Page 80 of The Incredible Ordinary

“Don’t do anything stupid,” he mutters.

I laugh and pat him on the cheek. “Wouldn’t dream of it, little brother.”

After I solveRory’s outfit-related crisis—I suggested wearing a T-shirt with no stains on it, but he couldn’t find any—we’re the last to arrive.

“Hey,” Jordan says as he opens the door and ushers us in.

Theo is there in a snap, and he pulls Rory into the living room and in front of a gaming console, leaving just me and Jordan in the hallway, where a murmur of voices carries over from the kitchen, peppered with an occasional chorus of laughter.

“We’re late,” I say. “Sorry.”

He laughs. “It’s a birthday dinner, not school.” His eyes move up and down me. “You look nice.”

Warmth spreads inside me.

I quirk my brow at his bare feet, jeans, and T-shirt.

“I’m way overdressed,” I say.

“Good. Show some of those slobs how it’s done.”

I laugh, and he beams at me.

“Come on in. I’ll introduce you to everybody.”

We head toward the kitchen, and I do my best to not concentrate on how good Jordan looks tonight.

Don’t do anything stupid.

It’s as if now that I’ve admitted the crush to myself, it’s become that much harder to resist the temptation.

Jordan’s kitchen always feels the way I imagine a family kitchen should feel. There’s warm lighting, a long dining table, and each chair has been painted a different bright color.

“It smells amazing.” I inhale with appreciation.

“Sutton did the cooking. You’re in for a treat. He’s almost like our very own professional chef.”

We cross the threshold.

“Everybody, this is Milán,” Jordan says loudly, and all eyes turn to me. Jordan grins at me and starts pointing people out. “This is my dad, Remy. You’ve already seen Wren and Sutton. And this is Kira.”

I nod and smile and say hello, then take a seat at the table.

I settle in and listen while the conversation flows effortlessly all around me. I do my best not to be too obvious about it when I look at Kira, but I’m also too curious to resist.

I’ve never seen a photo of her, so I had no idea what to expect, but somehow she fits exactly into the slot I have for her in my mind. She’s tall and slim, with long auburn hair that falls in loose strands over her shoulders. Her nose tilts slightly upward, and she has perfect, pouty lips.

Her eyes are the same shape and shade of blue as Theo’s, and they both have a handful of freckles dotted over their nose and cheekbones, and a slight gap between their front teeth.

She’s dressed in a pair of tight black pants and a silk blouse with a big bow at the throat.

She’s beautiful, and there’s a kind of quiet elegance about her.

Can I imagine her with Jordan? Not really. But that might have more to do with the fact that I don’twantto imagine her with Jordan, not that Ican’timagine her with Jordan.

They’d make a stunning couple.

“Milán,” Wren says with a friendly smile. “It’s nice to finally meet you for real. I’ve heard so much about you from both Jordan and Theo.”