“Yeah, I remember what they were like. Everyone always knows everything about everyone,” Charlie said. “You didn’t tell me about going to Rummer with Piper and helping her with that little girl. I mean, I knew you’d gone away for a night, but nothing else. It was nice of you to help her.”

“No big deal, she needed help, so I gave it.”

Charlie moved to stand in front of him, close enough that he could read the expression in her eyes.

“Maggs told me yesterday she thinks there’s something there.”

“Meaning?” Dylan said calmly.

“Meaning she thinks you and Piper have a thing.”

“Really?” Ava joined Charlie. “What kind of thing?”

“The I’d like to carry your lunch to school kind of thing,” Charlie added.

“What? No.” Dylan shook his head and tried to laugh it off. “We don’t even know each other... not really.”

“You spent the night together in Rummer, plenty of time for getting acquainted to my mind.”

“Plenty of time,” Ava agreed.

“I thought we didn’t do this stuff,” he managed to get out around the obstruction in his throat. The thought of having a “thing” with Piper wasn’t something he wanted to contemplate, because when he did the only word he could use to describe what he was feeling was excitement.

“What stuff?” Ava frowned.

“The sister-brother stuff,” he said.

“We thought we’d give it a go.”

“Nice,” Dylan said. “But don’t think that means you’re both going to start by ganging up on me. I’m the oldest, only I get to do that.”

This produced hoots of laughter, interrupted by a sharp whistle.

“Breakfast!” Mr. Goldhirsh called. “At Phil’s.”

Chapter 25

Piper’s yawn was wide enough to crack her jaw.

“You doing okay there, sweetheart?”

“Sure, Joe. Sleep deprivation is not something you get used to overnight.”

She was working the morning shift. They’d cut her back to two a week until everything was sorted with Grace. Joe and her mom had insisted, because she needed some time with adults and to leave the house.

Joe, Jack, and Luke had arrived with Grace to have breakfast, and Piper had to say that seeing her little girl made her smile.

She was Piper’s little girl now. After several days of sleepless nights, tears, hugs, and changing diapers, they were now a team, as was the rest of her family.

“She likes donuts,” Luke said, smiling.

“She likes everything,” Piper added. “But she shouldn’t have too much sugar.”

Grace was sitting on Jack’s knee while Luke fed her, even though they had a high chair in the cafe.