Page 36

“Can you ground me to my room, please?”

“Oh, come on, Sadie Bug. You know we just love to tease you.” Delaney took her hand, pulling her down to the couch beside her again. She took hold of Sadie’s hand as she looked into her eyes. “But, in all seriousness, I need you to know you can always tell us anything, okay? The good, the bad, and the ugly. Okay?”

Sadie nodded.

“Let me hear you say it.”

“Okay.”

“Thank you.” Smirking, Delaney framed Sadie’s face with her hands and kissed her forehead. “I love you, kid.”

“I love you too.”

After heading out to dinner at their favorite Mexican restaurant, Sadie was thankful to have the rest of the night alone. She needed time to process the fact that not only did Charlie want her and Abigail towork things out, but she and Delaney also seemed to know Sadie liked Ellie. How? It wasn’t like they were always around each other making googly eyes at each other.

Sighing, Sadie plopped down on the bed and pulled up her text thread with Ellie. The two rarely texted; in fact, the last message was from months ago when Sadie was carpooling to an event at Mason’s work with the Mackenzies. She held her phone over her head as she typed out a message.

Sooooo. Abigail posted that picture on my gym locker and Charlie found it.

She added an emoji of a skull for dramatic effect. And was delightfully giddy when she saw three gray dots bounce along her screen.

Shut up no she didn’t. That bitch. I hate her.

I have to learn to love her. Charlie wants us to work out our differences.

Sadie searched for the perfect emoji to add, choosing a side eye one that looked unamused.

That blows!!!! Ugh!!!! I’m so sorry.

For a few moments, Sadie was frozen with her thumbs poised over the keyboard. Anything she thought about typing sounded so dumb. But she didn’t want the conversation to end.

And apparently, neither did Ellie.

Aside from Abigail the witch, how was your day?

Sadie rolled over onto her stomach as she smiled.

It’s better now,she sent with a winking face before she could overthink it.

Good.Ellie’s response came back with a matching winking face. And three dots bounce along the screen again.What are you doing Wednesday night?

Nothing that I know of. Why?

Sadie’s heart was nearly beating out of her chest as she anxiously anticipated whatever Ellie’s next message might contain. She was so nervous she rolled off the bed and began pacing the floor. Of course, her anxiety was heightened by the fact Ellie seemingly kept typing, then deleting, then typing again.

“Come on,” Sadie whined as she nervously bounced from one foot to the other. Finally, her phone dinged.

Would you want to hang out tomorrow? We can grab dinner or see a movie or whatever. The play is Friday and I’d rather hang out with you than stress that I’ve forgotten every single one of my lines.

Sadie’s eyes honed in on two words: hang out.

Not that she was expecting Ellie to ask her out on a date. She wasn’t. Not exactly. Buthanging outmade it seem as if her place in the friend zone was solidified. Regardless, Sadie wasn’t going to say no.

I’d love to. You pick the time and place and I’m there.

Chapter 13

Ellie