“Everything okay?” I ask, drying off.
She nods, a little too quickly.
“Yeah, just Ivy’s mom making sure I’m on the way.”
She tosses the phone onto the bed like she’s done with it, like it doesn’t matter.
Then looks back at me.
“I can drive you,” I say as we get dressed.
She looks up, surprised.
“You don’t have to.”
“Let me rephrase—I’m driving you. Like it or not.”
“Okay.” Her expression softens. “Thank you.”
I grab my keys off the dresser. “Let’s roll.”
Chapter Thirty-One
CASSIE
By the time we get to Jackson’s place, the sun’s starting to dip, but the heat hasn’t let up.
Ivy’s mom is already there, standing in the kitchen with a bottle in one hand and a laundry list in the other.
“Okay,” she says quickly. “Ellie already had a snack, Harriet’s probably going to want one soon, bedtime is eight—eight-thirty at the latest—and?—”
“I’ve got it,” I say, smiling. “Seriously.”
She studies me for a second, then nods.
“Alright. Call if you need anything.”
A minute later, she’s gone.
And the house immediately explodes.
“Aunt Cassie!!!”
Ellie barrels into me at full speed, nearly knocking me backward.
“Whoa—hey, hey!” I laugh, catching her.
Behind her, Harriet—Hattie—waddles in, arms up like she expects to be picked up immediately.
I sigh, smiling despite myself.
“Hi, you two.”
Ten minutes later, I’m already tired.
Like,deep in my bonestired.
I glance toward the kitchen where Logan’s standing, half-looking through the fridge like he’s assessing a situation.
