A Good Day for Chardonnay by Darynda Jones

10

Forecast for tonight:

Alcohol, low standards, and poor decisions.

—SIGN AT THE ROADHOUSE BAR AND GRILL

It wasn’t that late when Sun and Quincy got back. Part of her felt bad considering her parents had wanted a date night. But another part, a bigger part, didn’t feel the least bit concerned. It was their fault she was sheriff.

After checking in at the station and finding out they’d recaptured Randy the raccoon, rescuing him from inside a vending machine, Sun headed home for a much-needed shower and a glass of wine. She would have made it, too, had her fuel light not come on.

She pulled into the Quick-Mart and parked beside her favorite gas pump: number three. Humble. Nondescript. Unassuming. But because the credit card machine still wasn’t working on pump number three, she had to go inside to pay.

She stepped into the small convenience store and slammed into a brick wall. When she bounced back, she looked up into the face of the brick wall. A wall named Levi Ravinder. For some reason, her hand immediately went to her gun. Thankfully she had the wherewithal to leave it holstered, but he’d tracked the involuntary movement with his caramel-colored irises before refocusing on her face.

She did the same to him. The bruising had only gotten worse. His left eye was swollen with dark, puffy splotches. His jaw was a combination of several shades of blue under the scruff, yet somehow the damage only added to his appeal.

When he questioned her with a minuscule lift of a single brow, she dropped both her hand and her gaze. The latter landed on the items he’d just bought: a large coffee and a giant bottle of painkillers.

Concern rocketed through her, but she slipped into her best poker face and stared him down. Or up, as the case may be. “I see you’re still alive.”

“Disappointed?”

“Did you ever get checked out?”

“I checked him out,” the cashier said, a twenty-something named Lottie, who stood staring at Levi like he’d just saved the world from an alien invasion. Lottie was the younger sister of a classmate and had been destined for stardom. The fact that she was working at the Quick-Mart for Mr. Walden was a little depressing.

Sun didn’t respond to her. Instead, she waited for Levi to answer.

“I’ve been busy,” he said at last.

“Right.” She nodded, unconvinced. “Did you find them?”

“I found where they aren’t.”

“That’s one way of looking at it.” She glanced over her shoulder toward the parking lot. “No wonder we haven’t picked you up yet. You switched trucks.” She recognized the only other vehicle on the premises, a dark gray F-150. It belonged to Levi’s distillery, Dark River Shine, but she’d never seen him drive it.

“Don’t bother,” he said when she made a mental note of the truck. “I won’t be driving it much longer.”

“No, you won’t.” She turned back to him. “Because I’m taking you in.”

He graced her with a pitying curve to his mouth. “No can do, Sheriff. I’m still looking for the men who attacked Seabright.”

“As are we.”

“And how far have you gotten?”

“About as far as you have from the looks of it.”

After a lengthy stare-down during which she tried to assess the damage to his left eye, the hemorrhage alarmingly dark, he started around her. “I’ll be on my way.”

She blocked him with a sidestep and her palm once again landed on her duty weapon. The reflex spoke more to her years of service than to any question about how dangerous Levi Ravinder was. He was very dangerous, just not to her.

Or so she’d thought until he closed the distance between them and glared down at her. “Are you really going to try to stop me?” he asked, his voice deep and even.

“Only if you make me.” Her mind raced through the plethora of offensive moves she could use to subdue the man, the same man who stood a head above her, but the last thing she wanted to do was hurt him any further. Still, if he forced her hand, she would have no choice. “I’m taking you in, Levi. And then I’m taking you to urgent care.”

She reached for a plastic tie on her belt, hoping it wouldn’t come to that, when a loud crash reverberated from behind the counter. Sun looked over and jumped the barrier. Lottie was having a seizure, her dark head thrown back, her arms stiff, her back arched.

“Call 911!” she shouted to Levi as she cleared the immediate area of anything Lottie could hurt herself on. Then she pressed the TALK button on her mic when she realized Levi hadn’t answered her.

