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“Holden!” I call. “Get the door!”
“What?” His reply is loud but muffled. He must be upstairs.
“DOOR!” I holler.
Milo starts barking in response to my shout, the sharp sound ringing in my ears. He’s been perched by my feet ever since I pulled the package of bacon out of the fridge, eagerly waiting for a piece to hit the floor. Eileen “adopted” him, only to tell me after I graduated college that she always knew he was meant to be my dog. Holden and I have had him ever since.
“What?”
“THE DOOR! Can’t you hear the doorbell?”
Between Milo’s barking and the sizzle of oil in the pan, I can barely make out Holden’s answer. But I catch enough to gather he’s changing Joey’s diaper, so I turn the burner all the way down and then hustle toward the entryway. Just in time to see Sydney closing the front door.
“Hey.” My best friend shoots me a bright smile before shrugging out of her fleece jacket. “I know it’s probably rude to let yourself into someone else’s house, but you guys did give me a key. Plus, it sounded like things were a little crazy in here.”
“Just a little.”
I give Sydney a hug, then bend down to kiss the top of Lana’s blonde head. She’s happily playing with Milo, who’s lapping upthe attention. My niece adores animals, which I take full credit for. She has a massive collection of stuffed animals to make up for their apartment complex not allowing pets.
“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?”
