Page 117 of No Way Home
I flinched when my phone vibrated in my pocket. The hope that it was Magnolia made my pulse stutter, and I was dying to check. But I could feel Griffin watching me out of the corner of his eye.
He leaned over and whispered, “You okay?”
“Yeah.”
“I’ll teach Willow to curl her hair,” Emily said eagerly.
Jane bounced on her toes. “Bells and I have makeup, eyebrows, eyelashes, and nails.”
Belle fist-bumped her. “No cap.”
“And we’ll teach her how to sing and play guitar,” Charlie said, leaning her head on Cash’s shoulder. He kissed the top of her hair.
“Ash and I have her covered for all things creative writing and grammar.” Tally raised her hands to the roof.
“I’ve got computers and calculus,” Theo said.
“Yoga, barre, and how to do a perfect British accent,” Aunt Peyton chimed in.
Granny raised her hand. “How to bake.”
“And to castrate a cow,” Gramps added.
“She’ll love that.” Ford snickered.
Holden shrugged. “It’s a rite of passage.”
“How to sew,” Sage’s mom said. “And all the hugs and cookies after school.”
“Woodworking,” Sage’s dad said quietly, barely able to speak as he looked down at his granddaughter.
“Dirt biking.” Bronco puffed his chest. “Get ready for her to be 1st place, A class. She might even go pro.”
Annascrubbed him on the head. “If you teach her, there’s no doubt.”
“I’ve got how to throw a football,” Blaze offered.
“Yes, because that’s a skill every little girl is dying to have,” Belle said with a huff.
Blaze laughed. “You did.”
“Yeah.” Belle swung her glare on Blue. “And a fat lot of good it did me.”
“What is happening right now?” Griff chuckled.
“I’ll catch you up,” Cash said, loud enough for everyone to hear. “Belle tried out for the football team this year, and her own father cut her.”
Blue shook his head at Cash. “Traitor.”
“At least he’s not adictator,” Belle seethed.
Anna straightened, about to censure her.
But Liam beat her to it. “I think you mean loving father, who adores his little girl very much and doesn’t want to watch her get crushed to death.”
Belle’s mouth fell open. “You’re takinghisside? You were my trainer, and you were as mad as I was when he cut me. Why are you defending him now?”
“Because this isn’t the time,” Liam said softly, as if we’d all forgotten where we were and why.
