21
“Don’t be surprised if Mom and Cassie don’t make it,” Will warned Ben. “If they were going to show up, they would have before now.”
“Have you heard from Cassie? What did she say?” he asked over the burning anxiety in his gut. They were all gathering at the farmhouse before heading to the Winter Ball. Even Aiden, home for the weekend, was coming.
“She said she’s trying, and not to pester her. The more phone calls, the more pressure Mom feels. This is hard for her, Ben. She has a lot of guilt built up.”
Ben bit back the words he wanted to say, which were—one good way to make up for everything would be to show up.
“She’ll be there,” he said confidently.
“Why would she come to a party instead of meeting us here?” Will squeezed his shoulder in a gesture meant to comfort, but Ben shrugg
