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“Nope. They’re flying to Texas tomorrow afternoon to see Arch’s family. They invited Mom and me, but she hates taking attention away from his parents since they don’t see the kids as much.”
Nova frowns and Mrs. Pratt draws her in for a side-hug, kissing her temple.
“I just love your mother. She brings Clem to dance classes sometimes.” She tightens the tie around her waist. “You know what? Why don’t you two join us Thursday. We’ll have plenty of food and—”
“Oh, um, that’s really nice of you, but…” My attention shifts to Nova, gauging her thoughts when I turn down the invitation.
Though it looks like it pains her, Nova cuts me off. “You should.” Her fingers attach to the charm on her bracelet. “I’d love to see Sharon, and I’m sure Crew would love to grill you on baseball and have you sign half the stuff in his room.”
“And toss a ball around a bit?” He may be a teenager, but Crew can’t hide his eagerness.
How am I supposed to disappoint a kid? “Yeah, sure. Let me touch base with my mom, and I’ll let you know tomorrow. Thank you, Mrs. Pratt.”
“No thanks necessary. And please, call me Ruby. I’ve heard stories of you for over eight years, ever since Willa walked into my studio her freshman year at UVM. You’re practically family.” Ruby squeezes my arm with an unabashed chuckle. “Why else would I let you see me looking like this?”
A strange mix of comfort and longing settles in my chest, overwhelmed with how at home I feel here. “I umm…I should head out.”
“Right, yeah.” Nova turns to her dad. “I’m going to drive Devin to his mom’s. Can I use your car?”
“I can call a car, Nov. It’s fine.”
“Nope.” She sweeps my bag off the floor. “It’s almost eleven. I don’t mind, and she’s not far from here anyway.”
thirty-six | nova
Being alonein a car with Devin will always bring me back to our start. It doesn’t matter that it’s not my car. Though it’s crazy how no matter how many years fly by, every time I slip behind the Audi’s steering wheel, I think of him. Flashes of memories, fleeting emotions, frozen images.
Of him.
“So, the Thomases are taking off for the holiday. Bummer, I was really looking forward to seeing the girls.”
“Yeah, me too.” Devin taps his fingers on the door rest. “It’s why I’m willing to get up at the buttcrack of dawn tomorrow to go and make them breakfast before they take off.”
“Uncle of the year over here. Should I pull out the podium?”
I sneak a peak when he lets out a quiet laugh, the edge of his mouth upturned as he stares through the windshield.
“Would you like to come?”
I don’t allow time to consider his invitation. “No, I wouldn’t want to crash a family breakfast.”
“You wouldn’t be crashing.” The headlights of an oncoming car illuminate his face. “If it makes a difference, I think Clem and Briar would be really disappointed if they knew I invited you, and you turned me down.”
Spending a morning alone with Devin, even if it’s not fully alone, has the potential for disaster. Still, if he’s coming to Thanksgiving dinner, we need to learn how to be in the same room without wanting to wring each other’s necks or slam him against a wall and kiss him. Okay, so that last one is just me.
“Using those girls as emotional blackmail? I see how it is.”
“Is it working?” His voice is light, teasing. “I could pick you up.”
Pulling into Sharon’s neighborhood, I make a decision I might regret. “Yeah, okay, but I can drive.”
“What, still don’t trust my driving skills? I thought I proved myself once upon a time.”
I snort. “Let’s set the record straight. You were allowed to drive because I needed a break every now and then.”
“Oh.” He laughs, and I bite back a smile. “Okay.”
As I drive up to his mom’s bungalow, I shift the Range Rover intoPark. “What time are you going in the morning?”
