I nod. “Yeah, so?” I offered to go as a chaperone, but am waiting for the Mavericks to clear it. They want to use it for publicity, while I just want to skip one night of training forpersonal reasons.
He sighs. “Yeah, well, the first dance is supposed to be with your dad or some dude standing in for him. She’s been losing it ’cause she’s got no one.”
The words hit like a punch to the gut.
“I assume she hasn’t told her sister?” I murmur.
Saxon shrugs. “She doesn’t talk, remember? You told me to watch for what sets her off. Anytime the other girls joke about stepdads or whatever, Sage checks out hard. There’s only her and Emma. Sage doesn’t have a brother or father or grandparents. It makes sense, doesn’t it?”
I rub a hand over my jaw, my mind racing. “Text her. Study session or whatever excuse works. Get her here.”
Saxon hesitates. “You sure? She might not …”
“Just bring her,” I cut in. “I’ve got an offer I hope she won’t refuse.”
Three hours later, Squid and Sage have eaten almost as much of my groceries as they put away. Sage helped Squid with his mathhomework, and they have overcome aliens in a battle I had to see to believe—Squid’s words, not mine.
“Hey, Sage,” I say while grabbing a bottle of soda from the refrigerator, “you got a sec?”
She stiffens but doesn’t move away. Squid’s standing behind her, like a protective brother and I’m here for it.
“Squid told me there’s a themed first dance on Friday night. I’m gonna be there as a chaperone. Since Squid won’t wear a dress so I can dance with him, I was thinking… what if I went with you?”
Her eyes dart up to mine, wide and uncertain.
“Look, that came out wrong. I can’t replace your dad,” I say quickly. “But if you want, I’ll be at the dance anyway and … well, we could show everyone that father figures come in all disguises.”
She watches me, expression unreadable. Then, slowly, she nods.
Saxon, is almost bouncing in place, but grins, “Pretty sure that was a yes. But don’t, like, ruin it by being all intense.”
I nod. “I get it. How about this? I’ll turn up, and if you want to dance, I’d be honored. But if you don’t, it won’t be the first time I’ve been publicly humiliated and dumped on.”
Sage’s lips twitch, and Saxon snorts. “Bro. Shelaughed. You’ve got this.”
The tension in the room eases, and for the first time in days, it feels like we’re making progress.
I pull my phone from my pocket and fire off a text to Kenzie.
Me:What we talked about. Either you make it happen, or I will.
The Mavericks can’t say I didn’t warn them. They can either come to the party, or I’m scorching the earth.
Chapter 27
A Dance To Remember
Emma
City schools do it differently. Back home, the community would come together to decorate the school gym with arguments overbut this is how we’ve always done itmet withnext thing, you’ll be insisting on dancecards. Change happens slowly back home, so walking into Sage’s school gym takes me a minute to adjust. No, I’m not in a city nightclub. Someone’solder brother is in a DJ booth taking requests, and there are just as many chaperones as students.
I nervously adjust the hem of my fitted beige dress, but my attention is solely on Sage.
She looks beautiful, and I now understand why everyone saw the resemblance to mum. Sage is her splitting image … so much that I want to cry. If only daddy was here … but all Sage has is me.
I still can’t believe Sage didn’t have a nightmare last night. Even getting ready, she grabbed her choice of my dresses. The soft blue shift style dress accentuates her eyes in a way that makes me want to cry. She even allowed me to curl her hair into soft tendrils falling below her shoulders.
My sister is stunning. But more than that—she walked into the gym as if she belongs. For the first time in months, there’s a hint of excitement in her expression. I’m waiting for an implosion or explosion, but Sage looks happy.
