Page 47 of Wrong For Me

“Because Rose wouldn’t let me,” Will snaps back.

“You should have done it anyhow! Or told me, so I could.”

“Could you please drop the alpha male brother act?” I ask. “I’m not really in the mood.”

Will turns to me, expression concerned now. “Rose. You need to talk to your department head or something. They can’t make you work with this guy.”

I roll my eyes. “You think I’m going to go to my department head and tell them that I can’t work with another student because Isleptwith him? Yeah, that would look so professional, Will.”

“He made youcry, Rosie,” he says, as if I’d forgotten how upset I was at the end of our vacation.

“He made you cry?” River snaps, jumping up from the couch. “What’d you say this guy’s last name was? I’m going to kill him.”

I put my hands over my eyes and groan. “Lord save me from overprotective Ransome males,“ I mutter. “I knew I should have had this conversation with Everly and Alex.”

“I’m not going to apologize for wanting to watch out for you,” River says, voice tight. “You shouldn’t have to deal with someone who treated you badly. And I’m pretty sure Dad would agree.”

I yank my hands away so I can glare at him. “Don’t you dare.” I can just see it now, my dad and his brothers—hell, probably Uncle Levi, too, and maybe Grandpa—storming the psych building to go after my classmate.

“Rose—”

“It’s my fault anyhow,” I cut him off.

“How is it your fault?” Will asks, frowning at me.

“I clearly have terrible instincts when it comes to guys.” I rub at my forehead, feeling a headache coming on. “I should just accept the fact that I’m going to be single forever.”

“Give me a break,” Will says. “You’re not going to be single forever. You’re a catch.”

“I don’t know,” River cuts in. “You staying single sounds just fine to me. You’re too good for any guy, Rosie.”

I want to roll my eyes and hug him at the same time. My brother. Even when he’s sweet he’s still an idiot.

“Thanks, Riv.”

He pops another onion ring into his mouth. “Plus,” he continues in between chewing, “if you’re single then I don’t have to think about you with a guy. Which is justwrong.”

I’m about to lay into him for being a sexist, hypocritical asshole when every one of our phones beep at the same time. That only means one thing—someone left a message on the cousin group thread.

Vega:EMERGENCY. What does one wear to the live, nationally televised ceremony to celebrate one’s own demise?

“That girl is as dramatic as Aunt Paige,” River says, shuddering a little. “God help us all.”

“Be nice,” I chastise. “She’s trying to act tough about the finale but you know she’s upset.”

Vega, at the ripe old age of thirteen, had been invited to be a contestant on a kid’s baking competition on the Food Network this summer. She’d gotten pretty far, but was knocked out right before the final round. She’s contractually obligated to keep the details to herself until the episodes air, but something had definitely gone down to piss her off.

The thread is immediately filled with advice from our cousins—from good ideas from Alex, Everly, and Santana to silly suggestions from everyone else, including Silas’s suggestion she make a shirt that says, “I WAS ROBBED” in sparkling pink fabric paint.

I send Vega a text directly, avoiding the group chat.

Me:Want me to take you shopping this week?

Vega:Oh, would you? I was going to ask my sisters but you know how crazy they get about shopping.

I smile to myself. Crazy is an understatement when it comes to Reed and Paige’s girls.

Me:We’ll make a chill afternoon of it. We can hit a few stores and get dinner, if you want.