She wound her way through the parking lot, the rear tires sliding on the slick surface. “That’s not good.” She didn’t have a lot of experience driving in hazardous conditions, as Fallen Springs rarely got any snow, but she knew enough to know that it was time to finish her errands and call it a day. She glanced at the clock on the dash. After 7:00. By the time she dropped off Charlotte’s jacket, it would be close to 8:00 before she made it home. Debating whether to call her mother in order to let her know she might be later than she thought, she decided it could wait; she’d be home soon enough. If her mother became concerned, she knew she would call her. Lauren guessed her mother might need the extra time alone with her dad before she came home with her news.

This all sounded so juvenile, though living with her father, one expected to exist in a continuous time warp.

Chapter 8

Lauren saw the blue house she’d passed hundreds of times without having any idea who lived there. She parked her old Honda in the long driveway, took the bag with the jacket, and stepped out into the bitter-cold evening air. Lauren swore the temperature had dropped again during the ten-minute drive.

The dark blue house was a large two-story, with a wraparound deck and, downstairs, floor-to-ceiling windows, through which anyone inside could peer around the edges of the main entrance for a view of visitors. She was about to ring the bell when it opened.

“Hey, Lauren,” Charlotte said. “That was, like, superfast. Come on in.”

“Thanks.” Lauren stepped inside and was greeted by sumptuous cooking smells, the scent of a wood-burning fire, and a few giggles. She directed her gaze upward. A giant loft overlooked the large entry. Kiley and Lacey gave a short wave, then disappeared for a few seconds.

“We could see you from the street,” Lacey explained. “Hope you don’t think we’re, like, weirdos or anything.”

She shook her head. “Not at all. If I had a view like that, I’d be up there, too.”

“Girls?” A stunning woman around her own age appeared. She wore dark skinny jeans and a black cashmere sweater. Her jet-black hair was twisted on top of her head in an artfully arranged topknot. Diamond studs sparkled from her ears, and a matching diamond necklace rested just below her clavicle. Silver bracelets dangled from her slender wrists. She had unique, silver-gray eyes, and Lauren couldn’t help but stare. She felt dowdy in comparison. “You must be Lauren. I’m Beth, Lacey’s mom. We’re baking cookies, or rather some of us are baking cookies. Would you like a cup of tea and a cookie? Frankly, my feet could use a break.”

Why not? she thought. “Uh, sure, that would be great. It’s freezing out there. Do you mind if I use my cell? I need to let my mother know I’m here.”

Beth gave her an odd look. “Sure, no worries.”