Chapters (68)
- Cover
- Dedication
- Epigraph
- One
- Two
- Chapter One
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Chapter Two
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Chapter Three
- Ten
- Eleven
- Chapter Four
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Chapter Five
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Chapter Six
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Chapter Seven
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Chapter Eight
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Chapter Nine
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Chapter Ten
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Chapter Eleven
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Chapter Twelve
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Chapter Thirteen
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Chapter Fourteen
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Chapter Fifteen
- The Following Summer
- About the Author
- About the Publisher
Even though Cassie was still smiling, she’d stiffened when Murray said he’d gone to a movie with Alfie.
“My precious,” said Alfie, running his hand across the shiny fabric.
“What did you bet?” Ali asked him.
“Whoever lost had to bring the winner lunch for a whole week.”
Ali’s mouth formed an O. “You must have been sure you’d win.”
Alfie pointed at his chest. “Hello—have you seen this shirt? It was a no-brainer. I’ve given Murray a list of my favorite foods: quesadillas, meatball sandwiches, and nachos.” He patted his nonexistent belly. “Next week is going to be sooo good.”
Murray slurped his water. “It’s worth it. You should have seen everybody pointing at him when he walked into the cafeteria. I think a girl fainted.”
Alfie stroked a sleeve. “Whatever. I quite like this shirt—my dad wore it in the nineties.”
“He should have left it there,” Cassie said. Her face turned a deeper pink. “I’m s-sorry,” she stammered, “I forgot your dad is dead.”
“It’s okay. I bet he’s looking down right now, saying, ‘Way to go, son.’”
Cassie turned to Ali. “It’s weird that you guys are cousins but you never met before.”
“We both just moved here,” Alfie pointed out. “There was this little thing called the Atlantic Ocean separating us.”
“Well, yeah, but didn’t you ever have family reunions? We Andersons have one every summer at my grandma’s house.”
“Nope,” said Alfie.
Cassie pressed on. “So how exactly are you related?”
“Our grandfathers were brothers, and we share the same great-grandmother,” said Ali.
“That makes you guys second cousins,” Murray pronounced.
“You’re like a robot,” Alfie told him. “How do you even know that?”
Murray grinned. “You say the sweetest things, Alfie.” He puckered his lips, then pretended to be hurt when Alfie shoved him away. “Enough with the family tree stuff, Cassie.”
Cassie flinched.
Murray leaned across the table so that his nose almost touched Ali’s. “Just so you know, this is a sports-free table. Cassie and I may be tall and I may be black, but we are not sports people, and we will not discuss hockey or basketball. Ever. On the other hand, feel free to talk about video games, Harry Potter, and science fiction.”
Ali giggled. “Except for swimming, I don’t know anything about sports.”
Murray grinned. “You and I are going to get along just fine. If you love Harry Potter, we’ll be best friends.”