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Excited murmurs broke out among the crowd.

“Can we get it up to seventy-five?” Sophie pleaded. “We’re…we’re so, so close.”

A few volunteers from the crowd rushed up to the stage, handing Otto bills of twenties and hundreds.

Otto counted them as they came in. “Seventy-four,” he said.

Alana and Tess rushed up to the stage, Leo close at her heels. He threaded his fingers with hers and squeezed tightly. She did the same for Tess, the three of them holding their breath.

“I’ve got it!”

The crowd parted as Chris made his way up to the stage. Everyone watched in stunned silence as Chris held out a stack of bills to Otto. Then his eyes met Sophie’s. “A thousand dollars,” he told her.

Her mouth fell open as the crowd exploded in cheers and applause.

Freya snatched the phone from Sophie’s frozen hand and showed their followers the celebration.

Alana jumped up and cheered, throwing herself in Leo’s arms. He laughed, then kissed her on the mouth. Then he kissed her some more. Bear ran up to them and barked at their feet, wagging his tail.

Freya wiped tears from her eyes as she ended the livestream and snatched the microphone. “All right, everyone. All other purchases will go toward their respective businesses tonight. Thank you for defeating Goliath. Thank you for believing in David.”

One last final battle cry echoed across the field.

25

Alana swerved her way through the crowd, offering hugs and free shots of Blanc de Blancs to anyone who wanted a little bubbly to celebrate. She lost Leo in the crowd somewhere, likely trying to wrangle Bear who’d taken off in a sprint when the crowd erupted. She had passed Chris in her walk, paying close attention to his flushed cheeks and polite expression. They stopped in front of one another, not speaking a word. She nodded at him, and he nodded back. Then they went their separate ways. He did save them tonight. Eventually they would have to work out their differences. But she could be patient, especially now that Sophie and her baby were a part of it.

She paused at the porch, noticing Freya sitting by herself. She was leaning back, hands on the porch, eyes on the sky. She had the biggest smile on her face.

Alana shoved her hands in the pockets of her jeans and made her way up the porch steps. She took a seat, ignoring the way Freya’s face hardened at her appearance.

She bumped Freya’s shoulder. “Congratulations.”

She shrugged. “You too, I guess.”

Alana peered at her sister. She looked far too thin for her liking. The bones on her wrists and collarbone were visible, and there was hardly any meat to her thighs. In the stress of trying to make it all happen, she’d completely lost sight of how her sister is doing.

“Frey,” she started. “You look like shit.”

Freya shook her head. “Not now.”

“Why not?”

“Because I want to be happy tonight.” She shook her head again. “I don’t want to deal with your bullshit.”

Alana ignored her request, leaning her elbows on her hands. “What’s going on?”

Freya sighed, rubbing her forehead. “I promise you, I’m okay. This summer was really stressful though. I haven’t been able to keep any of the weight on.”

“Why didn’t you ask for help? I could have helped you.”

Freya’s sucked in a breath, her face slipping into a deeper shade of red. The lids of her eyes narrowed and her brows knitted together as she turned to face her. There was a whole range of complicated feelings happening with her sister, and Alana felt like she couldn’t keep up.

“I don’t want your help,” Freya snipped.

Her face darkened. “But why?”

“Because I don’t trust you, okay?!”