She rose onto her feet. Both man and truck were gone. When she looked back, Lottie was coming out of it. She scooted against the liquor case, her knees drawn, hands cradling her forehead.

Sun squelched the dubious scowl threatening to break free. “Stay put. I’ll call an ambulance.”

Lottie’s eyes widened, but she recovered quickly. “Oh, no. I just need some water. I’m much better now.”

Sun leaned closer and let the barest hint of the scowl she’d been holding back float to the surface. “Oh, I insist.”

The sheepish air that came over Lottie’s entire demeanor spoke volumes as Sun depressed the talk button on her mic. Lottie was going to urgent care and she’d have every test known to man run on her before the day was done if Sun had anything to do with it. Or she could charge her with obstruction. So many choices, so few hours in the day.

The lights were out at the Freyr house, thus Sun headed straight for her own humble abode and the magnificent shower ensconced within. No need to wake Auri.

Thirty minutes later, squeaky clean and slightly annoyed that Carver had texted her yet again, she’d settled on her sofa in a knee-length nightshirt, beige slouch socks, and an overfilled glass of chardonnay. She opened her laptop to do some research on Keith Seabright when a knock sounded at the door. She froze. Surely he wouldn’t. Surely he didn’t know where she lived.

She took a huge gulp of wine, then stood and walked to the door, fully prepared to confront Carver and inform him that their one date was also going to be their only date. Honestly, the nerve of the guy.

She did a quick scan of the room. All of her strategically placed décor that served as lethal weapons should she or Auri ever need them were in place. A metal arrangement with razor-sharp, detachable leaves. An umbrella in a stand that harbored a short sword. A tissue box with a Taser underneath.

The first thing she did every time she entered the house was lock up her gun. The wall safe sat just inside the front door. Having seen too many crime scenes, she quickly entered the combination and let the door crack open on its hinges.

“It’s just me,” Quincy said outside the door. “No need to unlock the safe.”

She looked through the fish-eye lens at her bestie’s handsome face, then relocked the safe before opening the door. “What are you doing here?”

“Date night.”

She looked down at her oversized nightshirt and the thick knit socks bunched around her ankles. She’d pulled her wet hair into a ponytail and applied a mask that was, thankfully, invisible to the naked eye, besides giving her an unnatural shine. “So soon?”

“No time like the present.” He lifted a box of wine.

“I had no idea boxed wine was a real thing,” she lied, opening the door wider.

“Yeah, it’s all I had.” He’d showered, too. The scent of soap and warm cologne filled the air as he walked inside. “I prefer the term cardboardeaux.”

“Okay, then,” she said, fighting a grin and questioning their decision. Was this really happening? With her best friend? With Quincy? After closing the door, it hit her. What was really going on. She crossed her arms over her chest. “You just want to get laid.”

He put the wine on her snack bar and turned back to her. “Well, yeah.”

Fair enough. “Yeah, me too.” Sun walked to her still-full glass of wine and downed it in five massive gulps before coming up for air.

The edges of his mouth slid into a humorous smile. “Nervous?”

She coughed then walked up to him, holding the glass out for more. He refilled it before pouring himself one, and they went to town on a boxed red with subtle hints of fruit. Like, really subtle.

“Is that prunes?” she asked, smacking her lips.

He shrugged and downed another glass, apparently as nervous as she was. And they had to get back to work in ten hours.

The wine hit her instantly. She walked to the sofa and sat down before it and the world got pulled out from under her.

He joined her there.

“We need to set some ground rules,” she said, a strong buzz already taking hold.

“Agreed. You come first.”

She choked on the sip she’d been in the middle of taking and decided a slower approach to the wine thing would be best for all involved. “What? No. Why? What about you?”

“Honey, don’t worry about me. I can come inside of three seconds.”

“It takes a big man to admit that.”

He sobered and studied her, before admitting, “You aren’t like the other women in my life.”

“Inflatable?”

