“Thanks, Hollie.” Jordy gives me a tight squeeze before releasing me. She swipes at her eyes with the sleeve of her sweater and lets out a shaky laugh. “I’d better go before the tub overflows. I’ll see you in a bit.”

  After preparing the spare room and setting out a few different things for Jordy—a new toothbrush, some sleep clothes, and a change of clothes for tomorrow—I flop onto the couch, suddenly exhausted.

  My phone buzzes on the coffee table. I’m tempted to ignore it in favor of giving myself a chance to regroup after the events of today. Curiosity gets the best of me, though, and I pick up the phone to find a text from Spencer: Just wanted to see how you’re doing. Did you find Jordy?

  Me: Thanks for checking in. Jordy called and had me pick her up at her sister’s. She’s spending the night at my place and I’m giving serious thought to asking her to stay indefinitely.

  Spencer: That would likely be a good thing. Is there anything I can do for you? Either of you?

  I attempt to picture Spencer at this very moment. Is he at home? Is he still wearing his suit or has he changed into something more casual? Is he listening to music? Maybe drinking a glass of wine or perhaps something stronger? I could see Spencer liking something sophisticated, something it would never occur to me to drink, like brandy or sherry. There’s a small part of me that’s tempted to ask him to come over. Request that he pick up dessert on his way and we can make it a ‘thing’ between the three of us, having dessert together.

  That would probably be weird, especially for Jordy. I want to see Spencer again, though. Want to look into his steady blue gaze, maybe have him wrap me in a tight embrace like he did earlier. Have him tell me everything will be okay.

  My phone buzzes in my hand, startling me. I expect it to be another text from Spencer, but it keeps buzzing with an incoming call from him. “Hello?”

  “I thought it might be easier to talk than text,” he says. “Unless I’m interrupting. I don’t want to take you away from Jordy when she needs you.”

  “It’s okay, she’s in the bath. I’m glad you called.”

  “Good. I thought it would be easier to interpret your tone when I ask again if there’s anything you need.”

  I let out a tired laugh. “You think I’d say no on principle?”

  “Would you? Or would you truly tell me if you needed something?”

  He has a point. I preach to Jordy and to my friends about asking for and accepting help, but it’s not always easy for me to do the same. “Touché. I have everything I need right now, although I appreciate the offer.”

  “You’re sure?”

  I inhale deeply. Something compels me to tell him the thought that just popped into my head, even though it could muddy the waters of our newfound friendship. “I’m sure,” I say slowly. “All I really needed was this. Hearing your voice, having you make me laugh. Thank you, Spencer.”

  He’s quiet for a moment. I close my eyes tightly and smack my forehead with my palm. Why did I say that?

  When he speaks, his voice is softer than before. “I’m glad, Hollie. I always enjoy hearing you laugh. Will you call me tomorrow? And tonight if you decide there’s anything I can do for you or Jordy?”

  “I will. Thank you for everything today.”

  “My pleasure. Say hello to Jordy for me. Or wait, is that weird? Will she remember who I am?”

  I laugh again. “I’m pretty sure she’ll remember the guy she had dessert with literally just last week and then saw at the center a few days ago. I’ll tell her you said hi. She’ll likely ask me when you’re coming to the center and then be disappointed when I tell her you were there today.”

  “I’ll have to make it a point to stop by the center when she’s there, then.”

  “That’ll make her happy.”

  Another pause and then, “And you? Would that make you happy, Hollie?”

  My breath catches in my throat. Am I wrong to think I’m not the only one muddying the waters tonight? “That would make me very happy. I’ll see you soon?”

  I can hear the smile in his voice when he says, “You will. Good night, Hollie.”

  “Night, Spencer.”

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  It takes less convincing than anticipated to get Jordy to agree to stay with me. We decide on a two-week trial, which will take us to the middle of December. At that point, we’ll reassess to see how it’s going, how her dad is faring on his own, and whether she wants to return home or stay with me, either until she turns eighteen in March or graduates from high school in June.

