I scratched at my neck. “I have no idea. They’re still in the middle of settling their divorce, so . . .”

“Shit.” Jasper’s eyes widened. “I forgot that that’s the reason you’re here.”

“It’s fine,” I said, plucking at the tablecloth just to have something to do with my hands. My mind flashed back to the nightmare, to Mom and Dad screaming at each other, their voices ringing from the walls of the basement, but I quickly pushed the thought away. “It’s been a bloody long time coming.”

“Why did they split up?” Jasper broke off. “Sorry, is that inappropriate to ask?”

“No, it’s okay,” I said. “There wasn’t really one specific reason. They just . . . fell out of love, I guess, but waited way too long to end things. Over the last few years, they could barely stand being in the same room and there was so much yelling, you know, every day, over nothing. We would be having dinner together and suddenly one of them would explode and then they wouldn’t talk to each other for days. It was like sitting on a powder keg for years and just waiting for that final match to blow everything up for good.”

Jasper’s eyes were unusually serious, his head tilted as he listened attentively. “I can imagine how exhausting that must be.

Aren’t you kind of glad you could finally get away from all of that?”

“I don’t know, I . . . I was glad when they told me they were filing for a divorce and looking for separate places, but I wasn’t prepared for them to send me to the middle of bloody nowhere without asking me first, you know?”

He nodded. “Do you still wish you could go home now?”

I thought about it for a moment before I slowly said, “A month ago, I would’ve packed my bags right away if I’d had the chance.

But now I’ve got you and Evelyn and Noelle. I wouldn’t change that for anything. And besides, I haven’t spoken to my parents since I came here, so . . .”

“Not even once?” Jasper asked, eyebrows lifting in surprise.

“No. At first I didn’t because I was pissed they’d sent me here against my will. Then I just kind of forgot.” I shrugged. “I wouldn’t know what to talk to them about now. I’ve never been that close to them to begin with, but now it’d be proper awkward.” Even though my tone was light, my stomach churned with guilt at the thought of the over fifty text messages I had ignored.

Jasper reached across the table to squeeze my hand before the feeling could take over. “For what it’s worth, I’m glad they sent you here.”

“Yeah, me too,” I murmured, unable to keep myself from grinning when instead of letting go, Jasper’s hand stayed on top of mine.

His nails were painted silver today, matching the rings on his fingers and the lip piercing that glinted in the candlelight.