JANE
She says she can’t spare it.
Lizzy blinked down at her phone. No, that couldn’t be right. Their mother rarely drove anywhere except to the bakery or Donna’s. How could she not spare it? But then Lizzy remembered who they were talking about. Nothing was beyond the realm of possibility where Joanne Bennet was concerned.
LIZZY
What’s her excuse?
JANE
She said she has errands? She offered to drop me off herself, though, so she could officially meet the Pierces… not sure I’m ready for that yet.
JANE
No worries if you can’t!
I can call Marv!
LIZZY
Wait right there. I’ll be home in 5.
She turned back to Tristan. “Sorry, minor emergency at home. Rain check?”
“Of course,” he said. He bowed his head and when he brought it back up again, another cheeky grin was on his lips. “I’m looking forward to it.”
Hank clapped his hands proudly again. “Synergy!”
“I can’t believe she wouldn’t just let you have the car,” Lizzy murmured, gripping the wheel of her truck tightly as she turned it down Lily Pond Lane.
Jane sighed as she checked her makeup in the visor’s cracked mirror again. “It’s not a big deal. I could’ve called Marv.”
“Marv doesn’t drive in the rain, Jane.”
“Oh. Right.” Jane blinked, then snapped the visor back up again. “Well, it all worked out. Worst-case scenario I had to walk, and you do it all the time.”
“Not right before a hurricane.”
“It’s not a hurricane. It’s a tropical storm.”
Lizzy rolled her eyes. “I’ll make sure to remind you of that when you drown in the middle of Main Street.”
When they reached the break in the hedges near the end of the lane, Lizzy turned down the long drive toward the house while Jane began fidgeting with the frayed string at the bottom of her bag. By the time she threw the truck into park outside the front door, Lizzy thought she might unravel the entire thing.
“Ready?” she asked carefully.
Jane nodded, her wide eyes locked on the house.
“Do you want me to walk you up?” Lizzy asked.
Jane shook her head as a weary smile tugged at her mouth. “I can handle it from here.”
“I know, but I can just say hi.”
“Lizzy.”
“Let them know about the storm. What to do if the roads close. Or—”
