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Well, I can make it aard and just stand here, or I can make it fun

“How can I help?” I ask and set ood cook, and I knoay around a kitchen This one is beautiful, by the way”

“Thanks,” Jillian says “We did soet into that cabinet there and pull down some bowls for all of this stuff”

For the next thirty minutes, we bustle about the kitchen, and I watch as they all fall into a rhythm that they’ve clearly perfected over the course of ether as a family

“How is Lauren related?” I ask when there’s a break in the conversation “I know that Cara is married to Josh”

“I’m married to Ty, Jillian’s brother,” Lauren says with a shter is Layla She was likely with Miles and the others last week”

“She was,” Miles confirms and stirs the fresh salsa that he just ether”

“So, Ty’s the only one I haven’t met then,” I reply, then look around in surprise when they all giggle “What?”

“Ty went in that day, too,” Lauren confesses

“Have you never ?” I take a sip of my noine

“No,” Jillian replies “He’s never really talked with us about wo But until you, he’s kept that part of his life relatively private At least froht talk to Zack and Josh about it more”

I blink at her, then finish the glass of wine in two gulps

“I suppose we’re not doing a very good job of putting you at ease,” Nancy says and pats me on the shoulder “I told you, we’re all a nosy bunch, especially when it comes to our kids But I like you, and I can see why Seth does, too”

“Why?” I ask before I can stop myself, then cover my mouth with my hand and feel ”

“You’re s “And kind And when you srandson can’t take his eyes off you”

I clear ratefully at Cara when she pours e more wine

“I’ht”

“Me, too,” she says with a wink

Chapter 13

~Remi~

“So, where do you see yourself in five years?”

I choke on the chip I just bit into and then blink away the tears that formed from it and into the eyes of a very serious middle-schooler

“Is this a job interview?” I ask him

“Maybe” Troy shrugs but doesn’t look away and doesn’t laugh

“Five years is a long time”

“Okay, where do you see yourself in one year?” he persists