Theoretically Perfect (Theoretically Straight #2)

21. Caleb

Freddy doesn’t pack his things till Nana shows up around three. Mom and Dad told me they’d take care of cleaning up the basement, so Freddy and I spent the day curled up in my bed, watching his favorite musicals and abandoning our phones across the room. Wren and Oliver left earlier in the morning after we each chugged a sports drink to combat the collective headache from the night before. Then, there was a lunch of leftover pizza to help soak up any of the remaining alcohol.

I’m sort of glad Theo didn’t stay the night, if only because he dodged the hangover horrors. We need at least another year under our belt before I let him see me like that.

Freddy seems better after a while. At least he’s not crying anymore. It’s weird seeing him like this. Over all the boys that he’s dated, I’ve never seen him shed a single tear. But with Andrew… there's something different going on.

“Thanks for today,” Freddy says, zipping up his duffle. “I’m sorry my relationship drama ruined the party.”

“You didn’t ruin anything,” I tell him, pulling him in for another hug. “Everything is going to be okay. I promise.”

Freddy hugs me back, sniffling in my ear before he breaks away, his eyes shining. “I’ll see you at school tomorrow,” he says, heading for the hall. “Good luck tonight. Let me know how it goes. Especially if Nana Lynn punches Mr. Briggs.”

“We can only hope,” I call after him, running a hand through my hair as the reality of what lies ahead of me starts to sink in. Theo’s family will be here in just a few hours.

Why did I ever think this was a good idea?

“Where’s the birthday boy?” Nana’s boisterous voice drifts up from downstairs. “Caleb, are you hiding from your grandmother?”

“Be right down, Nana!”

I change into some jeans, not even bothering to comb through my bedhead. When I make it downstairs, Nana has already taken over the coffee table in the living room with a stack of boxes, wrapped hastily in brown butcher paper and tied with string.

“There he is!”

Nana launches herself off the couch, wrapping me up in a hug that nearly squeezes the air from my lungs. The bedazzled embellishments on her blouse dig into my chest as I hug her back, breathing in the familiar perfume of lilac and spice.

“I swear you get taller every time I visit,” she says, holding me at arm’s length. “My god, Caleb, those bags under your eyes. Did someone have a long night?”

“You could say that,” I agree, stifling a yawn. “I had some friends here for a sleepover.”

“Mother, is that you?” Mom’s muffled voice comes from the kitchen.

Nana releases her hold on me, moving to stick her head around the corner. “In here, Nora.”

Mom shows up, her hair pulled back off her shiny face. “When did you get in? I wasn’t expecting you for another hour at least.”

“Got an early start this morning,” Nana answers. “I woke up at four, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, ready to hit the road. I’m telling you what, those hot springs out in Wyoming are just what the doctor ordered. My joints haven’t felt this good since the Bush administration.” Nana turns to give me a quick wink, “The first one.”

“Bert and I are just finishing up in the basement,” Mom explains, eyeing the stack of boxes on the table. “Can I come help you in the kitchen when we’re finished?”

“That’s not necessary,” Nana says, grabbing the stack of boxes that are nearly tall enough to block her vision. “I’ll go ahead and get the oven preheating. Caleb, sweetheart, I left a basket of heavy veggies in the Nana wagon. Can you grab those for me?”

“I’m on it,” I say, moving past Mom and heading out the front door. Nana’s RV is backed into the driveway, taking up nearly half of the available space. Poor Lola is going to have to park on the street tonight, but that’s the norm when Nana’s in town. It’s honestly impressive how well she is able to maneuver this monstrosity, as I can hardly stay between the lines in a normal-size car. Then again, maybe I’m just a bad driver.

Inside, the RV is tidy as always, sunlight streaming through the windows and a large digital photo frame on the counter, displaying Nana’s adventures. A wire basket filled with vegetables is sitting beside the sink, so I grab it and start to head out when something catches my eye. The picture on the frame has changed again, this time showing Nana hooked into a hang glider, thousands of feet in the air. My stomach lurches just looking at it.

Nana is fearless. She’s handled more in her lifetime than most people can dream, and she shows zero signs of slowing. Maybe I need to take a page from her book. If Nana can jump off a mountain, then I can make it through one dinner with Theo’s dad.

What’s the worst that could happen?

