Page 52 of Chasing Your Ghost

“You’re right,” Noah murmured. “How did my sixteen-year-old kid sister get so much wiser than me?” he asked with a healthy amount of self-deprecation.

“Maybe it’s her older boyfriend rubbing off on her,” Olivia replied.

Noah gagged. “Ew. Gross. I did not need that mental image.”

“I didn’t mean it that way, you pervert,” Olivia shrieked, looking horrified, and Riley burst out laughing.

Watching the two of them interact was like watching a soap opera: it was ridiculously dramatic and eye-roll-worthy, but it was unbelievably entertaining. So entertaining that Riley forgot about the pain her feet were in from the particularly strenuous ballet class she’d endured earlier that afternoon. She was pretty sure her blisters had blisters, and her Epsom salt foot soak hadn’t seemed to provide much relief.

“So, when do I get to meet Drew?” she asked once they’d all calmed down a bit—Riley from her fit of laughter, Olivia from her horror, and Noah from his nausea.

Olivia tapped her chin, faking thought. “Hm, how about never?”

Riley frowned, hurt by the girl’s reaction. “Why not?”

“Let’s see, maybe because our mom clearly prefers you over me, and you all went off to D.C. without me on a family trip like you forgot I even existed.”

Riley gulped. “Edith doesn’t prefer you over me,” she insisted gently. “Your mom loves you.”

“Whatever,” Olivia muttered. “I just don’t need Drew meeting you and deciding he went after the wrong sister.”

“You really have that little faith in your boyfriend?” Noah asked, looking and sounding angry.

“No,” Olivia corrected him. “I have that little faith in myself.”

“What the fuck?” Noah asked, slamming on the brakes and pulling over on the thankfully quiet suburban road. Once the car had come to a stop, he spun around in his seat to look at his sister. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“It means I’m always second place,” she replied with a shrug as though what she was saying wasn’t completely heart-breaking. Her voice was trembling, though, giving away how hurt she really was.

“You’re not second place to me,” Noah told her. “You’ll always be my first priority.”

Olivia smiled sadly. “Your mom is your first priority, Noah. As she should be.”

“My mom needs me more right now, but you’ll always be my number one girl.”

“And I don’t know if you realized this, but I like Edith a hell of a lot less than I like you,” Riley added. “You’re my favorite Warner by far.”

“Thanks, guys,” she replied, but the sadness lingered in her eyes, and it only lifted when they arrived at Noah’s mom’s house and a skinny and frail woman in a red bohemian dress came out to greet them.

She gave Olivia a long hug and a kiss on the forehead. “I’ve missed you,” she said.

“I missed you too,” the girl replied, a genuine smile plastered to her face.

“And you must be Riley,” the thin brunette woman said after pulling away from Olivia. She looked pale and exhausted, but her smile was broad and her honey-brown eyes were bright, reminding Riley of the first time she’d met a tired-looking Noah.

“That’s me,” Riley replied with a nod. “It’s so nice to finally meet you, Ms…” She trailed off, unsure of the woman’s maiden name.

“Call me Francesca. I’m so glad you came,” the woman said before stepping forward and wrapping her arms around Riley. “Noah’s told me so much about you.”

“Oh, dear. I’m sure it was all terrible,” Riley joked, giving the woman a gentle and careful squeeze.

The woman chuckled, drawing back. “He was outright vicious. You must really be a monster.”

“I aim to please.”

“I think I’m going to like you,” Francesca said, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “Now, why don’t we all go inside and grab a drink? Dinner will be ready in a few minutes.”

“What are we having?” Olivia asked eagerly as she followed the woman inside.

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