  Since Jordy had already missed three days of school, I told her she might as well take the rest of the week off to recover from the chaotic few days she’s just experienced. I notified the school and told them I would be Jordy’s main point of contact for the foreseeable future.

  We visited her dad together on Thursday morning and, as Jordy anticipated, Mr. Jenkins claimed to be glad to have one less mouth to feed. When she went to pack a bag, Mr. Jenkins and I sat glaring at each other in the cluttered, dusty living room. I was surprised he didn’t spew more vitriol; I wanted to spew some of my own, but I kept my mouth shut for Jordy’s sake.

  Despite insisting she was fine, Jordy was stoic when we left. I knew the whole situation was hitting her hard when she didn’t fight my offer to take her out for lunch and get her phone reconnected so we’d always be able to reach each other.

  “I’ll pay you back for the phone and anything else you buy me while I’m here,” she’d promised when we returned to my place that afternoon. We had gone grocery shopping, and I swear Jordy had nearly cried when I kept asking her what she wanted to eat and adding things to the cart. I doubt her family has ever been able to get that many groceries at one time. I certainly remember the days of living on ramen, nearly-expired produce, and whatever canned goods were cheapest.

  Over the next week, we fall into an easy routine. Jordy returns to school on Monday, insisting she’s okay to take the bus since a program at school has been paying for her monthly bus passes this year. She comes into the center after school and works her usual shift, and then we go home and spend most of the evening together.

  I’ve been living on my own for a long time, so I’m surprised by how much I enjoy having Jordy around. I expected her to hide out in her room, not wanting to impose on me in any way or take up too much space. I’m pleased to discover she must have taken it to heart when I told her she had free rein of the house and should consider it her home for as long as she was here. We cook together every evening and then hang out in the living room, reading, talking, and watching TV. I introduced her to shows that were my favorites at her age, like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and One Tree Hill. She also set up a tidy little corner for herself on the mostly-unused dining room table, with her laptop, school things, and drawing pad.

  I fall into a routine of sorts with Spencer too. We haven’t seen each other since that day at the center, but we’ve been texting back and forth every day and we’ve talked on the phone a few times. When we text, it feels like it did when we were chatting on LoveLinks. Sometimes it’s a simple question like ‘how was your day?’, while other times we talk about interests and hobbies, or work. At least once a day, he sends me a picture; among them are shots of London he took before he moved to Canada, a funny sign he saw in a store, a Santa having a cigarette break with his beard pulled down, and a Spice Girls poster at a local record store. The messages and photos are some of my favorite moments of each day.

  The next Friday afternoon, I’m buzzing as I return to my office after a productive meeting with Mina. I’m so lost in my own little world, I don’t even notice my office door is open as I stride inside or that Stella is sitting in one of the chairs across from my desk. She stands when she sees me, and I let out a little screech.

  “Sorry,” she says around a laugh. “Your assistant recognized me and offered to let me wait in here.” She waves at the two cardboard takeout cups and large bakery bag on my desk. “I took a chance and stopped by. Figured I could leave this stuff if you were busy, and that seeing you for a few minutes would be better than nothing.”

  “This is the best surprise.” I cross the room and hug her tightly. “Have you been here long? Can you stay?”

  “I arrived about five minutes ago, and I have the rest of the day off. And I come bearing coffee and pastries from Cravings.”

  “The magic words. Sit.”

  When we’re settled across from each other at my desk, each with a coffee and pastry in front of us, Stella says, “You looked all happy and daydreamy when you came in. Did you get some good news?”

  “I did, actually. My boss showed up and asked for a meeting, which she’s never done before, so I was really nervous—”

  “Wait, why?” Stella interrupts. “You’re, like, employee of the century, and Mina knows it.”

