“I don’t know, she was upset that you’d been acting like you were fine, but she wasn’t mad that you liked him. She just thought it looked bad on her that she was moving on with her life. But she got past that, she’s a lot better now.”
Charlie nodded absentmindedly and turned to look at Grey just as she came back with water for her and Charlie.
“If you want to hang out with your brother today, I can go home or go hang out with Graham,” she offered, but Charlie waved her off.
“No, I’m glad you’re here, and I can’t stay long, I just wanted to come say hi before running back home. Mom’s leaving for somewhere, so I’m gonna watch Keith.”
My eyes narrowed. “Again?”
“Don’t start, Jag,” Charlie pleaded softly.
I bit back the response I wanted to make and asked instead, “Where’s Mom going this time?”
“I’m not sure, but she said she’d be gone for a couple days, so I’m guessing she’ll be home in a week or so.”
My face went blank. “Charlie, we’ve talked about this—”
“And I’ve asked you to stop bothering me about it!” she shot back, cutting me off. “I have nothing else going on right now except for a couple online classes. I’d be watching Keith anyway.”
“He’s not your responsibility.”
“And I wasn’t yours! But you took care of me anyway!”
“Hey, Charlie,” Grey said suddenly, her soft voice enough to stop what was sure to be another argument. “How is your mom doing?”
“She’s fine, I guess. I mean she’s the same as she always is, the sky is made of love and all that, so she’s good.”
Grey kept a smile plastered on her face, but I could see the eagerness as she waited for something else—like Charlie’s answer hadn’t been what she’d been looking for. After a few seconds of awkward silence between the three of us, Grey asked, “Was she able to find a job?”
I forced out a quick laugh, and Charlie’s face lit up with a weary smile. “Find a job? Mom? Uh . . . no. Definitely not.”
Grey’s smile faltered, and my eyebrows pinched together. “Wait, why are you asking if she found a job?”
“She said she was trying to get one.”
“Said? When did you talk to her?”
Both girls looked at me in surprise at my harsh tone, and Grey’s head shook back and forth quickly. “I don’t—a week or so ago? Maybe?”
I tried to calm down and sound bored, but I was too afraid that instead of going to my sister—like I’d always feared—my mom had gone to Grey. “Where did you see her?”
“In town. I ran into her and we talked for a few minutes. She told me she was trying to find a job—that’s it!”
“What is wrong with you?” Charlie asked, and by her expression, I knew I still needed to calm down.
“Nothing.”
Her eyebrows rose as she continued to stare at me. “I don’t believe you, but whatever. You’re in a bad mood today anyway.” Finishing the rest of her water, she turned toward the kitchen. “I need to leave, I told Mom I’d be back before eleven.”
“Charlie,” I groaned. “Come on, stay for a little while. I’ll make lunch.”
Grey laughed and Charlie looked terrified. “You’ll . . . make . . . sweet Lord, someone save me.”
“I’ll pick up food. Sound better?”
Charlie’s expression turned teasing, and she nodded once as we walked to the door. “It does, but for Grey’s benefit. Because I really do have to go.”
After hugging Grey, Charlie skipped over to me and threw her arms around my neck.
“If Mom’s leaving, you could always bring Keith over here if you didn’t want to stay there alone.”
“Or you could always just come see us?” she countered, and kissed my cheek.
“All right, I’ll think about it.”
With a little wave, Charlie ran through the rain to her car and got in as quickly as possible. As soon as she drove away, and Grey and I were back in the warehouse with the door shut, Grey turned on me.
“Why did you react that way about me talking to your mom?”
I wanted to tell her, but at the same time I didn’t. We’d just gone over my keeping things from her, but I’d told her then that I would continue to do whatever I had to in order to protect her. And letting her know about Mom would only worry her and make her ask too many questions. If Charlie could stay in the dark on this, then Grey could too. They needed to. “I don’t know what you mean.”
Grey made a face. “Yes you do. You went from fine to freaking out in half a second. Talk to me.”
“I’m sorry if that’s how I came across, but I’m fine.”
She continued to watch me closely with those honey-gold eyes until I ran my hands over her arms and then pulled her into my chest.
“How about we get ready and go out on the lake?”
Grey laughed until she realized I was serious, and then pointed to the door behind her. “It’s pouring outside.”
“Then how about we order in some food, and spend the rest of the day in bed?”
She smiled against my kiss and pushed me back enough to look at me. “You really want to do that after your sister just walked in on us? Kinda killed the mood for me.”