Seth turned on his stool to come face to face with a lanky teenage boy whose eyes were staring daggers at him. “And who might you be?” he asked. Monica was flustered, that much was obvious as she stepped between the two of them. “Oh my God, Jack, can you not be a jerk right now? Please?” she pleaded. “Just go back to bed.” Jack’s eyes flickered from Monica to Seth and back. “You’ve never brought a boyfriend home before. Did he do that?” he drawled, gesturing to her cheek. “Whoa! No, he’s not my boyfriend, and no, I…ran into a door,” Monica rambled, shaking her head. Her face was flushed red as she turned and gestured to him. “Jack, this is Seth. Seth, this is Jack…my little brother, who was just on his way back to bed. Right, Jack?” There was no missing the way she emphasized the kid’s name. Just observing him for a short time, Seth could already tell Jack was a handful. Probably putting Monica through the wringer daily.
