Page 88

Nodding, Sadie stood. She extended her hand out to Ellie and pulled her to her feet. “So, pizza, hmm?”

“Do you like pizza?”

“Ilovepizza.”

“Good.”

After another kiss, they headed down the stairs and over into the main house. Everyone was gathered around the dining room table already. Ellie couldn’t help but notice how well Sadie seemed to fit into their family during dinner. She noticed it at the Cape, but it was different seeing it happen in the Cove.

Under the table, Sadie had her hand on Ellie’s thigh. It was the first time in her life that Ellie was thankful to be left-handed. Because she could not only eat her pizza comfortably, but she could also hold on to Sadie’s hand under the table.

Across the table, Ellie caught Vera’s gaze and smiled. Her mama winked at her, making Ellie feel more loved than she thought was possible.

As dinner ended and everyone started to head to their own homes, Ellie walked Sadie out to her car.

“Your car is so fancy.”

Sadie rolled her eyes. “It was a birthday gift from my dad to piss my mom off.”

“How so?” Ellie tilted her head slightly.

“Mom didn’t want me to have a new car. She wanted something older because, ya know, teens.” She laughed, but Ellie knew she didn’t find it funny necessarily. “Then Dad bought me a brand-new Mustang and Mom let me keep it.”

“Well, for the record,” Ellie’s smile spread wide on her face, “you lookhotdriving it.”

“Yeah?”

“Totally.”

On the porch, the lights flickered on and off twice. Ellie knew what it meant. After all, she’d been in charge of flipping the switch when Mason was outside with her suitor of the week longer than their parents wanted her to be. And now it would seem it was Ellie’s turn for the signal.

“Is that a sign I should be leaving?”

“Subtle, isn’t it?”

“Totally.”

Ellie leaned in and kissed Sadie once more. “But I should head inside. I don’t want to make them mad.”

“Yeah, I don’t want them to hate me.”

“They wouldn’t hate you.”

“Then you better get inside so we can keep it that way.”

The lights flickered once again, and Ellie’s heart began to race. She was torn between wanting to stay with Sadie longer and not wanting to make her parents mad. In the end, the latter won out.

“I’ll text you tomorrow.”

“Sounds good.”

They shared another kiss before Ellie opened Sadie’s car door for her. She waited until Sadie was out of the driveway before heading inside. Ellie wasn’t surprised to find her parents waiting on her in the living room.

“Sorry,” she grimaced.

“It’s okay, you’re not in trouble.” Isla was sitting on the recliner with her legs hanging off the side of it. “We were just having Mason flashbacks and wanted to relive a memory.”

“Yeah,” Vera chuckled, “it’s been a while since we’ve had to flicker the lights.”