A throat clears behind us.
“Who sent what to the wrong address?” Dad asks from the doorway, his arms folded across his chest.
Rowan, the traitor, opens her mouth and starts talking. “Madison sent her neighbor—”
Piper lunges across the kitchen island and clamps a hand over Rowan’s mouth.
“Flowers!” Noah shouts over them, stepping forward.
Dad narrows his eyes. “Treadmill guy?”
I finish my death glare at Rowan and turn to him, plastering on the face I use for client meetings and family interrogations. “Yep.”
He nods, walks over, and presses a kiss to my forehead. “Proud of you, baby girl.”
My brows pinch. “For what?”
“For being the bigger person. Letting that guy see he’s getting to you would just… get him off.”
There’s a beat, and then the entire room explodes.
“Oh my God, Dad,” Piper chokes, doubled over, her hand still half-covering Rowan’s face.
Noah leans against the fridge. “What the fuck.”
Rowan looks impressed. “Did you mean to make that joke?”
Dad glances around like we’ve all lost it. “What? I’m just saying, don’t give him the satisfaction. Orgasms aside.”
Piper nearly dies.
“You kids could never whisper for shit,” he tells us.
I look up at the ceiling.
Whatever entity is on the other side, please take me away.
Rowan starts slow-clapping. “Wow. That’sincredible. Did Mom hear that? Someone tell Mom.”
“Don’t you dare,” I warn.
Dad shrugs, already retreating through the doorway. “My children are strange.” We hear him cross the living room, then pause. “Our children are strange,” he says fondly to Mom.
“I know they are, honey,” Mom replies, her voice soft.
Her hand is in his hair. There’s a dish towel on her shoulder, a crumble in the oven, and that clear look in her eyes I wish I could bottle.
It doesn’t help the rock in my chest.
There are only so many good days, but we got one today.
I’ll take it.
The kitchen settles into a hush, like the energy’s shifted and we all felt it.
Piper slides onto one of the barstools, kicking her feet lightly against the legs. “She looks good today.”
Rowan nods. “Really good.”
