The Day That Saved Us Read Online Free Page B

dinner, not breakfast. I don’t know what she does to cook it, but it’s always perfect.
    “Tate, this is incredible,” my mom says after her first bite. “I don’t know how you do it every time.”
    “Well, thank you.” Tatum smiles. “There’s plenty, so eat up.”
    “It’s just so flakey and… moist ,” Harper says, eyeing me impishly from across the table.
    I groan, knowing what she’s trying to pull. “Harper, you could have picked any other word.”
    “But it is moist,” Brodee agrees. A sly grin turns the corner of his mouth. He sits at the head of the table, watching me cringe, and laughs. I throw a roll at him and he bats it away, sending it across the hardwood floor.
    “Why do you keep saying moist?” Carter asks.
    “Oh my gosh,” I gripe under my breath. “Say it one more time. I dare you.”
    “Children,” Mom scolds, but she’s laughing too. “No more. Stop wasting food. Just eat the moist salmon already.”
    “ Mom ,” I warn with a chuckle. “I have another roll, and it has your name written all over it.”
    “I’ve got a palm, and it’s got your butt written all over it.” She gives me a sideways glance with a grin she’s suppressing. “But seriously, Tate,” Mom continues, “You have to tell me your secret. I’ve tried making it for Peyton at home, and it never measures up.”
    “I’ll never tell.” Her laugh sounds like the Evil Queen from Snow White.
    Nick takes Tatum’s hand on top of the kitchen table. “She won’t even tell me. Good luck getting it out of her, Liv.”
    After we eat dinner, Brodee, Harper, and I relax on the rooftop lookout, lying back on beach recliners as night falls. Without the city lights, the stars are fully visible. The sky feels close enough that I can reach up and grab one.
    “First person who sees a shooting star gets the last piece of chocolate mousse pie,” Brodee challenges.
    “But one other person has to witness it,” I add. I know his games. Cheater.
    “What, we can’t go off the honor code? You don’t trust Harper?” he teases.
    “Psh. I don’t trust you. I saw you eyeing that last piece. And you’ll be lucky if you get to it before Carter does.”
    “Well, my odds are better than yours,” he says. “Harper will share with me. Won’t you, Harp?”
    “Speak for yourself,” she replies, scouring the skies. “If I win, that piece of pie is all mine.”
    I laugh. That’s my Harper.
    I win the pie. Harper backs me. But I share a bite with Brodee. Because I’m a nice person. Not because I have feelings for him. Stop judging me.
    As we’re getting up to go inside, a bonfire blazing in the distance catches our attention. They’re here.
    “What’s going on down there?” Harper jerks her head in the bonfire’s direction.
    “It’s probably the Hatteras gang,” I say. Excitement pools in the pit of my stomach.
    “As in the Hatteras gang. The one you’ve been talking about since you were fourteen?”
    “That would be them,” I confirm. I was wondering when they’d pop up.
    “Well, let’s go! I want to meet all the people you hang out with every summer without me. Especially Tyler ,” she says his name in a singsong voice to tease me.
    I look to Brodee. I have a feeling there will be a certain someone there he’ll want to avoid.
    “Under one condition,” he says, holding up his index finger.
    “What’s that?” Harper asks.
    He eyes her, leaning over his armrest. “You’ve got to pretend to be my girlfriend.”
    “Why?” we ask him at the same time.
    “Do you really want to deal with Rylie?” he asks me. I don’t. “ I don’t. If she thinks I’m with Harper, she’ll let it go. We won’t have to deal with her snide comments and smug grin.”
    “Let what go?” Harper asks, looking between the two of us.
    “You know we’ll deal with them anyway.” I sigh and explain to Harper, “Rylie and Brodee have had a thing going on the last few summers—kind of like Tyler and me.” Though Tyler