Page 57 of The Prime-Time Experiment

Conversation picked up again as plates were passed and glasses filled, the rhythm of it steady and familiar to everyone but her. Riley listened. It was easier that way. Safer.

Her attention mapped the patterns as they emerged; Leanne filling silences before they settled too long, Charlie stepping in when conversations branched too far, Tyler redirecting when something risked becoming too pointed.

Ebony spoke when she wanted to. Tyler responded without correcting her. Declan didn’t interrupt her at all.

It was structured, just not in the way Riley was used to.

“So, Riley,” Leanne said after a few minutes, her tone warm but gentler now, less immediate. “How long have you been in Brisbane?”

Riley’s attention shifted to her, the question clear. Manageable.

“Just over eight years,” she said.

“And you’re originally from…?” Leanne asked, curious.

“A small farming town an hour outside of Melbourne.”

“Oh, that’s a big move, country to city” she said, nodding. “Do you miss it?”

Riley considered the question for a fraction of a second. “No,” she said. “There is nothing there that would warrant it.”

Tyler snorted quietly into his glass. “That’s the most psych answer I’ve ever heard.”

Leanne shot him a look. “Tyler.”

“No, I like it,” he said quickly, holding up a hand. “Clear. Efficient. No unnecessary emotion. Honestly, I might start using it.”

The corner of Declan’s mouth lifted slightly. The moment passed. Smoothed over.

Leanne smiled again, undeterred. “And what do you do? Declan’s mentioned you’re part of the research team, but I’d love to hear it from you.”

Riley nodded once, her hands settling more steadily now against the table.

“I work within behavioural analysis,” she said. “Primarily focused on pattern recognition and response adaptation in social interactions.”

Charlie hummed lightly, thoughtful rather than confused. “So you’re basically watching all of us right now and taking notes, yeah?”

There was no accusation in it, just curiosity. Riley considered that.

“Yes,” she said.

Another beat, and then Tyler let out a short laugh. “Great. Good to know I’m being assessed over dinner. Love that for me.”

“It’s not evaluative,” Riley said immediately. “It’s observational.”

“Ah,” he nodded, completely serious now. “That makes it so much better.”

Ebony glanced between them, then back to Riley. “He talks more when he’s uncomfortable.”

Tyler pointed at her without missing a beat. “See? This is why we don’t need another one of you.”

The table laughed again, softer this time, more relaxed. Riley realised she would’ve usually felt uncomfortable being labelled ‘different’, and yet she could tell Tyler meant no harm. It was a genuine joke, he was proving she belonged there.

Leanne reached for a serving dish, passing it toward Riley without breaking the flow of conversation. “And how have you found working with all of this?” she asked. “It sounds incredibly detailed.”

Riley accepted it, her movements more automatic now. “It is. But it’s becoming easier.”

Declan’s gaze flicked to her briefly at that. She noticed, and chose to meet his eyes. “