Page 150 of Come Back to Me

“Nothing.”

“You were crying.”

“Allergies.”

“Ha! You do know how smart I am, right?”

“Not as smart as me.” I glower at him. “If you’re going to be annoying, then go away. Otherwise, you can wait with me.”

All night, I’ve been thinking about Cody’s letter, and it took all my courage to slip mine under his door.

I doubt I’ll ever look at a spoon the same again, so it’s good to smile. Better to think about how this kid is still a kid because of his brother.

“I’m excited,” he admits unnecessarily because he’s bouncing as he kneels on the window seat beside me.

“Me too.”

“But we shouldn’t wait in here.”

“Why not?”

“This is Mum’s room.”

“It’s a sitting room.”

“It’s her solarium.”

“It has the best view of the driveway.”

“It’s still her space.”

I huff. “No one ever told me.”

“I’m telling you now.”

“So, what? I’m not allowed in unless she’s here too?”

He hitches a shoulder. “Typically.”

“You never used it when she was away?”

“Of course not. That’d be wrong.”

“This makes no sense.”

“Doesn’t matter if it does or not. It’s how we roll. Are we on for tonight?”

I let him change the subject because his logic isn’t logicking. “Bet your ass we are.”

“I’ve been practicing,” he warns. “I’m going to whoop your ass.”

I hold my hands aloft and make a show of cracking my knuckles. “Bring it. Zee said she’s making her special sweet n’ salty popcorn for us too.”

“For someone who limits her carb intake, she sure uses a lot in her cooking.”

I grin. “She shows love through food.”

“Huh.”

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