“Mia’s fine. It’s work that’s kicking my ass.” He finally glanced up, giving me the once-over. “You do something to your hair?”
“No,” I said, suddenly self-conscious.
Mia, who was nine and mostly legs and adolescent attitude, was hunched over her phone at the breakfast bar, thumbs moving across her phone screen. “Aunt Harper!” she squealed, sliding off the bar stool to wrap her arms around my waist. Her face lighting up made my chest tight and my smile wide. “You’re here!”
“Of course I’m here.” I hugged her, smelling the coconut oil Aaron put in her hair. “You think I’d miss seeing you?”
“You missed two Sundays.”
“I know.” I pouted. “I’m sorry. Being an adult sucks. How’s being a kid lately?”
“It’s okay. I got a hundred on my spelling test.” She grinned, showing off her braces.
“Okay, genius! Your dad says you have a dance coming up and we’re going shopping soon. Do you, uh…have any idea what you want to wear?”
“She does,” Aaron butted in, “and she’s mad at me because I won’t let her buy the tiniest dress in the store. That’s why we need you.”
“Nooo-uuhhh!” She stomped a foot, her eyes growing wide. “Aunt Harper, please tell my dad the kids don’t wear dresses that go past their knees anymore!”
I held up my hands in mock surrender. “Whoa, I’m Switzerland here. Not taking sides.” To cut off the whining I was sure would follow, I made sure to add, “But we’ll find something you love and Dad can live with. Deal?”
“Deal!” Mia bounced on her toes, then immediately ran from the room before Aaron could argue.
Alicia came in from the patio, arms open. As she got closer, though, her aim narrowed toward the wine I’d brought. She peered at me over her thick-rimmed glasses as she took the bottles from me.
Alicia could read me better than anyone. That’s why I avoided her.
“About time you showed up.”
“Hi, Harper. How are you, Harper? Good to see you, Harper.”
Alicia rolled her eyes, folding me into a hug. “Hi, Harper. What’s…what’s going on with you?” she asked, pulling back. “You look different.”
I squinted. “I look the same as I always do.”
“Mmmm…you definitely look different.”
She turned, heading back outside where a large table was in the process of being set for dinner on a closed-in patio. My parents were so proud of their outdoor dining space with heat lamps and a ceiling fan that my father had installed himself.
Naomi was setting the table, mumbling after Alicia yelled at her about how she’d placed the forks. She caught my eye, then abandoned the table to pull me into a hug. Her hair was in long honey blonde goddess locs that fell past her waist, and she wore a vintage Prince t-shirt I was fairly sure she stole from Aaron’s closet ages ago.
“You look good,” she said, pulling back to study my face. “Like…good.”
“I must normally look like I live in a garbage can.”
“You’re kinda glowing.”
“I’m not glowing, Naomi.”
“You are glowing.” Naomi grinned wider. “Who is he? You can tell me.”
“He who? I’m not?—”
“Liar.”
“Nay, I swear?—”
“Your face says you’re dating. Fucking, even.” She looked past me to Alicia. “She looks dewy and shit. Right?”
