Dash made a sound Slate couldn’t quite identify—something between a laugh and a gasp. Then he practically launched himself at his sister. In two strides, he’d reached her and hugged her off her feet. “Mermaid! When did you get home? And why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because seeing this smile is so much better.” She squeezed him back, and Slate wished he could capture their joy. “Look at you. You’re taller than the last time I saw you.”
“I haven’t grown since I was sixteen.”
“Are you sure? You look different.” She pulled back enough to look at him properly and tapped a finger to her chin. After a second, she gave a fake look of shock. “I know—you look happy! Must be the small-town air.”
Dash was grinning so hard his face had to hurt. Slate had seen him smile before—had made him smile—but this was different. This was unguarded joy, the kind that didn’t know how to hide itself.
The grandparents stood behind Dash and Meredith, beaming like they’d won the lottery. Which, under the circumstances, they had. Slate trotted down the stairs to greet them. “Thank you for coming—and for this.” He swept his hand behind him. “I imagine that was what he was like before things went bad.”
“Not really,” Millicent said with a knowing smile. “They fought like siblings when they were kids. Then it was them against the world. This is what they’ve become now that they’re both free of the anger.”
“I like this version.” Morten glanced over Slate’s shoulder. “And I’d say they do too.”
Dash and Meredith were still standing in the doorway, his arm around her shoulders, her hand gripping his wrist like she needed to confirm he was real. They were talking over each other and wore thousand-watt smiles that could power the manor for a year.
“—you said you’d be back in November for?—”
“—changed my plans. I wanted to see the haunted house and?—”
“—could have told me?—”
“—more fun this way, Doc.”
“Ugh.” Dash groaned. “You promised not to use that anymore.”
“I promised no such thing.” Meredith locked her gaze on Slate. “My little brother has good taste. You’re cuter in person, Slate.”
“I hope not,” Slate said, trying not to smile at Dash’s red cheeks. “I paid a fortune for that webcam to capture my good side.”
“How about we go inside and not leave Grandma and Grandpa standing outside?” Dash said.
“Look at you being all grown up.” Her smirk was pure evil. “Should I call you Morten now too?”
“I hate you,” he said, but never let go of her arm.
“Didn’t Gran teach you not to lie? You know you love me.” She turned with a grin Slate already knew meant trouble was coming. “Did you know he talks about you constantly? It’sdisgusting. Grandma’s exact words were ‘nauseating in the best way.’”
“Grandma said no such thing,” Millicent said in a voice that dulled Meredith’s vibe a little. “IknowI taught you not to tell lies.”
“She was thinking it,” Meredith whispered to Slate.
Dash finally disengaged from his sister to greet his grandparents. His hugs weren’t quite as fierce as the one he gave his sister, but they conveyed the same feelings. “You two are sneaky. Just ‘wanted to come for a visit.’ Remind me to never trust that again.”
Despite his words, he didn’t sound upset.
“Worth it to see your reaction,” Morten said. “How are you, boy?”
“Amazing.” He briefly hugged them again. “Thank you.”
An arm snaked around Slate’s waist as he watched Dash and his grandparents. Meredith pulled him closer. “Thank you, Slate.” She swallowed hard. “I love him so much. It hurt to see him wall off the person he was before our shitty parents decided being shitty to each other wasn’t enough. He took most of the nastiness trying to shield me. Hearing the old Dash when I’d called… I had to come meet you.”
She turned the side hug into a full one, which Slate returned.
“And if you tell him I didn’t come just to see him,” she whispered in his ear, “I’ll deny everything.”
Slate laughed to hold back the tears. “I didn’t hear anything.”