  This makes me laugh. “I love you for that. It wasn’t that I was nervous about my job performance so much as the center itself. We’re perpetually underfunded and understaffed. This time of year is extra crucial, with winter coming, plus the holidays putting a huge financial strain on a lot of people.”

  Stella makes a sympathetic humming noise around a mouthful of cupcake.

  “But…” Excitement floods through me until I’m practically vibrating in my seat. “Mina wanted to tell me that the funding she’d been lobbying for from the city came through. That alone would have been amazing enough, but the center also received an extremely generous donation from the MacKinnon Group.”

  “Huh.” Stella looks as if she’s trying to hide a smirk. “Imagine that. Think it was Fergus’s doing? Or Spencer’s?”

  “Either? Both?” I laugh breathlessly. “I’ve been working with Fergus for a while, so he’s seen firsthand how much the center is struggling. He’s so helpful, and he’s been instrumental in securing funding for various projects. But the timing of this…” I think back to the day Spencer helped me pack food boxes, and his expression when Mina was talking about working on getting extra funding. “It has Spencer written all over it.”

  Stella presses her lips together and flops back in her seat. Her eyes are dancing, and yet she remains uncharacteristically silent. Despite that, I can practically hear her thoughts: if Spencer is responsible for the sudden donation from the MacKinnon Group, what does it mean? I’m sure she thinks it has something—or everything—to do with me, but Spencer is a genuinely good person and, like Fergus, he’s now seen how much help the center needs. That’s all there is to it.

  “Anyway,” I say pointedly. Stella doesn’t say anything, but her sassy little shrug speaks volumes. “With these extra funds, we’ll be able to offer even more programs, keep the shelves stocked when community donations are low, and hire more people. I’m also being promoted to assistant director, effective immediately.”

  Stella rockets up straight in her seat. “Hollie! Way to bury the lead!”

  “I know, I know. I was going to tell you all at our group breakfast tomorrow, but I couldn’t wait.”

  Stella hops up from her chair and flies around the desk to hug me. The angle is awkward and we’re both giggling so hard, she ends up in my lap, which makes us laugh even harder.

  When we’ve collected ourselves, Stella returns to her seat. “You know the others will have the same reaction when you tell them tomorrow, right? Well, maybe minus the whole falling into your lap thing.”

  I snort. “I’ll brace myself just in case.”

  “So, this fancy new job title…does it come with a pay raise?”

  “It does.” When Mina told me about the raise, my first instinct was to say I didn’t need to be paid more. Luckily, I realized that was a ridiculous notion before I could say it out loud. I’ve been working hard for years, doing tasks that are beyond my job description, working overtime, and often volunteering on top of that. I deserve this promotion and raise.

  As if reading my thoughts, the way she’s always been able to, Stella says, “Good. You deserve it. No one works harder than you, Hollie Anne. Speaking of which, will you still be working bonkers hours, or will you be able to cut back a bit?”

  “Mina said the job will require more administrative work, but I told her I still want to be as hands on as possible. I enjoy getting to know the people the center serves, interacting with them, and seeing how this place makes a difference in their lives. Hiring more people to do tasks I shouldn’t have been doing, like stocking shelves, will leave me free to do that. And Mina said I’m entitled to more vacation time, which is nice.”

  “That gets you one step closer to that trip to England,” Stella says.

  “Exactly.”

  “Speaking of England…did you know Spencer joined us for breakfast last weekend?”

  “Wow, that was a smooth transition, Stels.” She gives me another of those sassy shrugs of hers. “And yes, he told me.” I skipped last weekend’s group breakfast in favor of staying home with Jordy and helping her get settled. Jordy insisted I attend tomorrow’s breakfast, and said she’d go visit her sister and the kids for the day.

  “Did you also know Spencer, Leland, Wesley, and Fergus went to Connelly’s last night for beer and pool?”

  “Now that I didn’t know.” I only spoke to Spencer briefly this morning. And by ‘spoke to him’ I mean he asked how Jordy and I were doing, and then sent me a beautiful picture of a frost-covered holly bush he saw this morning on his way to work.