Theo texts me when they’re on the way. I stare at my reflection for a moment longer, making sure I’ve tamed the last remnants of my bedhead. I’ve ditched the normal hoodie in favor of a button-down that Nana got me for my birthday–my favorite shade of soft pink. The streak in my hair has faded over the weeks to almost total blond, and I sort of wish I had thought to redye it before tonight.

A knock on the door pulls me out of my head.

“Come in.”

Lola pokes her head through the door, showing a small polka-dotted bag. “Happy birthday, little bro.”

“I was wondering when you were going to show up,” I say, opening the door all the way. She’s still wearing her work clothes, which are far nicer than anything I ever put on, and she’s even wearing mascara, which means she must have been face-to-face with clients today. “Now I feel like I’m underdressed.”

“I’m changing,” Lola says quickly, setting the bag down at the foot of my bed and pulling me into a hug. “Sorry I’ve been MIA today, but I had to take care of this emergency thing at the office involving livestock–it’s not important. I’m just glad I made it.”

“Me too,” I say, hugging her back. “I have no idea how tonight is going to go, and I’ll need you there to help run defense if Nana decides she wants to pick a fight.”

“Aw, it’s cute you think that I have any chance of stopping Nana. She’s a force of nature, Caleb. Sometimes, you’ve just got to hunker down and hope for the best.” She reaches over and grabs the gift bag, offering it to me. “Here, you’re not supposed to open it until after dinner. Those were Mom and Dad’s specific instructions.”

“Then why are you giving it to me now?” I ask, taking the lightweight bag and sizing it up.

“Because I’m tired of being responsible for it, and I figured it would be like a little prize for making it through the night. Like a ‘I survived dinner with my boyfriend’s intolerant parents’ prize.”

“Yeah, I don’t think those will really catch on.” I set the present back on my desk, tucking it behind my laptop, next to the journal from Theo that I still haven’t had time to sit down and read. A pang of guilt flares in my gut, but with everything that’s happened since last night, he’ll understand.

“Okay, I’m going to go peel some of this makeup off. I don’t want the conservatives thinking that your sister’s a drag queen or anything like that.”

“At this point, I don’t think Theo’s dad can have a lower opinion of me, so knock yourself out. I’ll throw on a wig and join you.”

Lola snickers, giving my shoulder a gentle squeeze. “Any parents should be over the moon that their child is loved like you love Theo. I’m sorry that his don’t see it.”

“His mom is coming around, I think,” I offer, shrugging away from her touch. “So, it’s not all bad. I’ll take the small victories where I can.”

“That’s the spirit, little bro.”

The doorbell sounds, and my heart rate spikes.

Lola gives me a lazy salute. “I’ll see you on the battlefield.”

“You’re so cringe,” I say, even though I’m laughing. She moves across the hall to her room, and I head for the stairs, calling, “I’ve got it!”

Theo is all smiles when I open the door, and the nervous tension in my gut disappears when he wraps me up in a hug.

“Happy birthday,” he whispers in my ear, sending shivers down my spine that spread out like ripples on a pond.

“You already told me that,” I tease him, cautiously glancing over his shoulder, expecting to see his family coming up the driveway. But it’s only Eileen I spot.

“They’ll be here any second,” he explains, as if reading my mind. “Dad had a thing at church this afternoon, so we had to drive separately.” He takes a step back, eyeing my outfit as his grin widens even further. “You look so good, babe.”

Heat sears my cheeks. “Shut up.”

“No, really. I mean, I always think you’re freaking hot, but pink is definitely your color–”

“There he is!”

Nana is a blur of sequins as she streaks past me, nearly tackling Theo with a hug. His eyes widen for a moment before he realizes what’s happening and clings to her to keep from toppling over.

“Long time no see, cutie pie,” Nana says, releasing Theo from the embrace but holding him at the elbows. “Where’s the rest of the family?”

“They’re right behind me,” Theo replies with a nervous chuckle. “It’s good to see you, Ms. Murphy.”

“Please, call me Lynn. Or Nana. Or whatever you want, honey, I’m not fussy.” Nana’s attention shifts to me, “Caleb, sweetheart. That shirt looks fabulous on you. I knew it would. I saw it at this roadside stand in Nebraska, and I just thought to myself–this shirt screams Caleb.”

“It fits great, Nana. Thank you again.”

