"Quicker to pack."
"Yeah, about that…" She blinked long and hard. "Listen, you don't have to stick around, okay? Like I said, there's not much stuff, so…" She gave a loose shrug and didn't bother finishing the sentence.
It was a hint, or maybe a dismissal. Choosing to ignore it, I said, "Wait here. I'll pull my car into the driveway."
"But why?"
"So we can load it up. And your car too if it's needed."
She bit her lip. "But I just told you, you don't have to stick around. I mean, I'm sure it'll be fine." She tried for a smile. "I've got friends in the area, so…" Again, she didn't finish.
I knew why.She was full of it.
I gave her a serious look. "Yeah? And where are they?"
Her mouth tightened. "Idohave them, you know."
"Right."
"Look, I can tell that you don't believe me, but I do have friends." She blinked a few more times before continuing. "It's just that, well, Vicky and Sarah are away at college, and Chelsie's doing this work-study thing in Japan. And youknowthat Anna's gone. So I'm a little short at the moment, that's all."
Again, she looked around. "And as far as anyone else, I'm not gonna show up on their doorstep with my suitcases. Or boxes, or whatever."
"Good," I said. "Because you don't have to. We'll go back to your sister's place. Like I said, we'll figure it out."
"But that placeisn'tmy sister's. It'sFlynn's. He's the one who owns it, not her."
"So?"
"So it's one thing if I'm staying with my sister, but don't you think it's kind of rude to move into Flynn's house when he's not even there? And it's not like I can call to ask him either."
"You don't need to ask," I said. "You're family, right?"
"Yeah." She rolled her eyes. "The leachy kind."
"Leachy how?"
"Actually, I don'twantto be leachy. That's the whole point."
I wasn't following, but it didn't matter. "Trust me," I said. "I've known him longer than you."
"So?"
"So I'm telling you, it's not a problem."
"But you can't be sure."
She was wrong.
But hey, if she needed reassurance, I could do that, too. "I'll call him," I said. "Not a big deal."
"But I don'twantyou to call him."
"Why not?"
"Because I don't want Anna to worryorfeel the need to rush home."
"So I'll tell Flynn to keep it just between us."
