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“Midnight?” Zach said “That’s so lame Like we’re middle schoolers Come on, Mom Dad?”

Miles said “Midnight,” at the same time Jude said, “One o’clock ”

Zach and Mia surged at her, drew her into a fierce hug

“Stay safe,” Jude said nervously “If there’s any trouble, call me I mean it If you drink—and you shouldn’t—but if you do, call home Your dad and I will pick you up, and any of your friends Iin trouble I promise Okay?”

“We know,” Mia said “You’ve told us for years ”

And with that, they were off, running for the sporty white Mustang she and Miles had bought for them last year

“You should have held firht,” Miles said when the car door slammed shut

“I know,” she said It was so easy for hiave up When she said no, they tried harder, boring through her resolve like boll weevils through corn, until there was nothing left between them and what they wanted

Miles frowned as the red taillights of Zach’s car disappeared into the darkness “Senior year isn’t going to be easy ”

“No,” Jude said Already she regretted the decision to let the …

On a warht like this, A and everyone, locals and tourists alike, knew the cold season wastheir way

Lexi had worked part-time at this ice cream shop since sophoe fund She and her boss, Mrs Solter—a sixty-year-old ith steel gray hair and a penchant for layering beaded necklaces—worked the counter in perfect synchronicity, one ringing sales while the other scooped ice cream

Tonight, even though the place was busy, Lexi kept watching the clock The party at the Eisners’ place started at nine, and Mia and Zach were picking her up

Zach

He was the only fly in the ointment of her new life In the past three years, Lexi had found a place where she belonged Aunt Eva cared for her deeply; it was obvious, even though the woman wasn’t demonstrative Mia had become Lexi’s other half, her sister They were inseparable And the Farradays had welco her Jude had become like a mother to her, so ht two cards—one for Eva and one for Jude She alrote thanks across the white space