Page 138 of Lose You Twice

The door opens before I knock.

Daisy stands there in pajamas with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders like a royal cape.

“Hockey Kai,” she says solemnly. “Lily is diseased.”

“Good to know.”

“She coughed on my unicorn cup, so it’s in the dishwasher.”

I can’t help but smile. “Oof, that’s rough.”

She looks so heartbroken that I have to work hard not to laugh. “Now it has the germs.”

Behind her, Wren appears in leggings and an oversized sweatshirt, hair twisted up messily, cheeks flushed from the kind of day that has probably not given her five minutes to breathe. She takes in the bags in my hands, then my face.

Her expression changes from curious to relieved in seconds, and by the slump of her shoulders, I can tell she’s tired. Exhausted, really.

“You came with supplies.”

“I panicked in aisle four.”

Daisy gasps. “Did you bring medicine to make Lily better?”

“And dinner.”

“Ice cream?”

“No.”

Her face falls, and I can’t help but chuckle.

Wren points down the hall. “Daisy, go tell Lily that Kai brought a dog.”

Daisy’s eyes go huge. “A real one?”

“A stuffed one.”

“That’s not as cool, but still good.” She takes off running.

Wren looks back at me. “You didn’t have to do this.”

“I know.”

“You keep saying that.”

“You keep telling me things I already know.” I shrug. “I wanted to see you, so here I am.”

The flush of her cheeks deepens as she tries to hide the small smile.

I hold up the sandwich bag. “I brought sandwiches. And yes, your pickles are on the side.”

That stops her, and her eyes flick to the bag, then back to me, and something in her face shifts.

“You remembered that?”

“Of course I did.”

Wren looks at me like she doesn’t know whether to shut the door or let me the rest of the way in. Maybe this scares her as much as it does me, but I hope she thinks the risk is worth it.