Page 23 (1/2)

I ju myself at Brandon He scooted his chair back quickly as I was bearing down on hiI squeezed hi hi"

He chuckled and gave me another squeeze as he replied, "You’re welcome"

I kissed his cheek before I moved off his lap and walked back towardain until she was squealing, laughing, and trying to push me off

"You’re welcoet your crazy-ass wo

I kissed her cheek one last tiuys rock, you know that?" I asked

She pretended to breathe on her knuckles and polished the her head in that yep-I’m-awesome-and-badass way "I know," she said, cockily

Brandon groaned "Oh, Christ You’re gonna give her an even bigger head," he gru

But Chloe took the cake with her co saucily at hi around, Idown the hall to my bedroom as Ian and Brandon tossed paper plates and pizza boxes into the trash, cleaning up after dinner "Alright So tell e? I know most of my bras and underwear are ruined"

And that ritting er as the unmistakable scent of bleach teased rimaced "I opened the s and aired out the rooht bleach I found the containers in the bathtub Why they were in the tub? No clue…but…"

"Two gallons?" I whispered, cringing at the thought "Jesus, did it ed "Let’s just say that you’re gonna need a new dresser and all new underclothes And your shorts and tanks in the bottoave , eyes squinting, and nose crinkled She didn’t have to say another word

I closednot to cry As a teacher, I didn’t have a huge incoto hurt

"I cleaned it all out and put it in a trash bag Your underas pretty holey, like it had just eaten throughI’hed, blinking rapidly to keep fros; I s can be replaced I was fighting tears of anger, because she came into my home, my sanctuary, and violated it Plus, she was after ize, Chloe" I sucked in a breath and blew it back out, realizing that I had spoken sharply "I’

She size today I put away Ian’s clothes for him…so he’s a boxer briefwith er of bursting into tears "When he remembers to wear them," I said, slyly