  “Leland really likes him, and so do the others. Even though it was weird not having you at last weekend’s breakfast, it was nice having Spencer there. He fits well with the group.”

  I’m not sure how to respond to that. When I don’t say anything, Stella adds, “He talked a lot about you. And Jordy. She seems to have made a real impression on him.”

  Warmth spreads through me. “She has a way of doing that.”

  Stella smiles absently, tapping her rainbow-colored nails against her cardboard coffee cup. I know her well enough to know she’s choosing her next words carefully, which makes me slightly anxious.

  Even though my friends have been supportive since Jordy came to stay with me, there’s a part of me that’s worried they secretly disapprove. They check in daily via texts and phone calls, and have offered to help in any way I need. They’ve even asked when they can meet Jordy, but I told them I didn’t want to overwhelm her since she’s experienced so much upheaval recently. They also know how I’ve struggled with compartmentalizing and have often commented on my difficulties with separating my work life from my personal life. I can’t blame them; the fact my initial reaction to receiving a raise was to turn it down says a lot.

  Stella clears her throat, and I mentally brace myself. “You know, I’ve been thinking a lot about our history this past week. Specifically our last two years of high school…”

  I immediately know what she’s referring to, and it makes my stomach clench painfully.

  “I see now that I was too quick to judge your current situation,” she says. “I thought you were trying to save Jordy, but then I remembered how badly I wanted things to be okay for you when everything fell apart in your life. How I would have done anything in my power to help you. And we were just kids; the same age Jordy is now. Other than being an emotional support for you, I couldn’t have actually done much without my parents, you know? And now…now you’re an adult and you have the resources my parents had back then—a job, money, the ability to do more than just provide emotional support. So why shouldn’t you help Jordy? She doesn’t need to be saved, she needs to be loved, and you love her. I see that now.”

  I swallow convulsively around the lump in my throat. Stella smiles gently when I don’t respond immediately, as if sensing I need a minute. Finally, I say, “I do love her. And I love you. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

  She reaches across the desk and lays her hand over mine. “Ditto, Hols.” She gives my hand a brisk pat and then sits back in her seat. “Okay, enough emotional stuff. The mascara I’m wearing isn’t waterproof, and I don’t want racoon eyes.”

  I laugh and toss a balled-up napkin at her. I meant what I said: I really don’t know what I’d do without my friends. I don’t have any blood relatives left, but my friends are my chosen family, and they mean the world to me. Now I have the chance to expand that family again with Jordy. And, if I’m lucky, maybe with Spencer too.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  I spend most of Monday morning going through résumés. I’m excited at the prospect of hiring new employees for the center. I hope to find people who see it as more than just a job and are truly committed to making a difference in the community.

  As I eat the lunch Jordy packed for me this morning, my phone rings, and her name pops up on the screen. I was just thinking how much I miss her, which is silly since I saw her a few hours ago and we spent most of the weekend together.

  I answer the phone with a smile on my face. “Hey! How’s your day going?”

  “Not great, actually.” Jordy’s bland tone has me sitting up straighter. “I’m not feeling good, and I was wondering if I could take the rest of the day off school and skip work this afternoon. I know I missed a bunch of shifts at the end of November, but Christmas break starts next week, so I can make up for it then.”

  “I’m not worried about that,” I tell her. “Are you okay? Anything I can do? Want me to pick you up and take you home? Get you some meds or something?”

  She laughs under her breath, and I can picture her clearly in my mind: the affectionate, almost indulgent expression on her face, likely paired with a head shake. As many questions as I asked, I want to ask a million more. Jordy isn’t the type to miss school or work without good reason, so she must be feeling rough. She did seem a bit off before she headed out to school this morning; she’s been chipper the last week, but this morning she was quiet and seemed to be avoiding my gaze, even though she smiled at me whenever I spoke to her.