Page 104 of Falling Back to You

And just like that, I was thrust from big sister to referee. “I’m wearing the green tonight, but, Quinnie, can you pick out some jewelry from my box?”

Quinn’s dark eyes lit up. My jewelry box was nothing special, but she and Ruby loved pawing through it when I gave them permission. And often even when I didn’t. Sisters.

Ducking behind the small Oriental changing screen I’d rescued from the Gullivers’ yard sale a few years ago, I wiggled into the dress while Ruby and Quinn argued about which paste stones would be most beautiful.

“Rubes, you picked the dress. Let Quinnie decide,” I called, finagling with the back zipper. It took a Houdini level of contortion, but I finally got it zipped up.

“These ones.” Quinn carefully handed me a dangly pair of sea green butterfly mosaic earrings and a matching necklace. They’d been a gift from Cal for my birthday last year because he knew butterflies were my favourite.

“Perfect.” I slipped the earrings on before fumbling with the necklace clasp.

Downstairs, the front door slammed shut. Arguing echoed up the stairs. My heart sank. Olive was finally home (with my car, a quick glance out the window confirmed), and so was Mom. World War Three was two seconds away from blowing up.

Ruby clapped her hands over her ears, like she could keep out the familiar soundtrack of life in the Shepherd house.

“Where’s Dad?” I asked Quinn.

“Pool game.”

Irritation itched under my skin. Of course he was playing pool. Dad took any chance he got to escape the tension. “What about Phoebe?”

Quinn twisted my azurite ring—a gift from my grandma when I turned sixteen—around her finger. It was way too big for her, but it suited her. “Reading in her room and said not to disturb her unless zombies attack.”

Sounded about right.

“Do you have to go out tonight?” Quinn asked.

The winsome tone tugged my heartstrings. “Tell you what, you two can hang out in here, okay? No touching anything, but I’ll turn on a movie.”

Ruby perked up. “Sleepover?”

I shook my head. “I won’t be home till late. But if you listen to Mom, you can watch the movie in here before bed, okay?”

They both nodded, and I slid a Barbie DVD into the small portable movie player. They couldn’t get into trouble with that.

I glanced at my alarm clock. Time to go. “Rubes, where’s my phone?”

She handed it to me guiltily.

“Were you playing the geography game again?”

She grinned, her two front teeth missing. “I can match every state and capital now.”

“Good for you. Ask next time.” I opened my messages app to find Melissa’s thread.

ME:

SOS. Date tonight and I need makeup help. You have time?

MELISSA:

YES! We’re at Mama D and Pops’s. Want me to pop over?

ME:

No, I’ll head your way. Give me five minutes.

An email from my florist pinged as I sent the text. I scanned the message, and my heart started racing. What in the world?