Caelyn’s eyes narrowed on Will in a mock glare. “You know, I’ve been kindly ignoring your stockpile in the garage. But I could get the sudden urge to do a little spring cleaning…”

Will’s mouth dropped open. “You know about that?”

“Know about what?” I asked.

Caelyn, very primly and properly, folded her paper napkin into a neat square. “Will has a trunk full of junk food in the garage that he thought was a secret.” Her gaze turned back to him. “But big sisters know all.”

Mia nodded solemnly. “That’s because they’re magic.”

I ruffled her hair as I looked at Caelyn, her green eyes shining with mirth. “You’re not wrong about that, Little Bit. Not wrong at all.” The first time I’d called Mia the nickname I’d used for my sister, it had just slipped out. It had shocked the hell out of me when it had, but now it just seemed…right. Something about the little girl reminded me so much of Beth. It was painful and yet warmed those dark places in my chest all at the same time.

As the kids continued to laugh and give Caelyn a hard time, something in the air shifted. Some sort of sixth sense borne of years living under a microscope let me know that there were eyes on me. I looked up to see a large table of women and kids. The children were busy talking amongst themselves, eating and laughing, but the women seemed to be stage-whispering to each other, their eyes every so often drifting towards our table.

My entire body locked. The sneers on a couple of their faces had my gut twisting. I’d been a fool to think I could venture into town with Caelyn and her siblings and not gain any attention. But I honestly hadn’t considered it. I’d only been thinking about how I could distract Caelyn from her nightmare of a day. How I could keep the kids’ focus on something other than their sister being late to pick them up and what might be wrong.

But, of course, people would talk. They would whisper about my history. Wonder why I was with the O’Connors.

A warm hand landed on my knee, searing the skin there. “It’s not about you,” Caelyn whispered.

“Of course, it’s about me.” It always was. And if she were seen with me, people would start talking about her, too.

Caelyn’s fingers dug into my flesh. “It’s not. I had a run-in with their supreme leader earlier today. They’re pissed at me and gossiping.”

My gaze jumped to Caelyn, searching her face. “What kind of run-in?”

Caelyn nibbled on her bottom lip. “Patti Jenkins. The one with the ugly sneer on her face? She’s always found it necessary to inform everybody of all of the ways I’m falling down on the job of guardian.”