Page 61 of Starry with a Chance of Nightshade

Peggy nodded her head to Stratton, then at me.

He stepped closer to me.

Unable to help myself, I pulled my arms free from Faye and Angela and went at a man I barely knew, seeking comfort.

Stratton opened his arms and I almost hugged him, stopping at the last second. A small, shaky laugh came from me. “As much as I want to be held by you right now, your shirt is full of coffee.”

He began unbuttoning it, and I yelped.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“Getting rid of my coffee-soaked shirt,” he stated clearly.

“Stop,” I said, touching his arm lightly.

Faye and Angela were still close by.

“Ignore her,” said Faye. “You should take off your wet shirt.”

Angela nodded. “And your undershirt if it’s wet too.”

“Yes, Marcy, you did just hear Jeffrey’s mom trying to get Stratton to undress,” said Dana into her phone. She grinned at us. “Marcy is demanding I record this if Stratton shows his abs.”

“Now I’m the one who is going to hurl,” said Jeffrey.

Dana looked at me. “Marcy wants me to tell you that she and my father have too many spare rooms to count and that if you’re not going to take Stratton up on his offer to stay with him, then you’re welcome at the Van Helsing estate. And so is Stratton. But, if you decide you’re staying at…the funeral home,” said Dana, the phone still pressed to her ear, “then Stratton will be staying there too with you. Hold up, that big old haunted house is a funeral home?”

Jeffrey snorted. “Yes. Itwas.”

Dana glanced at me, still gripping the phone. “I second my vote for you to stayanywherebut there. Heck, take Marcy up on her offer to stay out at the Van Helsing estate.”

“Who is Marcy?” I asked, wondering if she was also a cousin of Austin, Brian, and Elis or if they’d finally run out of them.

“Another hippie chick,” said Peggy. “You’ll love her. And if she’s insisting you be close to Stratton no matter what, then trust me, you should be close to him. No one is going to argue with her on it—least of all you. See, we take care of our own here in Grimm Cove.”

“To avoid confusion,” said Yolanda, “Grandma is counting you, Astria, as one of us.”

I touched my chest, where the pendant and the ring were hidden under my shirt. Additional tears eased out. “Please stop being so nice to me. I’m not worthy of all this kindness.”

“I call bullshit. So does Marcy.” Dana pressed a button on her phone and held it out. “You’re on speaker, Marcy. Astria can hear you now.”

“Oh goodie,” said a woman with a voice that radiated peace. “Hi, Astria, I’m so happy you’refinallyhere in Grimm Cove. I’ve been waiting for you for three months. Felt like you’d never get here.”

Thoroughly confused, I simply stared at the phone. “Do I know you?”

“Not yet,” said Marcy. “But you will. We’re going to be really good friends. In fact, you’ll be like a sister to me, Dana, and Poppy.”

“Poppy?” I echoed, lost in the conversation with the woman.

“You’ll meet her soon enough,” said Marcy. “She’s going to love you too. And you already met Dana. You and Dana are a lot alike. She’s got a tough exterior too. Just like you.”

I wiped my cheeks, feeling anything but tough.

“This time will be different, Astria,” said Marcy tenderly. “You were called here for a reason. This is where you need to be.”

“Called here?” I asked, wondering how much she really knew.

“Yeppers. So were your friends. They’ll be here soon too,” she said dismissively. “Now, about our lunch plans today.”

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