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“I’ve got bacon on the stove. Come into the kitchen.” I head back that way, calling “They’re here!” as I pass by the stairs.
“I heard the bell, Cassia! I was just busy! If you want to take over on wiping sh—stuff, we can switch jobs!”
Sydney laughs as she follows me down the hallway. I roll my eyes before beelining for the stove and turning the heat back up. Milo abandons Lana to sit at my feet and beg for bacon again.
“Smells good in here.”
“Muffins will be finished in”—I glance at the timer—“six minutes. And the bacon will be ready before then.”
“Okay if I grab some coffee?” Sydney asks.
“Of course.”
“Lana is still in herwake up three timesa night phase.” Sydney shakes her head as she pours, her bob bouncing around her ears. She cut it short at the start of the summer and it’s still strange seeing her with it. As long as I’ve known her, she’s had longer hair.
“Yeah, Joey has those phases too.”
“You got to sleep in this morning though, right?” Sydney winks at me.
I wonder what Holden told her. If she thinks sleeping in is code for something else, she’s wrong.
“Yeah. I hope that didn’t mess with any of your plans.”
Sydney brushes away my worry with a wave of her hand. “Of course not.” She pauses. “Are you guys free to watch Lana on Friday night?”
I nod as I flip the bacon onto a plate. “Of course. Special occasion?”
“It might be a date.”
I glance over at her, eyebrows raised. “Might be?”
“He suggested getting dinner after a school board meeting. Does that count?”
“You work together?”
“Uh-huh. He started at the middle school this year.”
“What’s he like?”
Sydney smiles. “He’s sweet. A little shy, I think. Which is why it’s hard to tell if he’s just being nice or is interested. You know I’m terrible at telling anyway.”
The timer goes off, so I spin around to pull out the muffins. Lana asks to go play in the sandbox and Sydney gets distracted by opening the sliding door for her.
I pull the fruit I sliced out of the fridge and set it out with the rest of the breakfast.
“Do you want it to be a date?” I ask Sydney.
She looks down into her coffee mug. “Yeah. I just don’t want it to be awkward at work if it doesn’t go well.”
“Based on the way you described him, he’s more likely to hide in a closet to avoid you if that happens.”
Sydney covers her face with her hands. “Shit. I made him sound weird. He’s not—”
“Is he hot?”
Sydney’s hands muffle her laugh.
“Hey, sis.”