“They had their reasons for being with me. I just … I want this to be good for you.” His statement was almost sad.

“Okay.” Possibly more aroused than she cared to admit after seeing Levi, she sat her wine down and attacked. It had been a long time. A very, very, very long time.

He lifted her onto his lap and she draped her arms over his wide shoulders before reality sank in. Kissing him was about as stimulating as kissing the back of her own hand. She turned her head, and said, “Oh, my God, wait.”

“Okay,” he said from behind a trail of kisses from her mouth to her ear.

It was enough to make her forget where she put her senses again. To throw caution to the wind. For the protest that had formed on the tip of her tongue to vanish.

He stopped and licked his lips, his expression similar to when Sun ate Lemonheads. “What is on your face?”

“Oh, yeah, that’s a mask. You don’t want to lick that.”

Her mouth covered his again.

He was everything a girl could want. Insanely handsome. Amazing body. Fantastic personality. A girl would be crazy not to desire him, which had her questioning her sanity when she broke off the kiss again.

But she pulled back at the same time he did. They looked at each other, the hopelessness of the situation sinking in.

Then a thought hit her. “Maybe we need to be naked.”

“Of course!” He knocked a palm against his head. “That’s exactly what we need.”

They kissed all the way to her bedroom, ripping off clothes as they went, bumping into this table and that dresser. She may have heard a crash or two, but she couldn’t be certain. He broke off the kiss to lift his shirt over his head in that way men do and, admittedly, her knees weakened just a little. His pecs were the stuff of legend.

Before Sun knew it, her skin was brushing across his and he felt good. She had to admit it, and yet …

They stopped again, naked in each other’s arms, their breaths coming in short, agitated gulps.

The look in his eyes, although resigned, was filled with admiration. “You are so beautiful, Sunny.”

She ran her hands over his biceps. “So are you, handsome.” She gestured toward the bed. “How about we take a break.”

She crawled into bed as Quincy went to refill their glasses of prune-flavored wine. A part of her adored him even more now. And she didn’t doubt that another part of her did love him in that way. They’d just been friends for so long.

When he came back to the bedroom, he was wearing his underwear. Charcoal-gray boxer briefs. He handed her a glass, then slid his legs under the covers with her and leaned back against the headboard.

“Now we know,” he said, almost sadly.

“Now we know.” She ran her fingers along the rim of her glass. “Who are you trying to forget?”

“What?” he asked, coming out of a trance he’d been in.

“Who are you pining after?”

He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter.”

“Quincy.” She put a hand on his jaw and turned him toward her. “Of course it does. Is it Zee?”

There had been an instant attraction between the two, but as far as Sun knew, neither had acted upon it.

“No, Sunbeam. She’s all kinds of gorgeous, but …”

“But you gave your heart to someone else.”

“You might say that.”

“When?”

He lifted a shoulder. “You’ve been gone a long time.”

“Wait, it’s not really my mother is it?”

He laughed. “No, though I have to admit, if not for your father, I would’ve proposed to that woman years ago.”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Always.”

“When did you get a bacon tattoo?”

He glanced down. On the left side of his impressive abs sat two slices of bacon. “Told you. You’ve been gone a long time.”

“You got a bacon tattoo and didn’t tell me?”

“’Parently.”

“It’s like I don’t even know you anymore.”

“I’m like a wild stallion, Sunburn.”

She tried not to snort. She failed. After taking one more sip, she put her glass on the nightstand, and scooted down beneath the covers.

He did the same, turning to face her. “It’s really too bad.”

“What is?”

“That you’re missing out. I could’ve made the heavens open up and the angels sing.”

“You’re that good, huh?”

“I would’ve made you question everything you know about the S-word.”

“Syphilis?”

“You’d never be the same again.”

A languorous sigh escaped him as the Sandman lured her closer and closer to oblivion. It had been a long two days. Then again, who was she kidding? It had been a long four months, and she didn’t know what she would’ve done without Quincy by her side. “I am in love with you, you know.”

