Page 53 of Clint & Ivy

The foster kids—short blond Elijah and thin brunette Jenan—didn’t talk to each other or anyone besides Bebe. They stared in horror at Pax whenever he spoke to them. Rather than act offended, he chuckled at their reactions.

Moe and Xandy asked me questions throughout dinner. Each time I answered, my voice got quieter until I was mumbling by the end.

“I think her battery needs recharging,” Ford told Clint while gesturing at me.

Clint wrapped his arm around my shoulders, instantly filling me with a warm, safe feeling. He kissed the side of my head and whispered, “I’m going to tell them to buzz off.”

“No,” I whispered back.

“I plan to bring you to the Sorority House soon. The foxes can interrogate you there. Tonight is about learning names and faces, okay?”

I smiled at him, understanding why other people followed him. Clint’s voice was deep, smooth, and certain. The world often seemed chaotic. I didn’t know how people kept up with all the noise and expectations. However, once Clint gave me a goal to focus on, I felt okay again.

“Stop being so friendly,” he told Moe and Xandy.

Moe’s face fell into a pout as she mumbled, “I’m always friendly.”

“I’m fine not being friendly,” Xandy said in her raspy voice. “Especially since I got up so early today.”

I glanced at Sabrina to see if she would react to Clint’s comment. She was too busy flicking ice cubes at Elle.

“You’re only making my Kegel exercises more powerful,” Elle said and bit into a piece of asparagus.

“Why are you so horny?”

“I’m eating,” Sutter grumbled and looked to Ford. “Make them stop.”

“Boy, you know your mom has no mute button,” Ford said and then frowned at Pax farther down the table. “Pax, control your children. They’re distracting my grandson from conjuring up cures to terrible diseases.”

“My granddaughter is smart, too,” Pax spat back at Ford. “Dillon, say something brainy.”

“Snakes are solely carnivores. They only eat other animals and never plants.”

“Ha!” Pax yelled and pointed at Ford. “She’s got knowledge.”

Ford turned to Sutter. “Say something impressive.”

“More stars exist in the universe than grains of sand on Earth,” Sutter replied.

Dillon narrowed her eyes and stated, “Fleas can jump one hundred and thirty times their height.”

“Humans are ninety-nine-point-nine percent genetically identical.”

“That seems wrong,” Sabrina said and frowned at Elle. “Your son is wrong.”

“Don’t make me google,” Elle warned. “If I pull out my phone and you’re wrong, I’ll be forced to jump across this table and make you smell my pits.”

“That wouldn’t be such a terrifying threat if you wore deodorant.”

“I’m lifting the instrument of your doom,” Elle announced and very dramatically picked up her cell from the table. “I’m unlocking the screen.”

Sabrina rolled her eyes and turned toward Ford. “How dare you?”

“How dare I what?”

“How dare you have a son who told my girlfriends what to do?”

“Well, how dareyouhave a father who made me wash his dirty drawers thirty years ago?”

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