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the tact and grace that Cassia possessed. She was being shown
a different way, even if that wasn’t Cassia’s intent. Even if she
didn’t realize she was doing it.
Adalynn grabbed a few pieces of bread out of the fridge,
which she kept in there so it didn’t go moldy in the humidity
or get stale too fast thanks to the air conditioner being broken.
She smeared margarine on both slices and added cheese. Her
usual go-to. She poured herself a glass of orange juice so cold
the glass instantly started sweating, added two pickles to her
plate, and stepped out the backdoor.
Everyone looked up at her and conversation ceased as she
walked across the yard, but then Cassia smiled at her and that
smile was like looking into the sun, but it wasn’t blinding, and
it didn’t hurt. It was just warm and welcoming. Adalynn knew
that if someone had done what she’d done in the kitchen the
night before, she’d be pissed. She would have had some
confrontational, angry words for them. But not Cassia. She
was all honest grace, the epitome of a good person.
Cassia shuffled over on the picnic bench, pushing Jason,
who was sitting too close to her already, to make room for
Adalynn. Since it pressed Cassia even tighter into his side, he
didn’t seem to mind.
Tony, a carpenter by trade and one of the crew leads, shifted
his gaze to her. “You’re joining us for lunch? Taking a break,
or did it get too hot in the house?”
The table with the five of them and the men in the six
surrounding chairs fell silent. Adalynn felt the weight of all
those stares. She was being called out for something that she’d
never intentionally done.
“It is pretty hot,” she whispered. “Have to see about getting
