Page 199 of Well That Happened

“Hey, do you kids need any—”

We spring apart like teenagers as Mr. Maddox appears in the doorway. I spin back to the sink, face flaming. The guys scatter to different corners of the kitchen.

“Just… finishing up!” I squeak.

Mr. Maddox pauses, looking between all of us with that same puzzled expression from dinner. “Right. Well. Your grandmother wants coffee if someone could start a pot.”

“On it,” Grayson says smoothly.

The second he leaves, I drop my forehead against the cabinet. “We’re so obvious.”

“We’re perfect,” Caleb argues, still grinning.

“We’re idiots,” Hunter corrects.

Five minutes later, while I’m still trying to get my heart rate under control and the coffee’s brewing, Grandma Maddox sweeps into the kitchen like a silver-haired detective.

“Don’t stop on my account,” she says pleasantly, hopping up onto a barstool with surprising agility. “Though perhaps someone could explain the logistics.”

“Grandma,” Hunter groans.

“What? I’m eighty-three. I’ve earned the right to be direct.” She focuses on me. “So. All three?”

I make a sound that’s half cough, half death rattle.

“Grandma, seriously—”

“Oh, hush, Hunter. I’m not judging. I’m just curious.” She turns to Caleb. “You seem the most forthcoming. How does this work exactly?”

Caleb perks up. “Well, we don’t have a schedule—”

“We absolutely do NOT have a schedule,” I interrupt, voice pitched too high.

“Calendar?” Grandma continues thoughtfully. “Shared Google doc?”

Hunter kicks Caleb under the counter.

“Ow! I’m just saying, she asked about logistics—”

“We’re very… close friends,” Grayson interjects calmly, setting a coffee mug in front of Grandma. “Who share a living space.”

“And Rilee?” Grandma prompts.

“Is… also our friend,” Grayson continues, unruffled. “Who we care about very much.”

“All three of you.”

“Yes.”

“Equally?”

“Grandma,” Hunter warns.

She waves him off. “I’m fascinated. In my day, this sort of thing was all very hush-hush. Though there was that summer in ‘65…” She trails off, eyes distant.

I’m now approximately the color of the cranberry sauce.

Seriously just kill me now.

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