A Reborn Bride Pearl Emerging from Dust by Sally Garcia

"Callie likes this! Let's grab a couple more."

"Oh, she loves these too!"

"Callie, want some strawberries?"

"Callie, how about some blue cheese?"

Quentin and the guys couldn't stop talking about Calliope. Every time they reached for something at the grocery store, their first thought was whether Calliope would like it. It didn't even cross their minds to think about what they liked.

Meanwhile, Calliope was busy picking out snacks she knew her brothers enjoyed.

It was obvious they really cared about each other.

Ulysses watched from down the aisle, feeling a twinge of jealousy.

Calliope was so sweet to them, and they were just as thoughtful in return. Honestly, they looked more like her real brothers than he and the others ever did.

And that stung. Especially because, deep down, Ulysses knew that those brothers might really be better for her than he was. It left a sour taste in his mouth, like he couldn't shake the feeling that Calliope belonged with them. Maybe she was supposed to, and he and his group were just... outsiders.

he spotted her

Horatio muttered, brows knitting as he

had expected to run into

saw Calliope, her expression soured. Especially when she noticed how Valerian and the others couldn't seem to look away from Calliope, all of them suddenly far too interested

at the supermarket too, huh..." Lisette said, her tone

she was oh-so busy. Didn't even bother

having time but just not wanting to be with them for

those guys who aren't even family, than her

if she felt sorry for Valerian and the

Lisette a look,

turn, a flicker of surprise in her eyes when she recognized them. What were the

glanced at Lisette, then at Horatio and the rest, giving a polite little

really her brothers. Maybe if they'd treated her differently when she was younger, she'd

for them as a kid had

once, well, Calliope had only become more disappointed in them. Finding out they

her blood relatives? That was almost a relief. She didn't we them anything anymore. Notove, no

idea Calliope