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“I’ll get another job,” I said. “I’ll get a bartending gig. Something that pays cash.”
“Why don’tIget the job?” she asked. “You already work really hard, Willa. This shouldn’t all be on you. I can pitch in. Let me pitch in.”
“You’re sweet to offer, but I want you to focus on school, which you should be doing—and not getting distracted by your boyfriend’s green eyes when he tutors you.”
“You know Dylan’s my tutor.” She sighed. “Yeah, I probably should’ve told you that one, too.”
“Yeah, you should’ve. But I won’t rag on you for it. I don’t like ragging, contrary to popular belief.”
“But you’re so good at it, big sister turned maternal figure.”
“You’re far too smart and quippy.”
“What about a summer job?” Her cornflower blue eyes were earnest. “I can find something. I know I can find something that pays under the table.”
“What can you do?” I asked with a smile.
“You’re mocking me,” she accused.
“I’m really not,” I assured her. “I just want—hell, there will be plenty of time to work. Okay? Let me handle this.”
The doorbell rang.
“That’s Duke and Savage,” I said. “Will you answer it? I’ll finish up in here.”
Waverly left the bedroom, and I went to the cardboard box full of fake flowers.
I heard their voices in the living room, followed by the closing of the front door.
A knock resounded on the doorframe, and I looked to find Duke staring at me.
“Hey,” he said.
“Hey.”
“Pizza’s here.”
I sent him a small smile. “Yeah, I gathered as much.”
“Got your favorite beer, too.”
“Thanks. I’ll be out in a second. Just want to finish up.”
Duke pushed away from leaning against the doorframe and came into the room. Without a word, he marched over to the box and lifted a yellow flower and wound it around the twinkle light strand.
“It looks like Waverly’s seventh birthday,” he commented.
Color suffused my cheeks. “Ah, yeah.”
“I still think about that birthday cake you made her,” he said with a grin, tinged with memory and fondness. “Yellow cake with chocolate icing and star sprinkles.”
“Lopsided and undercooked because the oven heated unevenly.”
“The smile on Waverly’s face when she realized what you’d done for her,” he said, his voice soft.
Emotion from years past caused my throat to constrict, and tears blurred my eyes.
“It was a good birthday, Willa,” he said.
