“Okay.”
“You’re the best friend I ever had, Cary.”
He was looking in her eyes. His cheeks dimpled. “You too, Shiloh.”
Shiloh touched his chest pocket. She pulled on his collar.
Cary reached up and touched her cheek. He rubbed the bottom of her chin with his thumb.
The door opened, and Junie sang out, “Welcome hooome!”
Then her eyes got big and her mouth dropped open. It wasn’t an act.
She turned around and ran up the stairs.
Cary looked even more horrified than Junie had. “I’m—”
“Good night,” Shiloh said, hurrying away from him into the house and flinging the door closed behind her.
Her mom was getting off the couch.
“What is Junie doing up?” Shiloh demanded.
“She couldn’t sleep.”
“Why’d you let her open the door!”
“I didn’t! She heard you on the porch and rushed over to let you in.”
Shiloh was already halfway up the stairs. She went into the kids’ room. Junie was on her bed, rolled against the wall. The lights were off.
Shiloh sat on the bed. She touched Junie’s back. “Junie?”
“I don’t want to talk to you, Mommy.”
“Okay.”
Junie was crying. “I don’t want you to do that...”
Shiloh rubbed between her shoulder blades.
“I don’t want you to do that with Cary.”
“I understand,” Shiloh said. She wasn’t going to make any promises—even if they were ones she could easily keep. “I love you, Juniper. I’m sorry I upset you.”
Junie sobbed. “You’re not supposed todothat.”
I am supposed to do that,Shiloh thought. But it wasn’t the right time to argue about it. Her skin was crawling with shame. Her gut was full of it.
“I don’t want Cary to come over again,” Junie said.
“Cary’s going home,” Shiloh said.
“Where does he live?”
“On the ocean.”
Forty-Two
