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“Um. Okay.” I let out a soft laugh. “What time is he going to be here?”

She glances at the clock on her bedside table.

“Probably soon. He was only ninety minutes out last we spoke and that was over an hour ago.”

“Should we go down and see if your mom needs any help?”

“She’d probably appreciate that.” She slaps on a quick coat of lip gloss before standing. “I hope you’re ready for tonight. Things can get a bit interesting when all of us kids are together.”

“You forget I visited Maisie two weeks ago. You can’t get much crazier than her house. I swear every neighborhood kid takes up a second residence there.” I knock my hip into hers as she passes me in the doorway.

“That is very true. I guess in comparison, this will probably be a very boring evening.”

“I highly doubt that,” I murmur under my breath as she heads down the hall with me following a few feet behind.

I highly doubt that indeed...

Chapter Three

River

Pulling into the driveway of my parents’ house, I bring my car to a stop directly behind Dalton’s SUV. Truth be told, I’m surprised he’s here already. He’s pathologically late. Always has been. When he married his wife, Avery, we thought maybe that would change, but unfortunately, she’s just as bad as he is. Once they started having kids, forget about it. My mom began telling them the start time to any event was an hour earlier than it was just so they would arrive remotely on time, which could very well be what she did tonight.

Shifting into park, I kill the engine, grabbing my cell out of the center console before exiting the car. This is the first time in two weeks I’ve been off work before six, and while I’m glad for it, I wish I could be going home instead of having to deal with my family for the next two or three hours.

It’s not that I don’t like my family. I do. In fact, as far as families go, mine’s a pretty good one to have. I’ve just been so busy with this new job that I’ve barely had a few minutes of downtime, and it’s starting to wear on me. I’ve been assured that things will slow down, but right now we’re dealing with a major security breach, and let’s just say they wasted no time throwing me headfirst into the fire.

Not that I mind much. Work is about the only thing I have going for me right now.

Whose fault is that?My inner voice taunts me.

Shaking off the stress clawing at my spine like sharp nails ripping through skin, I climb the two steps onto the porch and then tug open the front door, a familiar smell enveloping me the second I step inside.

Mom made my favorite—stuffed bell peppers. I’d recognize the scent anywhere.

A smile touches my lips as I close the door and turn toward the kitchen, my steps abruptly coming to a stop at the sight of someone I wasnotexpecting to see sitting next to my sister at the dining room table located just to the left of the kitchen.

Charlotte O’Malley.

Fuck me.

“River!” Lyric jumps up the instant she spots me, crossing the small space to throw her arms around my middle, and squeezes tightly.

I instantly feel guilty.

Summer break is already half over and in just over a month, she’ll be heading back to Virginia, and I’ve barely spent any time with her while she’s been home.

“Hey, sis.” I squeeze her back, releasing her when I feel little arms close down around my leg.

“There’s my girl.” I lean down and swoop up my youngest niece, Lacy, who just recently turned two. Nuzzling my face into her neck, she squeals out in laughter.

“Wiver.”

“Wacy,” I say back in my best toddler impression, very aware of the bright green eyes burning holes into the side of my face.

I can’t believe Lyric didn’t mention that Charlotte was here. Then again, I haven’t spoken to her in a few days, so I guess she really didn’t have the chance. And why would she feel the need to reach out specifically when as far as she knows, I shouldn’t care if she has a friend over.

Only in this case, I do care. I care very fucking much.