Page 96 of Why Not Now?

Something on my face must make her hesitate because she asks, “What do you want with my son?”

“I just want to get my sister’s belongings from his car.”

She looks behind me to where Lacey sits in my passenger seat. I don’t turn to see what she sees, but her face hardens and she calls for Todd.

When he reaches the door, I have a sudden wish that looks really could kill, because if they could he would be an oily puddle on the floor.

“Todd,” I say. “I’m here for my sister’s jacket and purse, which you drove off with when you left her alone in Queen Elizabeth Park.”

His mother blinks a few times before her expression turns furious. “You did what?”

“I—” His gaze shoots between me and his mother, looking scared now. “I didn’t know her stuff was in the backseat.”

“You thinkthat’swhat the problem is here?” his mother screeches.

“If I could get Lacey’s things?” I ask before the mother can really get into whatever punishment I’m certain she’s going to dole out.

“Keys,” she says, holding out her hand.

Todd digs in his pocket and pulls them out, then she walks me to his car.

“I’m very sorry for what he did. I’m going to talk to him, and I assure you, he’ll be sufficiently punished.”

“I’m sure he will.”

“I wasn’t aware Lacey had a brother.”

“Um.” I hadn’t really been thinking about it when I’d said sister. “I guess I’m kind of her brother-in-law?” I clear my throat and open the back door of the car, grabbing Lacey’s things.

“I see. Well, I’m very sorry about what happened.”

I nod and start toward my car. I don’t have anything more to say to Todd’s mom now that I got what I came for. When I get in, I hand Lacey her purse and jacket and when she goes to remove my coat, I stop her.

“You’re still shivering. Use yours to cover your legs.”

I adjust the heat, then drive to her house, sighing as I realize Lacey has called me instead of her sister again.

“Before I ask this, I need you to understand, I will always drop everything to help you if you need it. But why did you call me instead of Ava?”

“I’m supposed to be grounded. I snuck out while she was at work. I left her a note, telling her where I was,” she adds quickly. “So she wouldn’t be worried. Just mad. Plus, we’ve been fighting since…”

“Since I left yesterday?”

“Yeah.”

After a moment of silence, I say, “Lacey, your sister loves you very much. She would have come to get you as well.”

“I know she would have,” she says, her voice soft.

I stop in front of her house, and we get out of the car. The curtains twitch upstairs and a moment later, the door opens.

“Lacey?” Ava says. “What happened?”

Instead of answering, Lacey just starts crying again. She runs into the house, past her sister and up the stairs.

Ava looks at me. “What happened?”

I shove my hands in my pockets.

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