Chapter 36

I stepped out, too, and closed the door behind me. Luckily, I was still wearing my coat. I just realized I’d never taken it off. “Why is that funny?”

“It just is. How old do you think Aaron is?” Elliott took the three steps down to the sidewalk that ran to the porch quickly, but not nearly the speed I’d seen my sister move.

“I don’t know. Twenty-five?”

He stopped and spun to face me. “You think he’s younger than me?” He shook his head and mumbled something under his breath, but all I understood was “pretty boy.”

Elliott continued to walk toward his motorcycle. I followed, undeterred. I had felt the shift in the tides; somehow, I had won him over, and he was going to help me. I could just feel it. He flung one long leg over the bike and rested on the seat, turning back to face me. “Cass, you’ve got to let this go. When you’re older, all of it can be explai