I took a calming breath and blew it out. “Vance, what do you want? School is over and whatever friendship charity you had going on with Boss doesn’t have to continue, so you have no excuse being out here anymore.”

“That’s why you thought I was hanging out with Boss?” He cut me a look filled with hurt.

“That’s what it looked like. The town’s golden child hanging out with the special-needs boy.”

“I’m offended by that. I genuinely like hanging out with Boss. And the rest of your family, for that matter.” Vance huffed, a deep frown marring his handsome face. “Plus, I’m a grown man. I don’t need an excuse.” His grip tightened on the steering wheel, turning his knuckles white. “I go wherever I want.”

“You trying to convince me or yourself?” My sharp remark caused his full lips to produce a pout, but I plowed on. “Grown man? Pff. You too soft to be a man.”

He stopped the car and placed a palm to my cheek. “Soft in only the right places.” He grinned until I shoved his hand off. Frowning, he let off the brake and turned the radio up until we could hear an unfamiliar song over the roar of the engine.

By the time Vance parked in front of the house, the porch was lined with expectant faces.

“Where’s Charlotte?”

My sister was the only Foster kid not present, and it was impressive how he noticed it right away.

“She’s at Miss Wise’s, where she’s been most every day this summer.”

Charlotte had taken my spot as Miss Wise’s taste tester. It didn’t sit too well with me, but at least one of us was getting a break from Nolia.

“I thought you were checking the mail?” Peg hollered as soon as I wiggled free from the car.

Before I could answer, the crowd surrounded me to check out the pig. “I found her tied to the mailbox. Forgot to check it.”

Boss pulled the squirmy thing from my arms and plopped in the grass so that the twins could reach it. My hope was that Vance would roll out a little quicker than he arrived, but I was used to not getting what I wanted. He got out of the car with a brown bag and divvied out several Pixy Stix candies to each kid before grabbing my hand and leading me to the porch.

I unraveled my hand and motioned for him to take a seat. “I’ll be right back.” Parched, I headed straight into the kitchen, filled a glass with tap water, and took a big gulp.

“What happened to the cabinet doors?” Vance asked from behind me.

Choking on the water, I spun around. “You startled me!”

He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into his chest, patting my back while chuckling.