He ran the pad of his thumb over her bottom lip. “I’m in love with you, too, Sunburn. In so many ways.” He leaned forward and kissed her again, his mouth warm and pliant against hers.

When he leaned back, she grinned at him. “Kissing you is like kissing my brother.”

One sexy corner of his mouth lifted playfully. “You don’t have a brother.”

“Which makes it even weirder.”

“Yeah, well you drooled in the car while you were sleeping.”

“Shit,” she said even though she already knew. “Was that the deal-breaker?”

He laughed softly, his eyes drifting shut. “Honey, if my standards were that high, I would never date at all.”

“Who is she?” she asked him one last time before letting the darkness overtake her. She thought she heard a name whispered on his breath but couldn’t be certain.

She dreamed of rain. It pelted the metal around them, but they were safe inside. The space was cramped, but she didn’t care. That just meant he had to be that much closer to her.

Hands caressed her back. Slid over her ass. Cupped her breasts. Hands she’d wanted to be caressed by for so long she could hardly believe it was actually happening.

Sitting astride him, she leaned back and gazed into the whiskey-colored irises of Levi Ravinder. So exquisitely real. But he was younger. She was younger. They took refuge from the downpour inside his old truck. Where some would see a pile of junk, she saw a classic. It fit him perfectly. The sensual shape. The warm colors. The growl it made when he’d cruised into the parking lot that night at school. He’d graduated already, but he’d come back for the big game, and Sun’s world toppled all over again.

Lightning flashed bright and hot to reveal his heavy-lidded gaze as it slid over her. She sat straddled atop his lap and he pulled her down to him. Pressed her mouth to his. Pushed his fingers between her legs.

She’d never felt anything like it. Heat flooded her nether regions like a tidal wave of molten lava. It pooled in her abdomen and throbbed with a sensation so exquisite, she bit her lip to keep from gasping aloud. Then his hands were at the waistband of her jeans. The button. The zipper.

Cool air rushed over her when he peeled them off only to be replaced by the warmth of his palms. Long fingers spread her apart and pressed inside, and that familiar pressure formed in the distance. Each time he brushed his thumb over her clit, the pressure grew, coming closer and closer. He bent his head and drew a nipple into his mouth.

A knock sounded on the window. She tried to look, but he kissed her again. Pushed deeper. Rubbed faster. She sucked in his warm breath, and he laid her back on the seat, parting her legs with the expanse of his shoulders. Then his tongue, like liquid fire, slid over her clit. She grabbed handfuls of hair, unable to keep the climax from rocketing toward her.

The knock sounded again.

“Mom?”

Sun jerked awake and regretted it instantly. Pain exploded in her head, making her dizzy and nauseous. The bed dipped as her daughter sat beside her. Sun scooted back to give her more room, only to run into something beneath the covers. Something large and warm snored softly beside her, and since she didn’t own a dog, she could only guess who was still in her bed.

She fought the urge to slam a hand over her face. Instead, she fluffed up her bedspread to camouflage the lump, pried open her eyes, and looked up into the adorable, angelic face of her child.

“You’re going to be late for work,” Auri said, still in her pajamas. “But if you have a minute, can I talk to you?”

“Of course,” Sun croaked.

“When did you learn Klingon?” the child asked. Hilarious. Then she giggled and the sound burst inside the cavernous recesses of Sun’s mind like a claymore.

Sun raised a finger to her lips and patted the tiny creature’s face.

Auri giggled again. “Here.” She led Sun’s hand to something cool and round. A glass.

Sun pushed it away until she heard two plops and a fizz. God bless her.

“When will you learn not to mix red and white?” the little minx asked her.

“How do you know—”

“Can we talk girl to girl?”

Sun struggled onto an elbow and took a sip of the bubbly liquid. Then she remembered once again who was under the covers with her and the adrenaline rush churned her stomach.

She had to be cool. Maybe her one-and-only offspring couldn’t make out the huge lump in her bed. He was on his stomach, so he was semi-flat against the mattress.

