Page 67 of Toeing the Line

I don’t understand. Or at least, my brain doesn’t. My heart hammers in my chest as Freddy lifts his eyebrows, waiting for me to respond.

“Okay.”

I don’t know what I’ve agreed to. Or maybe I do, but it feels too precarious to believe in.

23

zeke

“You brought me coffee?”Faye leans against her Land Cruiser, parked along the curb.

She’s a sight for sore eyes, looking cute as always in a pink sweatshirt and cutoff shorts. Her blond hair is down, brushing her shoulders beneath a white Stanford ballcap.

“I always do,” I say, passing her the travel mug.

“Yeah, but it’s your birthday. I’m picking you up. I should be bringing you coffee.”

I look at her hands and peer over her shoulder into her car.

“Did you?”

She presses her lips together and sniffs the French-pressed coffee with steamed milk.

“Thank you,” she says, sipping it with a little hum.

“Princess Faye!” Rachel squeals from the front door. Zach follows behind her, dragging in flannel pants and a T-shirt. He’s clearly on morning duty.

“Hey there, Queen Bee.” Faye squats just as Rachel flings her arms around her neck. They bonded at family dinner a few weeks back when she braided her favorite gold ribbon into Faye’s hair.

“It’s me, Rachel!” She giggles as she uses her whole hand to push her red curls out of her eyes.

“I know,” Faye says with a wink. “But you’ve got the attitude of our queen.”

“Oh…” Rachel’s eyes go wide and she claps her hands. “Youmustcarry the attitude if you’re going to be a queen.”

“So true.” Faye grins at me and it’s everything I can do to keep from laughing.

“We’re having waffles. Do you like chocolate chips or strawberries?” Rachel says as Zach approaches, barefoot.

“Oh, that sounds delicious,” Faye says, and then leans in and whispers something in her ear. Rachel leans back with a squeal and nods.

“That’s my favorite too!”

“What have you talked me into today?” Zach asks, arching an exhausted eyebrow at Faye. Rachel wriggles out of her arms and tugs on Zach’s hand.

“Come on, Daddy, we need to try some with sprinkles! They give you extra powers!”

Zach cuts Faye a sharp look that has her covering the giggle that escapes her full, pink lips.

“But we’re all out of sprinkles, Rae Rae,” Zach says.

“No we’re not!” Rachel says, running back into the house. “You didn’t look in the tippity-top cabinet above Mommy’s juice bottles.”

“I’m sorry,” Faye says, raising her palms in surrender. “I thought sprinkles sounded like less of a mess than the ice cream and whipped cream she wanted.”

“Youknowsprinkles are like the herpes of cake decorating.”

“Good thing you’re making waffles then,” I say, giving Faye a fist which she promptly knocks and we explode them at the same time. Damn, I’ve missed this girl.

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