the other end was slow and sleepy.
âWow, what are you doing in bed already?â The milkshake spoon clanked against the side of the glass.
âCatching up on sleep. Got to do it every once in a while. Whatâs up?â
Willowâs voice gained energy. Jade needed to hear her sister, to care for someone other than herself for a moment.
âAre you with Linc?â
âNow or in general?â
âWhichever.â Jade tipped up the glass for a gulp.
âIn general, yes. At the moment, no.â
âWillow, be careful. Iâm not sure itâs wise toââ
â Mo-om , I am being careful.â
âDonât âmomâ me. Someone has to keep you in line. So are you being careful with your body and your heart?â
âItâs just a fling, Jade.â
âAnd that changes your answer in what way? Youâve been flinging a lot lately, Willow.â
âWhile I still got something to fling.â She laughed. âThat was a joke, big sister, a joke. Enough snooping into my life. What are you doing awake, and why are you calling me?â
âJust am.â Jade set the glass on the end table coaster, then cuddled a throw pillow.
âVintage shop stress?â
âNo, more like mother-in-law stress.â Jade ran the pillowâs fringe through her fingers. âFiancé stress.â
âOoo, dish.â
âWills, Iââ Jade slid to the edge of the sofa, tossing the pillow aside. âI sorta felt panicky again.â
âSorta? Did you have a panic attack? Get a text message from one? What?â
âYour compassion moves me. Itâs scary, Wills.â Her sisterâs flippancy reminded Jade the panic was only a shadow. She was fine . . . just fine.
âWhy donât you talk to Daphne, Jade? Canât she prescribe a good drug?â
âI donât want drugs.â Jade ran her fingers through her hair. âI thought I was past this.â
âYou are, you just had a bad moment. Donât wrap your life around it. Sheesh, if I got all bent every time I had a bad day, Iâd be a living pretzel.â
Jade laughed. Willow had a way of throwing her a lifeline, adorned with gold charms and white lights, and perhaps a fuzzy pink boa or two.
âI made a chocolate milkshake.â Jade had created her own type of lifeline.
Willowâs laugh went down smooth for Jade. âThere you go, the best comfort food on earth. Beryl sent me to get her one the other day. In fact, the day she got your invite.â
âSo she got it. Whatâs she going to do?â
âYou tell me, Sherlock. She acted weird, hinted at an issue between you two, then clammed up like always. Like you do.â
âIs she coming?â
âSheâs not sure you want her to come, Jade.â A crack-pop sounded in Jadeâs ear, followed by a fizzy, slurpy sip.
âI sent the invitation, didnât I?â Jade reached for her milkshake and took a deep drink.
âDo you want her to come? Really?â
âWhat I want is for you and Aiden to be here, and Granny. Do you think she wouldâve liked Max?â
âSheâd love any man you loved. Hey, I took a break from school, so Iâm thinking about coming down a few weeks early, andââ
âWillow, you had a scholarship and your dad was paying for the rest. Why arenât you in school?â
âItâs boring, Jade.â
âBoring? Get over yourself, Wills. People should be so bored as you.â A light rapping sounded through the loft. Jade glanced at Roscoe. He remained asleep in the narrow space between the coffee table and the sofa, so she went back to her conversation. âYouâre the smartest of us all, and look at you. Wasting time. Go back to school.â
âAre you sure youâre not my mom instead of Beryl?â
âTechnically, yes, butââ The rapping echoed again, louder this