Page 58 of Until Then

“It’s rare,” I say a little too quickly.

She lifts a shoulder. “Everyone has needs. There’s nothing wrong with a hookup.”

I clench my fists, causing my fingers to rasp against my jeans. The idea of Izzy hooking up with anyone makes me want to scream, which is ridiculous. She’s twenty-seven. Of course she has sex.

I stand up and put my hands on my hips before I do something stupid like grab her and toss her over my shoulder.

“I’m going to bed.”

“Okay,” she says, worrying her lip. “My adrenaline is still pumping after that scare. I think I’ll stay up a little longer.”

I nod with more force than necessary, probably looking like some ill-functioning bobblehead. “Good night.”

“Night,” she echoes.

With that, I head upstairs, shower, and get into bed.

Alone.

So very alone.

17

IZZY

“When areyou coming back to California, honey? You’ve been gone for months.”

It’s on the tip of my tongue to correct my mom. To tell her that I have not, in fact, been gone for months, but then I realize she’s right. I escaped LA in May, and already, we’re nearing the middle of July.

“I…” I trail off, unable to find the words to explain to her that I don’t think I’mevercoming back. Because I’m scared to make that commitment, and I’m not ready to defend my choices to her. So, instead, I say, “Wonton’s leash is getting tangled up, and I’m about to head into Via’s store. We’ll talk again soon. Love you, bye.”

I hang up before she can get another word in and let out a heavy breath, feeling like I want to crawl out of my skin.

Wonton spots Via inside and paws at the glass door.

When she hears him, she looks up and waves, which means I can’t linger outside a moment longer to catch my breath after that phone call.

Inside the store, I let Wonton off his leash, and he runs straight for Via and circles her.

She crouches down in her paint-splattered overalls to scratch his head. “Hey, Wonton. Good morning to you, too.”

I set my bag down on one of the tables and pick another plate to paint.

“Are you okay?” Via asks from behind me. “You’re quiet.”

“I was just on the phone with Mom.” With a deep breath in, I set the plate on the table. Then I head over to the counter to pick my paints.

“Oh.” She crosses her arms over her chest, her expression going distant. “How is she?”

“Good.”

Via has a complicated relationship with our parents. She’s the eldest daughter, and they placed a lot more pressure on her shoulders than mine. She was expected to be perfect, with a solid career in law and a husband and two and a half kids. When she divorced her husband and left law to move all the way across the country, our parents didn’t take it well.

Despite how hard she tries, and how hard my parents do, too, they’ll never have the relationship they all want. The divide is too great.

As the baby of the family, I was always awarded more freedom. They didn’t really balk when I started my YouTube channel. Sure, they would’ve loved for me to be a doctor, or something of the sort, but my career took off quickly, so they kept their mouths shut about it for the most part.

Via pulls her phone out of her pocket, and a dopey smileappears on her face. Must be Reid. I hope she never loses that look. She’s so hopelessly in love.

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