She looked Martin up and down, very pointedly. “Compensating for something?” Summer said sweetly. “Is that why people think you’re older than your age?”
“Is all your family like this?”
”E-xc-use me, but that, is for Isaac and I to know, and for y o u to never find out.”
It was a joke of course, but much to Isaac’s displeasure, he really did know.
”Nope, Martin is certainly one of a kind, and thankgod for it.”
“I thought incest was only a thing where I came from.”
“He is /remarkably/ like you, Isaac. /How/ distant is this cousinship?”
“Ohhhh, excuse me, you’re so very old. I do apologize.” She bit her lip and muttered to Isaac, “He’s only two years older than me.”
Folding her arms, she cocked a brow at Martin. “I guess you’re going to punish me for that, huh. I better start running.”
”Oy, don’t get cocky with me, that’s my thing.”
He spoke with a tone that was somehow mature sounding despite the childish words that seemed to leave his lips. He then turned to Isaac, making no effort to speak so that Summer would be unable to hear.
It was clear he liked her sarcasm.
”I like this one, she can stay.”
At that, Isaac let out another laugh, then, after Summer’s quiet comment, he replied a little louder, but still not quite at regular volume. His eyes were on Martin with another laugh threatening to sound.
”I know.”
She looked Martin up and down, very pointedly. “Compensating for something?” Summer said sweetly. “Is that why people think you’re older than your age?”
She smothered a laugh. “Baby cousin, huh? I guess you’ve got my affliction then, Martin, looking younger than your age.” Chewing at her lip, she added, “So are there plans to show you around?”
”Younger than my— I’m twentytwo.”
He then proceeded to mumble something about people always thinking he was older than his actual age and it was at this point that Isaac chuckled and licked his lips in a small triumph.
It may not seem it but Isaac r e a l l y liked having Martin around. He forgot how much he had missed the older male.
”You may have just struck a nerve, Summer, I’d tread carefully.”
Isaac was only teasing of course. Martin wasn’t really all that bothered by it; he had a flare for being dramatic.
“Ohhhh, excuse me, you’re so /very/ old. I /do/ apologise.” She bit her lip and muttered to Isaac, “He’s only two years older than me.”
Folding her arms, she cocked a brow at Martin. “I guess you’re going to punish me for that, huh. I better start running.”
She looked from Isaac back to Martin. “So … you’re visiting Isaac?” she tried. If Isaac had a cousin, why was he still living with the McCalls? Didn’t his family want to take him in? She didn’t say that — she didn’t want him to leave. Didn’t even want to suggest it.
”But of course, it had been way too long. I missed my baby cousin.”
To be more specific, it had been at Camden’s funeral.
”Martin travels a lot,” Isaac added, as if that somehow explained it.
She smothered a laugh. “Baby cousin, huh? I guess you’ve got my affliction then, Martin, looking younger than your age.” Chewing at her lip, she added, “So are there plans to show you around?”
”This guy can introduce himself. I’m Martin Lahey, Isaac’s cousin.”
Isaac figured he’d just let Martin talk since he couldn’t seem to get a word in edgewise.
”What he said.”
”And you are?”
“Summer. Summer Rainault.”
She looked from Isaac back to Martin. “So … you’re visiting Isaac?” she tried. If Isaac had a cousin, why was he still living with the McCalls? Didn’t his family want to take him in? She didn’t say that — she didn’t want him to leave. Didn’t even want to suggest it.
