"Look, both sides got a little out of line. Just drink one as an apology, and we'll put the whole thing behind us."

At some point she'd gone to the living room and come back with a glass of wine. She held it out toward me as she spoke, not bothering to hide the triumph in her eyes.

I gave Claire one cold look, then shifted my gaze to Phil, standing right behind her.

Gone was the irritation he'd just shown me.

Now Phil was smiling, watching Claire's back with an easy, indulgent look—like nothing else in the room even registered.

As if she were the only person in the world who existed for him.

When I said nothing, Claire turned to Phil.

"Sister-in-law's still upset with us. I guess we really did take the joke too far."

"How about this—I'll drink one myself. Don't be mad, sister-in-law. Nobody meant anything by it..."

Before she could finish, Phil had already snatched the glass out of her hand.

"Come on, put that down. Drinking's no good for you."

"Hanging around with us all the time—what, you actually think you're one of the boys now?"

Claire laughed and punched his arm playfully.

"See, only you know how to look after someone."

Phil grinned, tipped the glass back, and drained it in one go.

The two of them carried on like no one else was in the room. I watched them, and all I could think was how laughable it was.

"She's a girl, and I'm not?"

The moment the words left my mouth, the smile on Phil's face froze.

"Irene, don't overthink it, I was just—"

What cut Phil off was the slap I cracked across his face.

Claire grabbed him and pulled him behind her instantly.

"Seriously, Irene? You're going to throw a fit over this? He already said sorry—what more do you want?"

"Phil and I grew up together. He had a drink for me. What's the big deal?"

The groomsmen chimed in one after another.

"Relax, sister-in-law, don't be like that. Claire might as well be a dude to us. We've all been this way since we were kids."

"You and Phil are getting married in three days. After that we're all family. It's nothing. Really, it's nothing."

I couldn't be bothered to waste another second on any of them. I turned and headed for the door.

Phil stepped in front of me.

"I went out of my way to invite every one of them. And you're going to embarrass me in front of—"

He hadn't finished the sentence before I walked straight past him and out of the house.

At the front gate, I pulled out my phone and called my father.