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“How about you take overthe Sorenson house?” he asked “You’ll never be too far fro just in case she can come over and see you”
It was on the tip of Nathan’s tongue to say no at first Watching Sang’s step attention to ent on in that house wasn’t going to be any better for his mood It’d be a constant reminder
But he’d be thinking about Sang anyway At least he’d be helping her out when he couldn’t do anything for her now
The buzzer for the front doorbell sounded, and Nathan nearly dropped the phone, startled
“Hang on,” he said into the phone “Someone’s here”
“Keep me on the line,” Mr Blackbourne said
At first, he thought itor Kota, but they probably wouldn’t have bothered with the doorbell Maybe Jessica? Or Erica to talk to him?
He tucked the phone into his pocket, hoping Mr Blackbourne could still hear Then he answered the door
Danielle stood there, jeans, gray sweater, both tight, and fuzzy boots Her hair was trimmed shorter than he remembered, close to her jawline
The corner of Danielle’s mouth dipped a little, but she kept her expression neutral “Your dad isn’t around, is he?”
Nathan breathed out a bit in relief, glad to not have a confrontation with Erica, but at the sa?” he wasn’t quite in the e They used to spend er Then one summer
He suppressed the o, he’d distance hi alone with her ever He’d been angry about it, but it was the past now
Danielle waved toward the Sorenson house, the two-story gray house a couple of homes down from Nathan’s “I need help with Marie, and I think it would benefit Sang, too Let me in?”
Nathan couldn’t i or Marie Either way, he needed to get her off the front porch “Uh, sure”
Nathan made room, and Danielle walked past him and into the kitchen Nathan shut the front door and walked around the kitchen’s center island He leaned against it, looking across at Danielle Somehow, that barrier between them made him feel better He put the phone upside down on the island between them, so she wouldn’t see it was on call
“First thing,” Nathan said, “I don’t want any trouble The Sorensons are going through enough right now Whatever you’re thinking of doing, you probably don’t want to do this”
Danielle s the fabric appear even tighter around her shoulders It was a wonder how she ht,” she said “I saw the fight with Kota”
Great She was the last person who needed to see anything “It’s not what you’re thinking”
“It was so”
“It’s none of your business”
She dropped her haughty sive you a hard time I’m here to help”
“You say help, but the best way to help is to stay out of it There’s nothing you can do”
“You don’t know everything,” Danielle said “You think you do, but you don’t Marie and I know about Sang We know about her real mom”
Nathan ground his teeth He probably should have been surprised Marie kept that bit of infor as she did For now, he tried to pretend they were on the sa around school or anywhere else “Exactly how do you think you’re helping?”
“Let Marie and I coht”
Nathan laughed, short and sharply “You’ve gotta be kidding”
“I’et Marie out of the house tonight Her mom sleeps pretty heavily, so she probably won’t notice She sneaks out now so used to do that all the time Marie told me about it So don’t act like you’re above it all”
If Marie knew, she didn’t ive Marie a little credit for that “Why do you want to stay here?”
Danielle leaned against the counter, looking hi le finger “Just one night I’ll explain everything If you change your mind at that point, that’s up to you Just hear us out”
Nathan considered his options If he said no, she and Marie could go soure out as going on However, if he let theht, maybe pretend he was in on it, he could stop theuess But I get to ’s happier now And so is Marie I don’t want to mess that up”
Danielle put a hand over her heart “I promise, no tricks”
Nathan doubted it He only hoped he wasn’tdecision
And he hoped Mr Blackbourne was still listening This was a distraction to keep hi for more trouble
The Truth A the Lies
Sang