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Stepping into her parents’ house, Miranda set her shoulders. She needed to sort this out. “Mom, I need to ask you to watch Rebel.”

“Are you sure?”

Miranda had known they’d put up a fight about it, but she needed the time. She nodded. “Yes. I’m on call. It’s going to be a late night, too. It might be easier if she just stays the night here.”

Let them deal with the three-hour nap.

“Miranda, she’s your responsibility.”

“Actually, no, she’s not. Because Tierney couldn’t be the decent parent to make sure everything was taken care of.” She knew she was being cruel, but she was worn down and tired of running around and doing her bidding. “I need to go out tonight, which means I need you to watch Rebel. Be the grandparents you should be.”

Miranda dropped the diaper bag from daycare with the extra clothes and everything in it at the front door. She kissed Rebel’s pudgy cheeks and walked out of the house and back out into the rain.

“I’ll get her in the morning.” She just needed one night to get her head on straight and figure out how to solve this problem.

Miranda left the house, her mother too stunned to protest. They knew how to get hold of her if there were any disasters. They’d kept Rebel overnight before, although it had been when she was a baby and easier to watch. Slipping behind the wheel, Miranda clenched her jaw. She wasn’t going to let Tori get away with this lie. Not without a good explanation for it.

seventeen

The knocking startled her. Tori was instantly tense as she stared at her apartment door, knowing exactly who was on the other side. She should have known better than to lie. Miranda was too smart to be duped by a simple lie like that, or really any lie. The question remained, however, did she want to answer?

Four sharp raps echoed.

Fine.

She didn’t really have another choice, did she? Miranda knew she was home. Leaving her phone on the side table, Tori stood up and took her time going to the door. She flicked the locks and bolstered herself for the firestorm she had created.

Miranda was soaked.

Her clothes were drenched. Her hair hung limply against her head and shoulders. Her makeup was smeared. If Tori didn’t know better, she’d say she’d been crying. But this was Miranda. She wouldn’t cry, not over some woman she had fucked and left.

Tori gritted her teeth, standing in the doorway to prevent Miranda from coming in. She wasn’t sure how this entire debacle was going to go, but she wanted as much control from the start as she could muster.

“You have a lot of explaining to do.” Miranda’s eyes widened with her accusation. Perhaps she was surprised by her own outburst of anger.

“I didn’t want to see you tonight.” Honesty. That should have been what she started and ended with, and it was her own stupid mistake for doing anything but. “I’m sorry I lied. I panicked, and I should have been better than I was.”

Miranda seemed to stop cold. Her chest heaved, which meant her breasts pushed against the white, now sheer fabric of her blouse. Tori swallowed hard. They weren’t going to do this again. She had to keep reminding herself of that.

“You lied to me about having Harley.”

“I did, and for that, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have, and I know I hurt you in the process of trying to protect myself. That’s my own fault.”

Again, Miranda seemed stumped. Was she not expecting Tori to apologize? Frowning, Tori held the handle of the door and stayed put.

“This is absurd.”

“I agree,” Tori said truthfully. “I’ll talk to you later, Miranda.”

Just as she went to shut the door, Miranda flung her hand out, smacking it against the door and pushing it open. She cocked her head to the side, her eyes wild. “No, I’m not done yet.”

“I am.”

“No.” Miranda straightened her shoulders, but she didn’t step into the apartment, keeping that boundary line firmly in place. Her breathing was rapid, her lips slightly parted as she stared Tori down. “You lied to me. That’s the first thing I’m ticked about.”

“I did.” Tori took a deep breath. How many times were they going to go through this? And what was the second thing?

“I saw Siena today, and she knew—” Miranda’s voice broke. She gathered herself before continuing, “What did you tell her?”