“How did you know you were pregnant?”

Sun’s lids flew open and a loud gasp echoed in the room.

Auri laughed so hard she fell back on the bed beside Sun.

“Aurora Dawn,” Sun croaked. “You are evil.”

“Duh. I inherited my evil ways from you.” Then, as nonchalantly as if Auri were reaching over to pluck a grape off a vine, she lifted the covers and peered at Sun’s bedmate.

“Hi, Quincy,” she said.

Sun saw a set of long fingers wave from under the blanket. “Hey, bean sprout. This isn’t what it looks like.”

Auri tilted her head in doubt and leveled a calculating gaze on her mom. “I think now would be a good time to remind you what a great kid I am. And how I would never judge you for sleeping with your best friend.”

“I didn’t,” Sun said.

“We didn’t,” Quincy concurred.

“Mm-hm.” She leaned in, kissed Sun on the cheek, then bounced out, yelling back, “I get the first shower!”

Sun grabbed her head before it fell off, and sat up, horrified. “I’m going to kill her.”

“You can’t kill her for being a mini-Sunshine.”

She looked at the lump beside her. “That child is nothing like me. I would never have done something that evil to my mother.”

“Oh, please.” He rolled over and sat up. “Ninth grade. Chainsaw. Ketchup. A package of hot dogs.”

“No, no,” she said, trying to sit up as well, but the world spun. “That was totally different.”

“Your mother had nightmares for months.”

He had a point. “I can’t believe this happened.”

“Which part?”

“All of it. And now Auri? She’s totally going to tell my mom.”

“I’m not a snitch, Mom!” Auri yelled from her room.

Sun grabbed her head again and fought the Earth tilting on its axis to look over at Quincy. “Are you okay?”

He shrugged a wide shoulder. “I have a great constitution. I can drink for days.” The second the words left his mouth, he bent over the side of the bed and emptied the contents of his stomach into the trash can there.

That time, Sun did follow suit. Minus the trash can.

An hour later, Auri emerged from her room like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon as she headed for the coffeepot. “Is he gone?” she asked, perky as a Disney princess on Adderall.

The little shit looked stunning in a mint-green summer blouse and black leggings.

Sun squeezed her eyes shut. She had never even brought a man home to meet Auri. It was always just the two of them, no matter how serious she’d gotten. And now this?

Way to mom, Sunshine.

“Yes, he left, sweetheart,” she said over her shoulder as she headed back to her room. That most magic of elixirs known as Alka-Seltzer had done the trick. That combined with a hot shower and a little black coffee, and Sun was as good as new. Almost. Most of the cobwebs had been shaken off, at least.

One thing the elixir didn’t shake off was the dream she’d had about Levi. Her dreams had been so vivid lately, and this one was no exception.

Before she could ask Auri to come into her room—she had to explain—she heard the front door open. A scream quickly followed.

“Mom!”

Sun ran into the living room to see Auri stepping back, cowering from Elaine Freyr. She stepped around her daughter and gasped before grabbing Auri and folding her into her arms.

“What is wrong with you girls?” her mother asked. “Ruby Moore sent over a basket of muffins.”

A huge basket. A basket that made the one they got four months ago look like a Barbie DreamHouse prop.

“I’m scared, Mom.”

Sun smoothed her daughter’s hair, and whispered, “Me too, hon. Me too.”

Elaine glanced down and studied the basket in her hands, her expression suddenly wary. As it should’ve been. “Are you girls punking me?”

Auri giggled, giving up the game. “How do you even know what that means, Grandma?” She tiptoed over for a kiss from the woman.

Sun headed for the microwave to reheat her coffee before heading out.

“Ruby said to make sure you two got a few before that husband of mine finishes them off, so I thought I was doing you a favor.”

“Don’t do me any more,” Sun said.

“She’s so nice,” Auri said. “I wonder what horrible thing is going to happen, though.”

