M.J. had always loved kids, but nobody lit him up quite like his half-sister, Melanie. Babysitting her never felt like a chore. “Cindy and Mindy should be home before I get back to take over with Mel. If there’s any emergency, call me immediately,” Christian said, snapping his briefcase shut. He was already dressed for the office with his tie knotted and shoes polished even though it was Sunday. M.J. scooped Melanie onto his hip. “I’ve got her.”

Christian leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to Melanie’s forehead. “Daddy’ll be home soon, princess,” he murmured, then headed for the door.

As the front door clicked shut, M.J. silently wondered again why Christian had to go into the office on a Sunday. He knew the basics: his stepdad was an attorney at a bank, the same one who’d handled his mom's divorce settlement years ago.

Tiffany Rice-Claxton, his mom, was a lawyer too, the kind who flew all over the country putting out publicity fires for high-profile clients. That usually left M.J. to his own devices on the weekends he didn't have to spend at his dad's. M.J. bounced Melanie lightly. “Well, Mel-Mel, looks like it’s you and me for a while.”

“Hank!” she squealed, pointing toward the hallway with chubby determination.

M.J. laughed under his breath. “Yeah, yeah, I hear you. Let’s go rescue him.”

He carried her to his bedroom and set her down. Melanie toddled straight to the nightstand and grabbed her favorite: “Handkerchief Hank”, the slightly worn green elephant with the plaid bandana around his neck. M.J. watched her hug the plush toy to her chest, and he smiled at the sight. Hank had been a gift from Frankie, won at the Greenville County Fair last summer, during one of those perfect, stupidly happy days when everything felt easy.

Back then, M.J. had told himself the flutter in his stomach was just the sugar rush from cotton candy and the adrenaline of the playful atmosphere. But the feeling never really went away. It settled in deeper every time Frankie smiled at him, every time their shoulders brushed on the couch during a movie, every time Frankie texted him something dumb at 2 a.m. just because he couldn't sleep.

M.J. had spent years trying to convince himself that his feelings towards Frankie was nothing other than admiration, maybe friendship on steroids. He was good at lying to himself. He wasn’t good at lying to the mirror when his face heated up at the thought of Frankie’s laugh, or when he caught himself replaying the way he felt when Frankie had looked at him, green eyes soft and caring. It terrified him a little, but it thrilled him a lot more. Right on cue, his phone buzzed. Frankie’s name lit up the screen. M.J. huffed a small, embarrassed laugh at the universe’s impeccable timing before he answered. “Sup?”

“Hey,” Frankie said, voice warm and easy like always. “What’re you up to tonight? Wanna crash at my place again?”

“I’m on Mel duty.”

“That’s cool. Ian dropped Tally off with us anyway, so we’re basically running a daycare. Grab her car seat. I’m already on the road.” M.J.’s stomach did a quick, happy flip then another, slower one that felt dangerously close to hope. He pictured Frankie pulling up at his house, grinning like the night was already theirs. That sweet, crooked grin.The image made his throat tighten in a way his asthma, thankfully, never did.

“Yeah? Okay,” he managed. “Drive safe.”

“Aww, my Michelle cares about my safety,” Frankie teased with a laugh.

“Yeah, yeah.” M.J. mumbled.

Frankie laughed again. “See you in a bit.”

The call ended. M.J.’s face felt hot, pulse loud in his ears. He glanced down at Melanie, who was now trying to make Hank “dance” on the hardwood floor, completely unaware that her big brother’s entire world had just tilted a little more toward someone else. “Change of plans, Mel,” he said, voice brightly. “We’re going on a little adventure.”

He lifted her with Hank still clutched tight in her arms. He hurried to get her shoes, jacket, and favorite sippy cup. Every step felt lighter, faster, like the whole house was holding its breath right along with him.

Frankie was coming.