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“Do me a favor and take it even if you don’t think you need it, okay? I’ll have Madoc buy you some water. What about food? Do you have lunch?”
“Yes,” I lied.
I hadn’t packed a lunch that day and had been too worried about escaping Madoc to get in line to buy food. But Ace didn’t need to know that. He went berserk when he thought I wasn’t eating enough.
“Don’t lie to me, Doe. Madoc already told me you don’t have anything to eat.”
“What? When?”
“I texted him when lunch started.”
I unleashed another groan. “Why did you ask if you already knew the answer?”
“To see if you were going to lie to me. And you did. Not very trustworthy, are you?”
Oh, he did ?not~ just say that to me.~
“As if you don’t lie to me all of the time,” I shot back. “I’m pretty sure you have a second, secret life. If anybody is untrustworthy, it’s you.”
Silence followed, and I knew that I struck a chord with Ace.
“I’m going to fix everything, Doe.” His tone was unyielding. “As soon as I get back.
I’m going to earn your trust back. And then I’m never going to lie to you ever again.”
I’ll believe it when I see it.
Madoc’s phone started to beep in my ear.
“Ace, I have to let you go. Someone is calling Madoc,” I said.
Ace let out a disappointed sigh. Honestly, I felt the same way. There was something so comforting and grounding about his voice, especially after the day I was having.
“Okay, that’s fine,” he replied. “My plane is about to land anyway.
“I have to deal with my father, so you might not be able to get a hold of me for a while. Madoc will take care of you if you need anything. Promise me you’ll eat something and take some ibuprofen.”
“I don’t need ibu—”
“Promise me, or I’ll get Madoc on your ass.”
I rolled my eyes. “Fine. I promise.”
“Good. I love you, Doe. I’ll be back to you as soon as I can.”
“I love you too. Be safe.”
After hanging up, I looked down at the name of the person calling Madoc.
Joe Kennicott.
My stepdad.
I frowned. Why would my dad be calling Madoc? They barely even knew each other as far as I was aware.
My curiosity got the best of me, and I brought the phone to my ear. “Hello?”
“Dorothy?” my dad asked. “I thought I called Madoc.”
“You did. I have his phone. Ace was trying to get a hold of me, but I didn’t answer so
—”
“Never mind that,” my dad interrupted. “I need to talk to Madoc. Can you give him the phone, please?”
I blinked in surprise. “Um, okay, I guess.” I turned, searching for Madoc. “Why do you need to talk to him?”
I couldn’t see Madoc. He must have wandered into the woods while I was talking. I walked in that direction.
“This is a bit of an emergency,” my dad replied in a clipped voice. “Can you please just give Madoc the phone?”
Wow. My dad hardly ever took that tone with me. Something must have happened.
“Jeez, fine,” I muttered. “I’m looking for him. I’m just not sure where he went.”
“What do you mean? I thought Madoc was supposed to be looking after you today since Ace is gone.”
I stopped walking. “How did you know that?” I never told him about Ace’s abrupt trip across the world.
“I don’t have time to explain,” my father growled. “Will you tell Madoc that your mother and I have to go away for the weekend?
“We need the two of you to pick up Wes and Felix from daycare today and to be at the house when the other five get off the bus from school.”
It suddenly all made sense. Once or twice a year, my parents mysteriously disappeared for a few days for what they called a “romantic weekend” somewhere in the Rocky Mountains.
They always went without warning, and it was never well planned. I would just come home from school one day, and they would be gone without any explanation.
And when they came back, they were always reluctant to explain what they got up to or why they had to leave so unexpectedly, and, honestly, I was a little afraid to ask.
All I knew was that my dad had a little more pep in his step after returning from his romantic weekends away with my mom.
Gross.
When we were younger, my grandparents—or step-grandparents, I suppose, since they were my stepdad’s parents—would stay at our house and watch me and my siblings during these weekends.
But over the previous two years, it had gotten harder for my grandparents to make the eight-hour drive to come see us, so Ace and I took over babysitting my brothers.
I usually looked forward to it. We fed my brothers junk food, played games until late into the night, and basically got to play house for a few days.
“You and Mom are going to the Rockies?” I asked. “Are you going to leave the minivan? Because then I can just go get Wes and Felix and babysit myself.”
I got my license when I was sixteen but never drove often since Ace insisted on chauffeuring me everywhere. It would be nice to drive again.
“No,” my dad responded, “I don’t want you taking care of the boys by yourself tonight. Grandma and Grandpa will be there to help you by tomorrow morning, but I want Madoc with you tonight.”
“Wait, what? You want Madoc to help me watch the boys? I’ve taken care of them by myself countless times. Why is this so different?”
“Please don’t argue with me right now, Dorothy. I cannot have you by yourself tonight. Just promise me you will ask Madoc to stay the night and help with your brothers. Please.”
“You’re being ridiculous. I am perfectly capable of—”
“No, ?Dorothy!” my dad suddenly snapped. “This isn’t about you or what you ~think~
you’re capable of! Stop being fucking immature and just do as I say!”
My stomach dropped. My dad had never spoken that way to me before. I didn’t even know he had the word fuck in his vocabulary.
Despite my best efforts to stay in control, I felt tears welling in my eyes.