Chapter 5

“Where’d you park? On the street?”

“No, I walked.”

I look out the window with a wrinkled nose. “In this weather?”

“It wasn’t so bad this morning. And I have an umbrella.”

A shiver racks my body at the thought of stepping even a toe over the threshold and going out in the heavy rain. “You can’t walk in that. I’d offer to drive you, but Uncle Ford borrowed our car this morning.”

“It’s fine. I like to walk. I do it a lot.”

As if though the weather heard his words, the window rattles and the smattering of the rain increases.

“Seriously. Your umbrella won’t help against that downpour. You’ll be soaked before you’ve even passed our neighbor’s house. Please stay. At least until it calms down a little.”

“I don’t want to intrude.”

“You’re not. And if it’ll make you feel better, you can even help me cut some stars.”

“Cut stars?”

I jump to my feet. “Come with me and I’ll show you.”