The Reality of Everything - Rebecca Yarros Page 0,25

up someone who didn’t live next door. Someone who didn’t need me to explain riptides or push her out of a decaying staircase. Someone who didn’t wear red Hello Kitty underwear that I still couldn’t get out of my head.

Mental note: throw away all Fin’s Hello Kitty stuff.

I should have walked the hell away.

Morgan gathered up her things and slipped into her clothes before walking toward me. “My thirty minutes are up. Time to turn back into a recluse.” Her tone was teasing, but her eyes weren’t.

“Okay. I’m glad you came down.”

“I am, too. Thank you for the invite.” She slid her sunglasses on, and I immediately lost the ability to read her.

“Anytime.”

She gave me a half smile and a nod, then walked away. My eyes followed her until she disappeared over the dune.

“Say it,” Sawyer repeated, this time singing his demand quietly. “Call dibs.”

“Fuck off.”

But we both knew he was right.

I was interested.

Now I just had to decide if I was going to act on it or not.

Chapter Five

Morgan

I know you. You’ve always been so good at holding it all together.

I know you’ll pick up the pieces.

The construction noise overtook Mama’s voice as I pulled into my driveway. There were two huge cranes and several smaller vehicles surrounding my house.

“…and that doesn’t even start to address my worrying about hurricane season!” Mama chirped.

“Mama, I’m so sorry, but I gotta cut this short. I can barely hear you with all the clamor going on at my house.” I pulled the Mini into the spot on the other side of the boathouse and put her in park.

“Okay, honey. Just think about what I said, okay? It can’t be good for you to be all the way out there by yourself. You really need to be home where we can take care of you and help you move on. Being out there is just going to let you dwell on it when you really need to pick up and push on with your life.” Her intentions were good, and her demands so…not.

“Okay, Mama, I’ll keep that in mind, I promise, and I’m not alone. Sam is spending most of the summer with me.” There was zero chance in hell I was moving back to Enterprise, but I wasn’t even opening that can of worms with her.

Steve waved to me from the table he’d set up across from Will’s truck.

“I’m relieved to hear that, but still. Two young girls—”

“Mama, I really have to go.” I killed the ignition and reminded myself not to snap at the woman who had given me life.

“Please do, baby. I’d even come help move you out. Love you! Just think about it!”

“Love you, too. Bye, now!” I hung up before she could launch into another ten-minute tirade about why being here was the completely wrong thing for me. I could devote an entire chapter in the journal Dr. Circe had given me yesterday to Mama’s well-meaning control issues.

The weather had chilled since this weekend but was still warm enough that the breeze didn’t bite at my legs too hard as I walked over to Steve’s makeshift command center.

He gave me the quick rundown. The house was up on jacks, giant holes had been cut next to the existing center support of the house, and they were preparing to drill both the new foundation pilings and the center support into the sand.

“Twenty-seven feet deep?” I remarked.

“Twenty-seven,” he confirmed. “A storm can easily swipe away a good six feet of the current ground level. Opting for the composite pilings was incredibly smart of you. They’re stronger than concrete or steel.”

“And more expensive,” I muttered. If the house drained my bank account, so be it. I never wanted the money, anyway.

“Honestly, spend the money on the structure. No one gives a shit if you have granite counters when the next cat four comes in.” He shrugged.

“True. Are we still on time for moving back in?” My chest tightened in anticipation. Not that I wasn’t enjoying the B&B in Cape Hatteras, but I wanted back into my house.

He ran his finger down his calendar, then nodded. “Ten more days, maybe sooner if the weather holds. We’re set to start drilling in about thirty minutes. Once we get her resettled on the new pilings and the new roof secured, you’re more than welcome to live in a construction zone.”

“So fast,” I remarked.

“Not going to lie, I’m pushing my team so we can fit you in between projects. We won’t be able to start