I stared at Iris standing there in her ridiculous "spy" outfit—sunglasses, hoodie, and baseball cap—looking like she'd walked straight out of a bargain bin detective movie. My brain struggled to reconcile the image of my responsible little sister with this teenage delinquent who'd apparently skipped school, forged documentation, and traveled across state lines just to... what? Investigate my employers?
"Let's take a walk," I said, my voice maintaining that dangerous calm that Iris knew meant she was in serious trouble.
"Can I come?" Harlow bounced on her toes, looking between us with sparkling eyes. "We could get more bubble tea and—"
"No," I cut in, perhaps too sharply because Harlow's smile faltered. I softened my tone. "Family matter."
Harlow nodded with sudden understanding. "Oh! Of course! Family is super important. We can talk later!"
Cassidy smirked. "Have fun with that, Scholarship Boy." She turned to Iris and added, "Nice meeting you, kid. Good luck."
