Page 17 of Picture Perfect

I shake my head. “Uh no. Sorry. Distracted.”

My older brother chuckles. “Thinking about anything in specific?”

Tell Sawyer about kissing a woman he’s been egging me on to ask out and deal with his subsequent constant ribbing? No, thanks.

“No, I just need to get some sleep. Actually, do you mind if I head out early tonight?”

He laughs harder this time. “Are you kidding me?”

“Did I say something funny?”

“Rowan, you stay late every night. Hell, if you want to leave early from now on, that’s fine too. You work too hard, man.”

I pack up my laptop. “The boss is a hard ass.”

“And my lawyer is a funny man. Get out of here.”

I grin at his teasing, and take off. Leaving before the sun sets feels wrong. Like I left the stove on or something. But I had the urge to clean up before my date, and—

Not a date. Just a dinner. No big deal. Get it together.

Whatever it is, I want to shower before I pick Autumn up. I’d already texted Hannah, so when I arrive at home, she greets me with, “Got a hot date?”

“Decidedly no, but thanks for prying.”

She giggles. “Just checking. You seem extra tense lately. You’ve gotta loosen up.”

Jonah and Ellie come running for hugs, and in a blur, tell me all about their days. Thank God for the distraction. I do not need a sixteen-year-old giving me dating advice. “Jonah, how was school?”

“Luca stole my green crayon, then drew me a picture of a truck with it.” He huffs like it’s the most confusing day of his life.

Jealous of his complications, I smirk and shrug. “Kids.”

He nods, but I know that this went over his head.

“Uh, Ellie, how about you? Things going well with Liam and Oliver?”

“Yeah. Mrs. Hill makes us sit boy-girl at lunch, so I got to sit with both of them.”

“That’s my girl. Making the best of a bad situation. Sounds like the two of you had decent days. I hate to disappoint, but—

“Hannah already told us you’re doing stuff tonight,” Ellie explains with a smile. “It’s okay, Dad.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. We’re going to watch a scary movie.”

I glance up at Hannah, curious.

“Coco,” she explains.

“That’s a kids’ movie, right?”

She nods. “It has some scary elements, but it’s a Disney musical cartoon. Nothing too bad.”

“Fine, fine. Just checking. I have to get ready, but if the movie bothers them—

“We’re not babies,” Jonah says with an attitude.

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