“I’m not sure how I feel about my personality being dissected this way,” I interject.
Ellenor shoots me a sharp look. “Stay out of this, Brandon. This doesn’t concern you.”
“Actually,” Lily-Anne says, “the Sorting Hat takes preferences into consideration.”
“Good point. Care to weigh in, Brando?”
I stand, brushing off my trousers. “Much as I’m enjoying being psychoanalysed by Hogwarts standards, I’m going inside to get dinner started.”
Ellenor blocks my path. “No—I’mmaking lasagne. And yes, you’re welcome.” She flashes a brief smile. “You’regoing to stay here with Lily-Anne and finish that book.”
“The whole thing before dinner?” I ask dryly.
“Did I stutter?”
“Don’t you want a hand in the kitchen?” Lily-Anne offers, but Ellenor shakes her head.
“Absolutely not. I need you speed-reading if you’re going to have any chance of getting through the first four books by Sunday. If I’d known you were slacking off—”
“First four books?” Lily-Anne asks. “What happened to five?”
“I amended the goal. No one can accuse me of being unreasonable.”
Lily-Anne rolls her eyes. “Of course not—”
“Hold on,” I interrupt. “What’s happening this Sunday?”
It will be the morning after her gig with Jack, but I don’t remember any plans being made. Did they assume I’d book something? Because, frankly, I’m running out of ideas. I’ve already seen more of Kent in the space of a few short weeks than I have in my entire life.
The only trip planned for this week is Whitstable Castle. We’re going on Friday because Lily-Anne asked if we could attend the creative workshop. I agreed straight away, realising too late I was signing myself up for making hanging baskets.
So I’ve kept the weekend free of plans. If I’m going to be expected to weave flowers into baskets on Friday, I think I’m entitled to a quiet one at home.
The sisters exchange a look.
“What is it?” I prompt.
Lily-Anne tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, avoiding my eyes. “We’ve, um…decided to head off on our road trip. We’ll be moving out Sunday morning.”
The words hit like a wave of cold water, rendering me speechless.
“Sorry,” she adds quickly. “I should’ve said something sooner. We only talked about it this morning. It’s not quite set instone—”
“Itisset in stone,” Ellenor cuts in. “I already bought the tickets for the Warner Bros. Studio Tour in London.”
“I told you to wait until I spoke to Brandon,” Lily-Anne hisses.
“And I toldyouthat you cannot buy tickets at the door. And slots were filling up fast.”
“Really? Slots were filling upthatfast? Why are you always in a hurry to do everything?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Why are you always in a hurry to do nothing?”
“Are you forgetting it’s my birthday on Sunday?” Ellenor asks, crossing her arms with a smug smile.
By the flicker of surprise on Lily-Anne’s face, shehasforgotten, but she doesn’t fold. “We still should have talked about it properly—”
“Wedidtalk about it. And we decided.”
