Page 90 of You Fall First

I turn to face him with a half smirk, half smile. “Greetings, old man.”

He flashes me his trademark crooked grin. “How are things going with my guy, Noah?”

“What do you mean?” I blurt.

“Whoa.” He quirks a brow. “You’re a little jumpy, Jojo.”

“Am I?” My cheeks flush at my overreaction. Then again, this is my older brother, and his guy Noah saw me in a towel today. “I don’t think I’m jumpy. Why are you asking about Noah?”

“I just heard you might be staying over at his place,” Dex says. “And I wanted to see how Dutton’s doing.”

“Ah, right.” I’m not surprised Dex already found out about me and my … duffel bag. News in this family spreads faster than wildfire. Landry probably told Kendal, who told Sayla, who told Dex. Or something like that. “I guess you heard he begged me to sleep over last night.”

“Yeah, poor kid. Must be rough.”

“Anyway, that’s all this is. Starting tonight, I’ll be staying over there for Dutton’s sake. But only because he wants me to,” I add. “And only until Paige comes. Then I’ll go home again. Well, back to Mom and Dad’s.” I let out a staccato laugh. “Because that’s where I live.”

“Yeah, I know.” Dex pauses for a beat, peering down at me. “Hey. Are you all right, Jojo?”

Good question. Why am I losing my grip? Is it Dex? Dutton? Noah? Oliver? Ugh.

“I think I’m just hungry.” I offer up a small, apologetic smile. “Plus Mom and Dad always throw me off with all the jokes and the tears and the farts.”

Dex chuckles. “You and everyone else.”

“I do love the family chaos, though.”

“Yeah, me too.” He glances around, rubs his beard. “Actually, have you seen Sayla lately?”

I snort. “Wait. Because I mentioned chaos?”

“Coincidence,” he says.

At the same time, Kendal returns with TJ, who’s happily sucking down a bottle. “Should we wrangle the big kids into chairs, or let them eat under the table? Personally, I vote for under. Landry did say tonight’s casual.”

“Works for me.” I glance back at the corner where the kids have been playing. Except only four feet are visible under the tablecloth now.

Dutton’s tiny loafers have disappeared.

“Do you know where Dutton went?”

“I thought he was with Wally and Rowan.”

Dex and I rush over to peer under the table, but sure enough, he’s gone.

“He’s not here,” I blurt, biting back a wave of fear.

“There are a bunch of us here,” Dex says. “He didn’t just disappear. We’ll find him, Jojo.” He takes off to rally the troops, while I try not to fall apart.

How do actual parents do this?

Don’t panic. Don’t panic. Don’t panic.

I spin around, heart pounding, as the double doors to the kitchen swing open, and Oliver blows into the dining room in a suit.

I grab the sleeve of his jacket. “Have you seen Dutton?”

“Who?”