“Anything for the birthday boy.” She spins back to Theo, wrapping an arm around his shoulder and steering him into the hallway. “Now, I’m going to borrow your boyfriend for a few minutes because I need a pair of strong arms to help me set the table.”

Theo throws me a concerned look over his shoulder, and all I can do is wave as he’s swept up in the storm that is my grandmother.

Before I can follow after them, the doorbell rings again, and I find myself alone in the foyer to receive the rest of the Briggs family.

Pulling the door open, Nate’s voice carries in before I can greet them.

“--is messed up, Mom. Even I know that.”

Kora glances up at me, a cake in her hands and an apologetic smile on her face. “Sorry we’re late,” she says, waiting for Nate to step through the door first. “Nathaniel, we will finish this conversation later.”

“Whatever,” Nate says, pulling his Switch out of his jacket pocket. “Sup, Caleb. You got a charger I can use?”

“Yeah, there’s one in my room upstairs. It’s the second door on the left.”

“Sweet.” Nate heads up the stairs and Kora looks like she’s about to say something, but then she deflates a bit, letting it go.

“I can take that,” I say, grabbing the cake container from her. “Is this strawberry?”

“Yes, it’s a family recipe. Theo said strawberry was your favorite.”

“He’s right. Thank you so much. I can’t wait to try it!”

“I just hope it’s good. The frosting came out a little funny, and I tried to remake it, but Nathaniel had already used the rest of my butter for his–sorry, I don’t mean to bore you, Caleb.”

“It’s okay,” I tell her. “I’m sure it’ll be amazing. Here, you can follow me, and I’ll introduce you to everyone.”

Kora straightens out the lines on her floral dress then gives a slight nod. We move down the hallway, ducking into the living room where Mom is lighting one of her three-wick candles on the coffee table.

“Oh! Sorry, I didn’t hear the doorbell ring.” She pulls out her earbuds, tucking them into her pocket with an apologetic smile. She crosses over to us, extending her hand with the confidence that comes with nearly twenty years of intimidating other lawyers. “You must be Kora. I’m Nora. Oh dear, that rhymes. Well, I guess I won’t have to worry about forgetting it. It’s so nice to finally meet face-to-face.”

“Likewise,” Kora replies. “Michael is running a bit late. He had an elders’ meeting that ran over at the church, but he promised me he’s on the way.”

“No worries at all,” Mom says, motioning for her to take a seat on the couch. “My husband Bert can’t make it to something on time to save his life. I had to tell him we were getting married at noon just to make sure he showed up to the ceremony. Please, make yourself at home.”

“Kora made a cake,” I tell Mom, holding up the container. “I’m going to take it into the kitchen and make sure Nana isn’t cross-examining Theo.”

“That was so nice of you,” Mom says to Kora as she settles into the chair across from her. “I’m afraid I’m not very much of a baker. I remember when I tried to make a cake for Caleb’s first birthday–”

I move down the hall, Mom’s voice fading as I pass through the swinging door to the kitchen and into Nana’s domain. The stovetop is seeing more action than it has all year, all five burners engaged and steam rising from each of the pots. The smell is heavenly, and it makes me that much hungrier. Theo is standing at the island bar, a knife in one hand and a lemon in the other, as he silently deliberates which angle to slice it.

“Figuring out the best plan of attack?” I ask, setting the cake container on an empty patch of counter space.

Theo looks over to me, a bit of panic in his dark eyes. “Lynn told me to slice some lemons, but she didn’t tell me which way, and I have no idea where she went.”

“Deep breaths,” I say, moving beside him and taking the knife from his hand. I grab another lemon, and cut it in half, then quarters, then again to make a pile of wedges. “There, just like that.”

“You look like you’ve done this before.”

“Nana always likes to cook when she visits, so I’ve picked up a thing or two. Are you telling me that you’ve never cut a lemon before?”

“I can’t say I have. I’m a busboy, Caleb. They don’t let me touch the food. Besides, I’ve seen the servers do it at Cathy’s, and they have this weird lemon guillotine that does all the work for them.”

“Lemon guillotine?” I repeat with a laugh. “That sounds like the coolest band that no one’s ever heard of.”

“You’re right. Think of the T-shirts. The merch would be epic.”

We’re both laughing now, standing in the middle of the kitchen. It’s easy to let myself get caught up in the moment–this touch of domesticity–and imagine what it might be like for Theo and I to share a space one day. I know it’s crazy, seeing as I literally just turned seventeen, but I can’t help myself. It’s intoxicating picturing the possibilities that lay in front of us.

