Harold was going to introduce me to his sons tonight … but evidently you already know one of them,” she said, nodding at me.
Before I could react, a familiar deep drawl interrupted from behind us. “Heya fam,” grinned Matt from behind us, his black hair damp, his smile disarmingly friendly though sharp as a razor. He stared blankly at Jenna before turning to the older woman.
“You must be Mary,” he growled before leaning over to give her a kiss on the cheek.
I was fucking stunned. This woman was my dad’s fiancée and also Jenna’s mother? Even more unreal, Tina was here for some reason … the brunette of my wet dreams making an appearance in the most unlikely of places. What the fuck? Seriously, what the fuck?