Iwas still buzzing when I left the rink.
Not derby-practice buzzing.
No, this was Alex-induced buzzing, warm, electric, still tingling across my lips.
My body felt like it was lit from inside, like someone had flipped a switch I’d forgotten existed. Every time I blinked, I saw his smile. Felt his hands. Heard the quiet, hungry sound he made when he kissed me like he’d been waiting years.
I probably shouldn’t drive while this flustered. But Ava was at Becca’s, and the mom part of my brain eventually elbowed the horny-part out of the driver’s seat.
By the time I pulled into the Princes’ driveway, my pulse had almost settled. Almost. Becca was already on the porch, wringing her hands like she was preparing to confess to a felony.
“Oh, thank God you’re here,” she blurted. “Eleanor, I’msosorry.”
I blinked. “Why? What happened?”
“I thought they were fine! They were upstairs in Leo’s room playing with Legos. Very safe. Very supervised . . . or so I thought.. And then I heard water running, and—” She grimacedso hard her whole face folded. “—and I found them in the bathroom.”
My heart did the instant parental free-fall. “Is everyone okay?”
“Yes! Yes. No injuries. No blood. But I’m so sorry, this is entirely my fault, I should have checked sooner?—”
“Becca,” I said gently, putting a hand on her arm. “Whatever happened, it’s fine.”
She made a noise like she deeply doubted that, but stepped aside. I walked inside. And stopped.
Ava sat on the couch, lookingverypleased with herself, hands folded neatly, legs crossed at the ankle, as if she were in a royal portrait sitting.
Her hair, her usually brown, sweet little-girl hair, was now an absolute massacre of blue. Splotchy, streaky, aggressively vibrant in random patches like she’d headbutted an octopus.
Leo sat beside her with the wide-eyed pride of a mad scientist revealing his creation. His hands were stained ocean-blue to mid-wrist. He wiggled his fingers at me.
“Ta-da!”
I stared. A beat. Then I laughed, loud, helpless, the only possible reaction to this level of adorable catastrophe.
Ava lifted her chin, regal. “Do you like it?”
“Oh my gosh,” Becca whispered behind me, horrified. “I’m the worst. I should never be in charge of children again.”
I turned back to her, still laughing. “Becca, it’s fine. She’s fine. They’re both fine. It’s hair dye, not a crime scene.”
“Are you sure?” Becca asked. “Because Leo looks like he committed something. I didn’t even realize that hair dye was still in the bathroom.”
Leo gave me an enthusiastic nod, showing his blue hands. “We practiced transformation magic.”
“Well, you did something,” I said. “And I’m impressed no one’s hair is smoking.”
Ava preened.
“Alright, baby sorceress. Let’s go home and . . . even this out.”
Becca sagged in relief so dramatically that she almost sat down on the floor. “I swear I only looked away for two minutes.”
“Really. You’re fine.” I told her.
She exhaled shakily. “Okay. Text me if you need help getting the blue out.”
I glanced at Ava’s hair, splotchy but undeniably joyful. “Oh, I’m not getting itout.We’re committing now.”