Elaine took a look at her surroundings. The overturned table. The broken glass. The bra on the back of the sofa. She chose to ignore them. “What do you mean?”

“Mom,” Sun said, dubious. “You have to know Ruby’s muffins are cursed. The whole town knows.”

Elaine sighed. “You cannot honestly believe that ridiculous rumor.”

“Yes, we can,” Sun and Auri said at the same time.

“Because they are cursed, Grandma. Chastity Bertram’s mother slipped a disc after she got one. And Beatrice Morales’s cousin broke both her legs and both her arms exactly twenty-seven minutes after one showed up on her doorstep.” Auri picked up her backpack, then thought again. “Of course, that only happened because she and her little brother were fighting over it and he pushed her down the stairs.”

“Good heavens.” She set the basket on the snack bar. “Why was Quincy’s cruiser parked in the drive so early this morning?”

Sun sucked in a soft breath mid-sip and spent the next three minutes coughing up a spleen.

“I would tell you, Grandma,” Auri said, heading out the door. “But snitches get stitches and wind up in ditches.”

Elaine looked at Sun. “What does that even mean?”

“It means,” Sun said, her voice strained, “I raised my daughter right.” She gave her mother a quick peck on the cheek, then left the woman standing in her kitchen, shaking her head. That happened a lot.

“How are things going?” Sun asked Auri as she drove her to school. It was a short trip, so she didn’t have a lot of time.

“Okay,” she said with a shrug. “Team Lynelle still talks behind my back.”

That fact sliced through Sun’s heart every time she thought about it. “Honey, don’t worry about people who talk behind your back. They’re behind you for a reason.”

Auri’s mouth fell open. “That’s really good. Did you just make that up?”

“No. Fortune cookie.”

“Ah.”

“Honey—”

“I know what you’re going to say.” She held up a hand to stop her. “It’s okay, Mom. According to the girls at school, Quincy’s a major hottie.”

She couldn’t argue that. “Want to talk about it?”

“About you and Quincy?” she asked with a snort.

Sun pulled into the drop-off area and waited to move forward. “I know how it looked, hon.”

“It looked to me like you have no room to talk,” Auri said, a satisfied smirk on her face.

That got Sun’s attention. “Really? In what way?”

“You had a boy in your room. I had a boy in my room. I say let bygones be bygones.”

Sun turned to wave at Principal Jacobs, mostly to squelch a wayward grin. “I’d like to start by saying you have a very valid argument.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “Thank you.”

“I’d like to say that,” she corrected, “but I won’t, because you don’t.”

Auri frowned. “Why? It seems logical to me. And Cruz and I weren’t even naked.”

Sun pinched the bridge of her nose. “Okay, first off, nothing happened.”

“Nay-ked,” she reiterated.

“I know.” Sun lost points in that area, but she needed Auri to know the truth. She eased forward and was about to piss off a lot of other parents, because she had no intention of leaving Auri with the idea that she and Quincy had gone all the way.

Then again, that had been the original plan. She cringed at the thought. She risked the friendship of the most important man in her life besides her dad. She wasn’t including Levi since he wasn’t actually in her life. But seriously, how stupid could she be? “I just want to make sure you understand nothing happened.”

“Exactly! We’re on the same page here, Mom. I can get out here.”

“Oh, no you don’t.”

“So close,” Auri said, collapsing dramatically against the door.

“Now that you think you’re old enough to have boys in your room—”

“One boy, Mom. One.”

“—I think we need to have the talk.”

“We had the talk, Mom. We’ve actually had the talk several times throughout my life and it never gets any less uncomfortable.”

“This one is different.” The kid had a boy in her room. She had to know there’d be consequences.

Judging by her daughter’s expression, panic was starting to take over. “You say that every time!”

“Since we’re on the subject of you getting pregnant—”

“What?” Auri screeched. “We weren’t on any subject.”

“—I’ve realized I’ve been putting off this conversation long enough.”

Auri paled. “You really haven’t.”

“I feel now is the right time.”