I’ll probably do the majority of the cooking.

Then, Theo’s hands are on my waist. I set the knife down as he pulls me closer, planting the softest whisper of a kiss on my lips. A disappointed noise escapes my throat when he pulls away, quickly dropping his hands.

“We’re almost ready, Caleb.” Nana’s voice shocks me back to reality, her short-cropped gray and blonde curls entering the periphery. “But I can’t have you distracting my help.”

My cheeks are flushed when I turn to speak to her, Theo sliding the lemon wedges into a bowl to make himself look busy. “Maybe we can find him something to do that doesn’t involve a knife, Nana. I’d like for him to stay in one piece.”

“I won’t hold the lack of knife skills against you, Theo.” Nana grabs a spoon, lifting the lid off one of the pots and giving it a stir. “Nora–Caleb’s mom–is one hell of an attorney, but still can’t dice an onion to save her life. Some people just weren’t cut out–” she snorts a laugh at her own joke, “for this type of thing.”

The swinging door opens again, and Dad steps through, sporting one of his nice polos and a freshly shaven face. “There you are, Lynn. I’m reporting for duty.”

“Thank heavens,” Nana says, pointing back to the cutting board where Theo and I stand. “Take over for Theo before he maims himself. Theo, it’s been swell, but you are relieved of your duties.”

“Jeez, it’s my first time getting fired,” Theo says, a playful smile spreading across his face. “Guess I’m not putting this on any future applications.”

“We’re just moving in a different direction,” Nana says with a knowing smile, ushering us both to the door. “Dinner will be ready in fifteen if you want to spread the word.”

“That was harsh,” says Theo once the door swings shut behind us.

“Nana only picks on the people she likes,” I reassure him, grabbing his hand and leading him down the hall back towards the living room. I poke my head in, Mom and Kora sharing a laugh over something I didn’t hear. “Dinner will be ready in fifteen minutes. Theo and I are going to go upstairs for a bit.”

Kora checks her phone. “Perfect. Michael should be here by then, and Grace just let me know she got off late, but she’s coming straight from work.” She smiles up at me and adds, “She didn’t want to miss your birthday, Caleb.”

A new heat burns behind my cheeks. “Um, that’s cool. I’m glad she can make it.”

“I’ll give a shout when the food’s ready,” Mom says, giving me a nod.

“Maybe try and get your brother to put down his game for a minute, Theo?” Kora says.

“I make no promises,” Theo replies, holding up his free hand.

I drag Theo away from the living room and up the stairs just as the doorbell rings again and he freezes halfway up.

“I got it!” Mom calls from down the hall, and I glance back at Theo, his grip on my hand tightening. It’s like every muscle in his body went rigid, locking us down. Is this how he reacts every time his father shows up? I can’t imagine being that tense around my parents, except maybe when Dad is trying to put condoms on fruit.

“Hey, you okay?” I ask him, turning around and sitting on the stairs.

“Yeah,” he replies, voice just a murmur. “Sorry, I’m just nervous. I don’t want him saying something stupid to you again. Or your parents.”

“Don’t worry about us,” I say, rubbing the back of his hand with my thumb. “We can take care of ourselves. And my mom is a master of tiptoeing around topics. She won’t let the conversation drift into anything crazy.”

Theo nods as Mom moves to the door, not noticing us only halfway up the stairs. The front door opens with a burst of sunlight. “You must be Michael. Please, come in.”

Theo’s dad steps into the foyer, pulling off his windbreaker and hanging it by the door. “I apologize for my tardiness,” he says, voice cordial enough to sweeten the air around him. “I’m sure Kora told you that I had a meeting run long.”

“No worries at all,” Mom replies, mirroring Mr. Briggs’ friendly energy. “You’re just in time, really. Dinner will be ready in just a few minutes, and your wife and I were just getting acquainted in the living room.”

“Wonderful,” Mr. Briggs says, moving to join her but stopping short as he notices the two of us on the stairs. “Theodore, where are you two headed?”

Theo’s posture straightens, and he drops his hand from mine as he turns around on the step. “Hey Dad, me and Caleb were just going to get Nate from Caleb’s room.”

