Page 101 of Love Me Dangerous

“Maybe. Tomorrow, though.”

Dad’s expression stays that same steady calm, but there’s emotion behind his eyes, like he can sense the distress churning through my insides. “Okay. Sleep well.”

When he melts into the hallway, I close my door and release a slow breath.

I check my phone one last time, but there’s nothing new from Zach.

Ava’syou’re the strongest person I knowfloats through my mind. It’s true, yet why doesn’t it comfort me?

After a restless sleep,I autopilot through my morning. Dad offers to take Linnie to school instead of riding the bus, and they clamber out the door, bringing in a gust of cold air that tastes of snow.

The thickening clouds sour my mood as I drive to the employee lot and take the bus to Finn River Ranch. Ava’s off today, and I’m partly relieved so I don’t have to listen to her try to cheer me up.

Teague Lennox and Arlo are standing outside the Childcare Center entrance like they’re waiting for me.

“Hey, Sofie,” Mr. Lennox says while Arlo’s face lights up.

“Hi there.” I smile, and it feels genuine.

Arlo practically jumps into my arms. It reminds me a little of when Linnie was little. She still hugs me now, but there’s nothing like the koala-tight hugs from a little human. I squeeze him back as Mr. Lennox beams.

“Any decisions I should know about?” he asks.

I shift Arlo to my hip and give him a wink. “I think that hug sealed the deal.”

“So… you’ll accept the job?”

A minor TV celebrity breezes out of the Childcare Center door dressed in matching yoga clothes, barking orders into her phone.

I turn back to Mr. Lennox, my heart pounding into my throat. Am I really doing this? “I need to clear it with my family.”

“No problem,” Mr. Lennox says.

We head inside, and Mr. Lennox checks Arlo in while I don myapron and get the lay of the land. Three children so far, plus my coworker Dinah. It should be an easy day.

My answer to Mr. Lennox settles in my gut like a brick. It felt good in the moment. A year of Arlo’s hugs and traveling the world with a movie star.

Kirilee and Ava’s words ring in my mind.

Linnie and Dad would be okay for a year. And when it’s over, I would have the money for school.

So why does it feel so hard to say yes?

Later that night, I don’t get a chance to talk to Dad because there’s been a problem bear incident at one of the forest service campgrounds. I make dinner for me and Linn, help her with her homework, and after barn chores, I fall into bed, exhausted.

But sleep doesn’t come. Jesse is leaving tomorrow. In a last-ditch attempt to pull my family together one last time, I invited him to join us for breakfast. Even promising him my famous pancakes. Dad’smaybe it’s okay to let him gorattles around in my mind.

Maybe it is.

The blareof my alarm wakes me from the middle of a bad dream, and I snatch my phone to silence it. But it’s Jesse, calling.

“Fie,” he barks. “Neve OD’d. I think.”

I check the time—it’s 3:17 a.m. “Where are you?”

“The hosp—” His voice cracks. “It’s my fault.” He’s sobbing now. “I never meant?—"

“I’ll be there.” I rush out of bed.

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