“The rumor that Cardi B is going to make a cameo next season.”
I let out a sigh of relief and suck down a mouthful of wine. “Oh. I hadn’t heard that one yet,” I laugh and set my glass down. “Next season has already been filmed, but I do love her. If she did make a cameo, I would probably die.”
“So you don’t have much control over the series?” Mrs. Harris asks.
“No. I’m lucky I have the control I do. Basically, I sold the rights to my series to the network. They’re in charge of everything, but my agent was able to have it written into the contract that I’m a ‘consultant,’ and since the series was so popular before the show, the producers know the importance of sticking with the original plot.”
“Holy crap,” Rory says. “It’s so amazing.”
“Nah,” I say, waving my hand in the air. “I just got lucky.”
“The Nightfall books are good,” Rory counters. “Kellie is the most relatable character ever, even though she’s a badass witch with powers.”
I always feel weird when the conversation takes a turn like it does. “I just wrote what I wanted to read. I never realized how many other people wanted to read it too.” I take another drink of wine and go through another round of twenty questions while we finish dinner.
And then the chaos Sam warned me about rains down on the household: Jacob tries to leave to go check on the animals at the clinic, but Mrs. Harris presses for him to stay for dessert, all while baby Adam cries hysterically and won’t let anyone but Rory console him. Mason and Mr. Harris get into a political debate, and something spooks the chickens, causing them to squawk so loud we can hear it inside the house. Thinking it might be the fox Mrs. Harris spotted a few days ago, Sam and Dean run out to deal with it.
Not wanting to get drawn into talking about politics or side with anyone—though I agree that Mason is right—I go upstairs with Rory and help her get Adam bathed and changed.
“I’m really glad you came over,” she tells me, checking the water in the bath before putting her baby in the little blue tub.
“Me too,” I say, getting the baby shampoo out of the diaper bag for her. “I can’t believe so many years went by without seeing you all.”
“It’s weird when you think about it.” She dips a soft blue washcloth into the water and gives it to Adam. He can hardly hold on to it, but it distracts him while she washes his fat rolls. He’s so chubby it’s adorable. “You were like my sister and then you just weren’t there anymore.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I don’t blame you,” she rushes out. “Sam said you all lost contact, but I know something…something more had to have gone down.”
“Yeah, but it was a long time ago. And speaking of time…you’re married with a kid. That’s insane.”
She laughs. “It kind of is. I really thought I’d end up alone.”
Hah. I know the feeling. I’ve always loved Rory like a sister, and I’m happy for her. She and Dean are perfect for each other.
“I could have told you that was not going to happen.”
Rory puts her hand on Adam’s chest and looks at me, smiling. “I feel like I owe you so much, Chloe. You inspired me to be confident in who I am, even though I did inherit your nickname.”
“Which one?”
“Creepy Chloe. They called me Creepy Rory.”
My brows pinch together. “That doesn’t have a ring to it like Creepy Chloe does.”
“Right? That’s what I said!” She laughs and shakes her head. “I’ve embraced it, though, just like you said.”
“Good,” I say, rocking back on my heels. “Being weird made my career. Literally.”
“I try,” Rory tells me, rinsing Adam clean. “Though I might have tried a little too hard before and it didn’t end well.”
“Hiding who you really are never does.” I take the towel off the rack and unfold it, getting it ready for Rory to use to dry off Adam.
She gets him dressed in cute puppy-print PJs. Things are much calmer when we get downstairs. Sam is coming back into the living room from the den, carrying a stack of board games.
“You guys still do game night?” I ask, a smile coming to my face. Mr. and Mrs. Harris used to basically force it upon the boys growing up. They’d have dinner and then play some sort of board game. It was something I used to do with Mom and Dad, before Mom got sick, of course. And then after Mom died, I’d spend a lot of my weekends either here or with Farisha while Dad worked. I never realized how hard that had to be on Dad back then, and I never felt like I was displaced or struggling. I felt included here, like I belonged, and being with Sam made everything better.