Something flashes in Mr. Briggs’ expression and he steps forward, placing a well-shined shoe on the bottom stair. “Why don’t you come with me? There’s something that I wanted to discuss with you.”

“Uh, can it wait for a minute? We’ll be right back down.”

“No, it can’t, actually,” Mr. Briggs counters, his voice taking on an edge. “Now come here.”

I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from speaking up. Mom flashes me a look of surprise, but I’m focused on Theo again and his body language. His hands clench into fists at his side. He doesn’t move from the stairs.

“Is there a problem, Theodore?”

His father’s voice is a warning. A promise of something I don’t understand. Theo finally moves, descending the stairs to join Mr. Briggs.

“Let’s step outside for a moment,” Mr. Briggs says, motioning to the door.

“Michael,” Mom intervenes, approaching the two of them. “Is everything all right?”

Mr. Briggs’ smile is wide but insincere. “Just need a moment alone with my son,” he says in a placating tone.

Mom’s eye twitches. “Of course. Well, don’t be too long. I’d hate for you two to miss out on any of the fun.”

She gives me a final look of disbelief before heading back toward the living room. Mr. Briggs doesn’t even acknowledge my presence as he crosses to the door, opening it for Theo to exit out onto the front porch. Once the door shuts behind them, I dash for the frosted window, pressing my ear against the cool glass.

“—right now, Dad? It’s Caleb’s birthday. We can talk when we get home.”

Theo sounds frustrated, which is no surprise. I’m actually impressed by the controlled tone he uses.

“No, it can’t wait, Theodore. In fact, I’ve been neglecting my duty for too long as it is. Do you want to know why the elders’ meeting ran so long today?”

Theo exhales loudly. “I don’t know. They couldn’t decide on which brand of grape juice they want to switch communion to?”

I have to press my lips together to keep from laughing.

“Jim Buchanon brought up the fact that you and Jake have been spending a lot of time together at church, and he had some very interesting accusations he decided to air out in front of the entire board of elders. He claims that you’ve been encouraging Jake in his perversions and that Jake has been talking about openly discussing these ideas in the church.”

My heart hammers in my ears, and I press harder against the glass.

“Dad, what are you even talking about? Perversions? Is this because Jake is gay–”

“Do not say that,” Mr. Briggs cuts him off. “This is the problem, Theodore. You’ve become so inundated with the worldly ways that you don’t even see the sinful behavior you encourage by giving it legitimacy.”

“Giving it legitimacy?” Theo echoes. “Do you mean acknowledging the fact that Jake likes guys? I know how you feel about this stuff, Dad, but–”

“It’s not just how I feel about it. It’s the church’s stance on the matter. It’s God’s stance.”

“Well, I’m sorry, but I don’t agree. And Mr. Buchanon can come and talk to me himself if he has such an issue with Jake and me hanging out. Or, God forbid, he can have an actual conversation with his son.”

“It wasn’t just Jim who voiced concern,” Mr. Briggs continued, his voice a growl. “Apparently, your galivanting around town with Caleb has drawn the attention of several members who have lodged their own concerns. And as you can imagine, it doesn’t look good for an elder’s son to be the target of such rumors.”

“I’m not galivanting. Caleb is my boyfriend, Dad. I don’t know how many times I have to tell you that.”

“Not anymore, he isn’t.”

Theo goes quiet.

I hold my breath.

What is that supposed to mean?

“What?” Theo’s voice is barely audible.

“You have to stop this nonsense, Theo. I’ve entertained it this long, hoping that you would work through it on your own, but enough is enough. You are not bisexual. You’re just confused. One of the elders has agreed to meet with you one-on-one to help you overcome this behavior, but starting today, you need to tell Caleb that he is no longer to associate with you or our family.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“This is not a joking matter. Either you will tell him, or I will. You are my son, Theodore, and I cannot allow you to continue to embarrass myself and your mother–”

“Embarrass you?” Theo says through a barking laugh. “So that’s what this is really about. You can’t stand the fact that you have a son who is any kind of queer , and now you’re trying to save face with your bigoted friends.”

“You are not queer ,” Mr. Briggs starts, but Theo cuts him off again.

“You don’t get to tell me what I am, Dad! That’s not up to you. And I’m sorry if that doesn’t fall into the narrow definition of your perfect family, but that’s the reality.”

Fuck yeah! I want to wrap my arms around Theo’s neck.

