“Hello?” she said, attempting to secure the towel.

“Hey,” Robyn said. “Why do you sound so out of breath?”

“Because I’m extremely out of shape, apparently,” she said, walking back to the bathroom. “I just ran to get the phone.”

“Well, sorry that I made you exercise,” she laughed. “I just wanted to tell you that I’m definitely coming tonight. I’ll bring a barf bag if I have to.”

Leah grabbed another towel and used it to squeeze the excess water from her hair. “Not feeling any better, huh?”

“That would be a no,” Robyn sighed.

“Did the lemonade help at all?” she asked, wiping the fog from the mirror and then opening the cabinet to remove her toner and moisturizer.

“Not really. I’ve had the most success with sour candies, but those only work while I’m sucking on them. I’d eat them all day if I could, but they’re starting to shred the roof of my mouth.”

Leah cringed. “This part doesn’t last forever. Just keep telling yourself that.”

“I know,” she said. “And there are things I haven’t tried yet. I read in one of my books that those sea sickness wristbands work for some people, so Rich just ran out to the drugstore to get me some. I’m sure they’ll look sexy with my dress tonight.”

Leah laughed softly, applying her face cream. “You know you don’t have to come tonight. Honestly, everyone will understand.”

“Are you kidding me? I wouldn’t miss this for anything.”

Leah smiled just as Robyn added, “Oh shit, I didn’t realize how late it was. I need to get in the shower. I do not want to deal with your sister if I’m late.”

“I think she’d go easy on you, preggers.”

“Probably, but I’m not willing to chance it. See you in a little while.”

“Bye,” Leah said with a shake of her head before she put the phone on the sink and leaned toward the mirror, inspecting her skin as she tried to figure out how she wanted to do her makeup.

She glanced down, sifting through her makeup case until she pulled out a coppery eye shadow that would complement the brown dress beautifully. And then she smiled, remembering the day Holly had forced her to buy it.

She’d come so far since then.

Leah began singing softly to herself as she dusted some loose powder over her face to even out her complexion.

She had just finished putting on her eye makeup when a slight movement in her peripheral vision caught her attention, and she glanced at the reflection of the doorway in the mirror.

“Are you gonna hog the bathroom all night? I still have to shower, you know.”

A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she turned, leaning back against the sink as she swept her arm dramatically in front of her. “By all means, go ahead. Don’t let me stop you from getting naked.”

He smirked, pushing off the doorframe as he walked toward her, and Leah straightened as his hands gripped her waist, lifting her with ease so that she was sitting on the edge of the sink. He stepped into the space between her legs, and she hooked them around his hips, her towel riding up with the movement.

“Do you want to hop in with me?” he asked, running the tip of his nose along her jaw and up to her ear, placing a soft kiss just below it.

“Mmm,” she hummed. “Very tempting. But then I’d have to re-do my makeup, and Sarah will put a hit out on me if we’re late.”

He laughed, pulling back slightly to look in her eyes. “She’s already sent me three texts, telling me to do whatever I need to do in order to move you along.”

Leah smirked. “Well then, I’d say what you’re doing right now is highly counterproductive.”

He smiled a slow smile before he leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers, and she immediately wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed herself against him so abruptly that he stumbled back a step.

He laughed against her mouth but allowed her to take the lead, kissing her back with equal fervor.

It had been almost a month since Danny had come home, and yet she still responded that way every time he kissed her. She had no idea if it was a subconscious attempt at making up for lost time, or if it was more about trying to make the most of the time they had now, but either way, her reaction to him was as consistent as it was visceral.

Danny let her get away with it for a minute or two before she felt him ending the kiss, and she made a pouting noise against his lips.

He smiled his dimpled smile as he pulled back from her. “Sorry, sweet girl, but I promised your sister. She’s going out of her way for me tonight.”

“Alright, alright,” she huffed, pushing him back slightly as she hopped down from the sink.

He laughed, kissing her forehead before he walked over to the shower and turned on the water.

“What time is it?” she asked, turning toward the mirror to put the finishing touches on her makeup.

“Almost six. We should leave in like a half hour. What are the chances of that actually happening?”

“Totally doable if you stop distracting me,” she said, looking at him pointedly through the mirror.

He smiled as he held up his hands in surrender, turning away from her before he stripped off his clothes and stepped into the shower.

Leah quickly finished her makeup and grabbed the hair dryer, taking it into the next room. The steam from Danny’s shower was clouding up the mirror, not to mention doing a number on her hair.

She took a little extra time, blow-drying it sleek and straight for the occasion. As much as she had protested the whole thing in the beginning, she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of excitement over it now.

A few months back, when they had learned that Danny was being released for good time served, Sarah had instantly jumped on the opportunity to throw him a homecoming party. Leah was resistant to the idea at first, telling her they needed to let him get acclimated to normal life again before they bombarded him with parties and people.

Unbeknownst to them, Sarah had apparently declared one month to be the grace period for getting acclimated to normal life, because two weeks after Danny had gotten home, they received the invitation in the mail for his party tonight.

In retrospect, Leah realized that he probably would have been fine having the party that first weekend. She was the one who wasn’t ready. She didn’t want to have to share him so soon.

But even through her juvenile selfishness, she realized Sarah was right; he deserved this party. He deserved to be surrounded by all the people who loved him, celebrating his return, showing him how much they all missed him, how happy they were to have him back.

Leah walked back to her room, unraveling the towel as she went, and she could hear the sounds of Danny getting dressed in her walk-in closet. She had already laid her dress and shoes out by the bed, and she slipped into the dress quickly before stepping into her heels.

A smile curved her lips as she glanced at the clock.

“Five minutes to spare!” she called triumphantly. “And I’m ready before you!”

She heard him laugh as she walked back to the bathroom to get her necklace, the one he had given her the night before he left. She only ever took it off to shower, hanging it on the little hook behind the bathroom door and immediately putting it back on as soon as she was dressed.

Leah swung the door partially closed and froze, looking up at the empty hook.

She dropped her eyes as she moved the door out of the way, searching for it underfoot.

“Shit,” she whispered as she spun quickly, her heart thudding in her chest as she swiped her hand over the vanity of the sink, feeling nothing but the smooth ceramic finish.

“Danny?” she called, trying to keep the panic out of her voice as she swung the door open and flew back out to the bedroom.

“Yeah?”

“Did you move my necklace?” she asked, frantically shaking out the balled-up towel from her shower.