She understood why Hazel’s reactions had been...edgier than normal lately. The divorce. Chris getting engaged to someone new in a hot minute once it was finalized. Losing Hazel’s grandfather—Zoey’s dad. Selling the only home Hazel had known and moving into Zoey’s dad’s place—a solid old house, but in desperate need of updating. Add in the hormonal roller-coaster ride of Hazel’s “tweenhood,” and it had been a wild ride for both of them.

Zoey knew there was a limit to how far they could take this Thelma and Louise act of theirs before they reached a mountain of trouble. Zoey appreciated the honest relationship she’d developed with her daughter, but sometimes she forgot Hazel was still barely a teenager. She’d had to grow up much too fast since the divorce. As great as it was to feel like friends, Zoey was still the mom.

Hazel just shrugged. “Pop-pop taught me not to let boys get away with sh...” She caught herself. “With anything. He said you should have learned that, too.”

Zoey winced. Dad had definitely been right about Chris. But she didn’t want Hazel thinking every male member of the human species was the enemy.

“Look, boys can be jerks. But not all boys.”

“Yeah, well...if I have the same luck finding jerks that you did...”

Zoey let out a sharp laugh, clutching her chest. “Ouch—direct hit! But your dad wasn’t always a jerk... I mean, he isn’t a jerk.” Be the responsible adult here. “Your father is a good man.”

He was just a lousy husband.

Hazel blinked away, staring through the window to the tired old place that was now their home. Rendezvous Falls was famous for its colorful Victorian houses, but this particular house hadn’t been painted in over twenty years. Zoey reached over and took her daughter’s hand.

“I know you’re still mad at your dad because we had to sell the house. But I couldn’t afford to buy him out, and what’s-her-name didn’t want to live there...”

“Genna. With a G.” Hazel’s flat tone mirrored her mother’s thoughts perfectly.

“Right. Genna-with-a-G wanted them to have their own house. And that’s...fair. We’ll make this into our home, I promise. I told you that when we moved in, and I meant it. And this is your year, remember?”

Zoey had promised Hazel that this year was Hazel’s Year. The girl had lost enough the year before. Zoey was determined to create something stable here that Hazel could rely on.

After a pause, Hazel flashed her a quick, brittle smile. “Sure it is, Mom.”

Zoey sat back against the truck seat with a heavy sigh after Hazel went into the house. She didn’t have the emotional energy to follow her. Instead, she pulled out her phone and texted her best friend.