“I was just so happy, and this isn't what I wanted our weekend to look like. I hate that me stepping in as a model for you brought you pain and frustration.”

I held out my hand to her. “Sweetheart, this isn't pain and frustration. This is just stupid. We’ll handle it together. What did your father say?”

I knew it would’ve been something she maybe didn't want to deal with. “Oh, he had a lot to say, and I kind of got into it with him. I was saying in a way maybe you don’t get an opinion when you’ve checked out on my sister and me all these years. And I spoke about the unspoken elephant in the room, which is all the crap at my house. So he wants to meet you and he wants me to come home and not in that order. What did Tinsley have to say?”

“I'm sorry that you’re in this because of me.” I pulled her into a hug.

“Don’t get it twisted. You don’t get to take the blame for this because, if you remember correctly, you did me a favor first because I’m not kicking Endgame out. I get that made Tinsley mad and she’s not wrong. And you didn't ruin this weekend. It is probably the singularly most beautiful weekend I’ve ever had.”

She burrowed her face into my chest. “That's a good thing at least because I feel the same way. It's my favorite weekend. I feel bad for all the other weekends in the past that had to compete. And I hate that we have to leave, and I honestly don’t even know what I’m going to tell my dad. Because he doesn’t know that I’m not in the dorms anymore. I didn’t wanna get into it, I know he’d just tell me to come home instead of sticking it out.” She took a deep breath. “He never liked the idea of me going to college, so coming home would be his favorite. Which is kind of hilarious because he gets home and pretty much hides from my sister and me.” She put her fingers to her forehead and rubbed as if trying to smooth out memories there.

“Okay, so we need to figure out what you want to tell him. What you’re comfortable with telling him and then we will handle that. Milton should be able to tell us who’s behind this in about an hour. He and his friends are working on it.”

Taylor‘s eyes went wide. “They’re gonna be able to figure out everything anyone’s ever done. That’s like using a firework for a birthday candle. A lot of power.”

I felt my jaw tense. I didn’t want to convey my concern to her. She had enough to think about.