Claire shakes her head. “I’m not doing that.”
Joel looks at her. “Wow. You really are acting like a thirteen-year-old again, aren’t you?”
She glares at him.
“Anyway, my best man, my decision. So it’s Ryker whether you like it or not.” Joel gives me a pat on the shoulder. “If you’ll accept.”
I glance at Claire. Maybe I shouldn’t? But if I don’t, it will be even more suspicious.
“I accept,” I tell him.
Claire says nothing.
“Great!” Natalie puts her hands together. “Then let’s all order a bottle of wine and toast to the best man and the maid of honor.”
“Good idea,” Joel agrees. “Maybe a glass will help cheer someone up.”
Still, Claire says nothing.
Natalie and Joel order the wine and the food. Gradually, the mood lightens. At first, I chat with Natalie, trying to get to know my best friend’s future wife. I find out that she’s a nurse who once dreamed of being a synchronized swimmer, that she loves to bake but is bad at it—which Joel refutes—and that she has five siblings and wants just as many children. Joel says he doesn’t mind, but I can’t really imagine him with that many kids. Eventually, Joel and I get to catching up while Natalie and Claire do theirs. Finally, I hear her laugh.
Then, just before dessert gets served, Natalie gets a phone call from her mother and leaves the table. When she doesn’t return after a minute, Joel goes after her.
That leaves Claire and me.
She ignores me and I try to do the same at first, but the silence is so heavy it’s suffocating.
“I’m sorry,” I say softly.
Claire doesn’t answer. I don’t know if she even heard me.
“I’m sorry,” I repeat in a louder voice. “For what happened a few days ago. I shouldn’t have…”
I look around just to make sure Joel is nowhere near.
“…kissed you. It was a mistake. I—”
“Made it clear when you pushed me away,” she finishes my sentence as she meets my gaze. “Plus you said it. You’ve said all this before.”
I let out a breath. “So I take it you haven’t forgiven me.”
“For kissing me? Yes. For acting like I gave you the plague or making me feel like I’m the world’s worst kisser? No.”
So that’s why she’s angry? Because I ran away from her?
“You are not a bad kisser,” I tell her.
“Just not good enough for you.”
I almost roll my eyes because Claire has this completely wrong.
“The fact that I pushed you away has nothing to do with the kiss itself,” I explain. “It was a good kiss, an amazing kiss even.”
“Just with the wrong person?”
“You’re Joel’s sister, Claire,” I tell her.
“Right. Joel’s sister. Not yours.”
“Joel is my best friend.”
“It’s always about Joel, isn’t it?”
I see the dismay in Claire’s narrowed eyes as she looks at me.
“You only ever did nice things for me because of Joel. I was only there at that stupid party seven years ago because I came with Joel. After I cut my finger, you left me with Joel. And then a few days ago, you left me again because you thought about Joel. Even now, you’re scared Joel might find out that you and I kissed.”
She says that last part a little loudly and I quickly look over my shoulder. Thank goodness there’s still no sign of Joel.
“See.” Claire lifts her shoulders and hands. “It’s always about Joel.”
“Joel is my best friend,” I tell her again.
“And me? Has it ever occurred to you that I might be a separate human being? That I’m my own person? That I am a person? Or am I always going to be Joel’s little sister, like I’m his favorite toy or something?”
I don’t answer. I don’t know what to say. It never occurred to me that that was how Claire felt, maybe because I never intended for her to feel that way. But now, I understand. And I feel bad.
I’ve been getting mad at Asher for treating women like toys while I’ve been treating Claire like an object myself. I’ve failed to consider her feelings.
That stops now.
“I’m sorry,” I apologize as sincerely as I can. “I’ve acted like a jerk and treated you unfairly.”
Claire says nothing.
“I know you want nothing to do with me. You’ve made that clear. But do you think we can maybe just… try to get along until Joel and Natalie’s wedding? Because this is going to be so much harder if we don’t, not just for you and me but for them. And I’m sure they already have a lot to deal with.”
Claire looks at me. For a moment, she just stares. I can’t tell what she’s thinking. Then she nods.
“Okay. I’ll try if you will.”
I give her a smile.
“Well, look what we have here,” Joel says as he returns to the table with Natalie. “Seems like the best man and the maid of honor have decided to get along.”