“Bro, you look great tonight. Thanks for all these years. Soon you won’t have to worry about me at all. Once I finish promoting Claire’s ‘perfect teeth,’ I’m heading to Paris, France for further study.”

“What? That far? You never mentioned this. So sudden—will Mom be okay with it?”

Ryan’s expression looked pained, but his voice stayed unnaturally cheerful. As soon as he heard his own words, he clapped a hand over his mouth—then bit down hard on his own lip!