Page 58 of You Fall First

She returns to the stove and places the pans in the sink to soak while they eat. This is a routine she’s repeated thousands of times, rising before dawn to cook breakfast for the family, getting that particular labor of love out of the way before heading to her actual job. People come before work for her, always.

“How did you end up watching Dutton?” she asks, shutting off the faucet, turning to face me.

“I told Paige I’d help Noah out while she’s stuck in New York. Paige is Noah’s sister. Dutton’s mother.”

“Oh, I remember.” Her lips quirk. “And how long’s this arrangement supposed to last?”

“Just until Paige is cleared to fly,” I say. “I’ll probably be gone a lot over the next couple of weeks, though.”

“Thanks for the heads-up.” She wipes her hands on a dish towel.

Meanwhile, my dad grunts, his head still stuck in the fridge. “Are we out of cream cheese?”

“Outside fridge,” she says.

“Right.” He snaps his fingers and disappears into the garage. My mother grabs the salt and pepper, then takes them to the kitchen table. The Happiness is a Choice picture is like a neon sign above her, reminding me of my parents’ Saturday morning routine.

Ugh.

“I almost forgot,” I say, wiping that memory from my brain. “Can I borrow your picnic basket?”

“A picnic?” She drops into a chair. “That sounds like fun.”

“Dutton’s really missing his mom right now, so we want to fill his day with as much good stuff as possible.”

She arches a brow. “We?”

“Noah and me.”

“Yes. I got that.” Her smile is wry. “He seems like a good man.”

“He is,” I say, perhaps too quickly.

“He and your brother have gotten pretty close this past year, huh?”

“Yep.” I let out a snort. “For some reason, Noah puts up with him.”

She plucks a napkin from the dispenser and spreads it on her lap. “How does Dex feel about you and Noah spending time together?”

“It’s not like that.” I squint at her. “I’m just there for Dutton.”

She bobs her head, still smiling. “If you say so.”

“I do say.” My throat heats. “And Dex gave Noah my number, so he’s obviously okay with me helping out a mutual friend.”

“That’s very nice of you, Jojo.” She squirts ketchup onto the edge of her plate. “Friends are so important.”

I let out a shaky laugh. “I feel like there’s something you’re not telling me.”

“I don’t think so, no.”

“Are you worried about Dex? Me? Noah?”

She takes a fork to her eggs. “Who says I’m worried?”

“You’re just being … weird.”

“Am I?”