“This isn’t an open discussion, Theodore. You may not see it now, but I’m doing what’s best for you, like a father should.”

“Keep telling yourself that,” Theo says, his voice strong. “But what you’re actually doing is driving me away, Dad. Can’t you see that? I love Caleb, and I’m not going to throw that away just so you can be comfortable around your friends!”

Mr. Briggs lets out an exasperated sigh. “I’ve already told you, there’s no other choice. You are to end this nonsense with Caleb immediately, do you understand?”

“And if I don’t?”

Mr. Briggs hesitates, his voice wavering. “Then we will have a different conversation. One that revolves around whether or not you will be allowed to continue living in my house.”

My stomach drops. He can’t be serious. Is he really making Theo choose between me and having a home?

“Are you fucking serious?”

A third voice draws my attention, another shadow joining the other two on the porch.

“Watch your mouth, young lady.”

“It’s fine, Grace. I’m handling this.”

“Well, too bad, bud, because I’m pretty sure I just heard Dad threaten to kick you out of the house. That was what I heard, right?”

“I was simply informing your brother of the consequences of his selfish actions.”

“Why don’t we go get Mom and see how she weighs in on this decision of yours,” Grace says, her footsteps up the stairs drawing her voice closer. “I think she might have a few thoughts.”

“I have the final say in the matter,” Mr. Briggs concludes. “And I would ask that you keep your thoughts to yourself, Grace. Now go inside.”

“Not a fucking chance.”

“ Language. ”

“I have a better idea,” Grace suggests. “Theo, go inside and be with your boyfriend. I need to have a very frank and possibly colorful-language-filled conversation with our father.”

“Are you sure?” Theo asks after a moment.

“Positive. Don’t let this asshole ruin Caleb’s birthday.”

“Thank you.”

“Theodore, we are not finished here, young man.”

“I am. And I don’t know what I’m more upset about, Dad. The fact that you’re asking me to do this, or the fact that I’m not surprised.”

The door opens beside me, and I step back in a rush as Theo, red-faced and wide-eyed, walks into the foyer, shutting the door as Grace starts in on her father.

“What the hell is wrong with you–”

“Caleb?”

Theo’s expression softens when he sees me, the anger in his brow melting away. I grab him before he can say anything else, pulling him into me. I wrap my arms around him, pressing him against me with all of my might.

“How much of that did you hear?” he asks through a grunt.

I just squeeze him tighter.

“That much, huh?”

I don’t know what to say, so I just hold onto him, hoping my touch can communicate all of the things I need him to know.

“I wasn’t going to do it,” he says, rubbing the small of my back. “I didn’t consider it, even for a second.”

He’s comforting me?

“But what if he’s not bluffing?” I ask, my voice catching in my throat at the thought.

“Then I’ll figure it out. I can crash on Oliver’s couch if I have to or Harrison’s. Yeah, it would suck for a bit, but it’s not the end of the world. Plus, I’d still have you, so either way, I’m ahead.”

“I’m not worth all that trouble, Theo.” I squeeze out the words, the back of my eyes prickling with tears.

Theo’s hands drift to my hips, pushing back gently so he can look into my eyes. “Don’t say that. I’m crazy about you, Caleb. You know that, right?”

I nod, blinking away the moisture. “I feel the same way about you.”

“Good. Because this would be really awkward if you didn’t.”

I choke out a laugh, and Theo pulls me in again. “Me and Dad were going to have this stand-off sooner or later. I’m just sorry it happened on your birthday.”

“It’s not too late for me to tell Nana to put dirt in his food.”

“Let me get back to you on that.”

As if on cue, Nana pokes her head out of the hallway. “Time to eat, kiddos.”

Theo and I break away from each other.

“Be there in a second.”

“I should probably make sure Grace hasn’t drawn blood out there,” Theo says, swiveling to glance out of the frosted window. “Something tells me that Dad isn’t going to want to stick around for dinner.”

“Maybe we should just start making out until he leaves.”

Theo smirks. “Is making out your solution to all of our problems?”

“Damn, you caught me.”

Another wave of shouting sounds through the door, and Theo flinches. “I’d better get out there.”

“I’ll get Lola and Nate,” I say, motioning towards the stairs. “Promise me you’ll come back?”

Theo hits me with those big, brown eyes. “You couldn't keep me away.”