Page 29 of Since Always

"I'm sure. But it will be fine. This party is such a well-oiled machine you could leave now, until after it's over, and it would end up turning out fine. Just take a breath, and trust the planners and the caterers; they know what they're doing."

"People are going to talk about him all night. They always do." She fiddles with a paper on the counter. "Not that I don't enjoy talking about him..."

"I get it. You'll change the subject. It's okay to do that. He wouldn't want you to be sad tonight."

"Who? Dad?" a bright voice says from the doorway. Cassidy walks into the room in her pajamas, her hair in a sloppy mess on her head and her eyes puffy from sleep. My stomach flips at her appearance.

Goddamn it.

"He would definitely not want you to be sad tonight." She walks beside her mom and kisses her on the head before heading towards the coffee machine.

"I know. You guys don't worry. I'm just having a moment. They happen. I'll be fine. You'll see what a kick-ass party your mom is going to throw tonight."

"Mom?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't say kick-ass. No one says that anymore."

"What?" Jessica says, pulling away in mock horror. "Are you saying I'm...I'm old? Owen? Did you know about this? Is kick-ass dead?"

Cass scoffs. "I mean, I don't why you are asking him. Owen is both old and uncool. You're at least just old."

I almost spit out my mouthful of coffee. The two women laugh. God help me.

"What are you guys all doing today?" Jessica asks a little while later, after Chris has joined us for breakfast. We have about an hour until she yells at us to get out of the house, so I know this question has a double meaning.

"Remember that band, 'Five Strangers'? They are playing today at a beer festival at the Powder Club," Chris says. "O and I are going over there. Lil' C? You coming with us?"

She shakes her head. "I'm supposed to meet up with everyone at the Treeline. They are doing après there."

"Oh, screw them. Come with us. We only have a couple more days here. Let's go and day drink to celebrate your birthday early. When am I going to see you the next time?"

She rolls her eyes at him in the way only someone her age can get away with. "I mean, one: you're going to see me on my birthday. Two: my birthday is two months away. And three: I've seen you every day, since a week before Christmas. And we've done plenty of day drinking that we could call celebrating."

"When your actual birthday comes around, we will be at your party, and not able to celebrate together, just us. And those other times don't count, because we didn't specify it was to celebrate your birthday. You have to specify. Those are the rules. And the two months doesn't matter because I won't see you until then."

"Oh, good lord," she says, and turns towards her mom. "Dad trusted this guy to run his company?"

Jessica shrugs. "I know, it's weird to me too."

"Owen?" Chris says, turning to me for backup.

I look at her for a moment, knowing I should encourage her to go hang out with her friends. But that would mean not only spending the day without her but also sending her to spend it with Drew.

My willpower is non-existent. I can't do it. Consequences be damned.

"I do agree with Mr. Sloane, that those are the rules. I think you are obligated to come with us, Cass."

She glares at me, though I know she isn't mad at all.

"Sorry, I don't make the rules," I say.

"You do though," she says. "That is literally what you do for a living."

Everyone laughs at this, and her face lightens.

"Fine. I'll go with you guys. I'll just tell Lexi I'll see her here tonight."

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