Apart from grand theft auto, that was…surprisingly on point—and in line with Leanne’s own thinking. She needed more time to ponder, but the seeds of an idea were already germinating, and in the meantime, the cocktails were delicious. Leanne had one, then two, and giggled with her mom while figuring out what to wear to the party later.

If she couldn’t escape Junie’s influence, maybe she’d lean into it.

***

Trevor Montgomery was nervous.

Apart from his best friend, Titus, everyone had stopped talking to him years ago. Like his parents, they’d given up on him after Sarah left. Titus was the only one who didn’t drift. Even the guys they hung out with—Calvin, Dante, and Miguel—were more Titus’s friends than his, though nobody ever asked Why are you inviting that loser? he still felt it keenly, that sense of displacement. Of being the add-on, the guy nobody would include as their first choice.

Now he’d gotten invited to an actual party. Not poker night or beer with the guys. It had been so long that he’d settled into the awkwardness of not remembering how to talk to people. He’d be meeting Titus’s girlfriend and all her friends, and he acutely didn’t want to be that guy anymore. Not that he knew how to shake off the reputation—it was easier to wash out the scent of weed, and that skunky shit lingered. He liked being baked, maybe a little too much, but he could relate to those who hated the stink.

Thankfully, Titus didn’t give him shit when he picked Trevor up, because he’d dug deep into his closet for an outfit that didn’t say Hey, I live in my parents’ basement and my main hobbies are video games and quality Kush. He kept tugging at the collar of his polo on the way over. It’d been years since he wore anything but a T-shirt.

“It’ll be fine,” Titus said.

“Easy for you to say. Your girlfriend flew to Arizona to get you back.”

I’m such a fuckup. I can’t believe you invited me to meet people who could be so important to you.