“It really isn’t.”

“We need to discuss the devil’s doorbell.”

Auri paused and tilted her head to the side. “The devil’s what?”

“You know. The button of bliss. The pushpin of pleasure.”

“Oh. My. God.”

“Satan’s socket.”

“I’m going to need so much therapy.”

“Lucifer’s little darling.”

“Have you been reading those pamphlets again?”

“Now, for future reference, you can ring the devil’s doorbell any time you want to, sweetheart.”

“I could run away and join the circus.”

“You, and only you.”

“Or go into witness protection.”

“Cruz De los Santos is not allowed to ring that bell.”

She put her hands over her ears. “Mom, I can’t hear this.”

“Your button of bliss is off-limits to him and any boy until you’re thirty-five.”

Auri dropped her hands and glared at her. “There should be a test to find out how unstable your parents are.”

“Hey. I’m totally stable.”

“So is nitroglycerin until you shake it.”

Someone honked behind her, so she turned on her emergency lights.

Auri’s head fell into her hand. The final nail in the coffin.

“And for the record,” Sun said, planting an angelic smile on her little kumquat, “the next time you have a boy in your room, I’m going to put bars on the windows. Got it?”

“Got it.” She glanced out the window, her demeanor changing like the gentle shift of a breeze. “Is he okay, Mom?”

“I don’t know. That wine did a number on both of us.”

“Levi,” she said.

Ah. Sun rubbed her daughter’s shoulder. “He’s fine. He’s Levi.”

“Cross your cold and bitter heart?”

“Cross my cold and bitter heart.”

Auri leaned over and hugged her, taking Sun by surprise considering the doorbell thing. Then she hurried out without another word.

It would have ended there, except in her haste, she forgot her backpack.

Sun grabbed it and hurried after her.

“Sweetheart,” she called, weaving through cliques of kids, following the auburn glow of her daughter’s carrot top. “Aurora,” she said a little louder.

Auri stopped and looked back at last. Sun caught up to her just inside the building and was surprised to see a wetness between her thick lashes.

“Oh, baby,” she said, pulling her into a hug. “It’s Levi. He’ll be okay. He always is, right?”

She nodded.

Sun looked over Auri’s head at a couple of girls pointing at them and snickering. She recognized one of them as the girl who’d orchestrated a news program when Auri had first started school in Del Sol. They’d found out about Sun’s abduction, about Auri’s questionable parentage, and blasted it to the entire school before IT could shut it down.

It left Auri devastated, and Sun had wanted nothing more than to arrest them for obstruction of justice, since her case was ongoing. But certain people of influence wouldn’t allow it. The families involved cried freedom of the press. Sun cried bullshit, but apparently money talks even in Del Sol.

Sun also knew the girl had made it her personal mission in life to make Auri’s life a living hell. If not for Cruz and Sybil, Auri would be miserable at Del Sol High.

She was about to quote their favorite motto—What would Lisbeth Salander do?—when she rethought it. Somehow cutting a bitch seemed a bit harsh in this situation.

Until the girl looked straight at Sun, an adult in a sheriff’s uniform, and unleashed a cheeky sneer.

Sun’s irritation skyrocketed. “Did that girl just sneer at me?”

Auri looked over her shoulder. “That’s Lynelle. She sneers at everyone.”

Sun drew in a deep breath. She couldn’t do anything that might get them both arrested. Thus, in lieu of doing jail time, she asked her daughter, “What would Hermione Granger do?”

Wearing a Cheshire grin, Auri turned toward Lynelle, lowered her head, and said softly, “She would leviosa a bitch.”

“Damn straight she would.”

They fist-bumped, but Auri’s gaze didn’t waver. She stared until Lynelle’s sneer faltered and the girl turned away.

“See?” Auri said. “She’s only as good as the sheep that follow her.”

Sun hugged her again. “She’s vindictive, though. Be careful with that one.”

“Thanks, Mom. I’m off to Defense Against the Dark Arts.”