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Goddamn, kids get excited about McDonald’s. Got to give that clown one thing, he knows how to target a vulnerable audience. Any other middle-aged man wearing a clown costume and luring kids in with toys and music and sugar would be arrested, but not good old Ronald.

As we pulled into the parking lot, Crista and Dylan were literally bouncing out of their seats. Well, Crista was anyway, because she knew how to unlatch her seat belt.

I noticed my phone flashing as I switched off the ignition. At first I figured it was Mom or Aunt Linda but—but! It was Will! Finally, finally, finally.How are the Brussels sprouts?

I checked the time stamp. The message came through fifteen minutes ago. It was a reasonable time lapse. I tooka quick snap of the McDonald’s sign and sent it to him, along with the text,Wouldn’t know:(

Before I’d even gotten to the back door to let Dylan out, my phone started buzzing.

“Where are you?” Will asked as soon as I answered.

“Uh, McDonald’s. Nice family restaurant. Have you never heard of it?”

“Whyare you at McDonald’s? Did your house burn down or something?”

“Ooh, close. Actually, we had a bit of an incident with Aunt Linda. Everyone’s at the hospital.”

“Shit. Is she okay?”

“Yeah, for now. Just we’ve been there since the crack of dawn, and the kids were hungry, so… we ditched for food.”

There was a brief pause, then: “Come here.”

“What do you mean? Where are you?” The first, wild thought that came into my head was that Will was also at McDonald’s somehow.

“My house. Seriously, it’s overflowing here, all my cousins came up. We’ve had to move things outside with, like, three tables. But our back porch is enclosed, and we’ve got heaters, so you wouldn’t even be cold. Kane would love to see Crista. I told him she lives nearby and he’s always asking to see her. We have so much food, justsomuch, it’s ridiculous, you have no… am I babbling?”

I grinned to myself and leaned against the car door. From the inside, Crista banged against the window with a closed fist. “Kind of.”

“Yeah, I thought I might be. I’m a bit nervous. Because I’m not sure if you still hate me a little.” He laughed. “But if you don’t… seriously. Please don’t say you’re busy now that I’ve asked you to come over, because that’d be reallyembarrassing for me. Sorry to put you on the spot, but, for real.”

There was no way this was real. Never in a million years had I expected this. I tipped my head back and let it hit the car. I wanted to say yes. So badly. “The kids really wanted McDonald’s.”

“So tell them you forgot it’s illegal to eat McDonald’s on Thanksgiving. You’d barely be lying. It should be illegal.”

Eurgh. He was making it so easy. Way too easy. “Don’t you live out of town?”

“Twenty minutes, max. I’ll text you the address.”

“I’d have to check with their parents.”

“They remember me, don’t they? It’s not like I’m a stranger.”

“Still.”

“Yeah, still. Look, ask them, then if you’re out of excuses send me a text to give me an E.T.A., okay?”

“Okay.”

“It sounds like you’re smiling.”

“I’m not.” I smiled.

“I’ll see you soon, then.”

He hung up on me before I had time to change my mind.

I looked inside the car. Crista shrugged up at me, splaying her hands out like a sassy thirteen-year-old. Dylan was still wriggling in his car seat, tapping his hands on his knees.