“You want to talk about the prom NOW?” She grabbed the window, preparing to tug it down. “I have four suspicious aunties banging on my door. Sharing things about the past was supposed to happen when we were lying on the couch together.”

He gave an apologetic shrug. “You know I’m not good with plans.”

Daisy leaned out the window as he edged down the roof, following the well-worn trail over the tiles. He’d never looked this unsteady when he and Sanjay had snuck out at night, and her throat constricted

“Liam?”

He looked up, brow furrowed in concentration. “What?”

“Do you want to use the back door?”

“And run the risk of encountering a rampaging auntie?” He shook his head. “I’ll take my chances with the roof of doom. Maybe you should take a picture so the police don’t think you pushed me when they find my body in the azaleas. If I do survive, it might also be useful to show the trustees. Nothing says ‘legitimate relationship’ like having to escape down the roof.”

Daisy grabbed her phone and took a few pictures as he made his slow, perilous descent. “Liam?”

His head jerked up, fingers embedded in the tiles. “Yes?”

“Thank you for offering to explain about the prom. I’d like to hear it another time.”

“Good to know.”

“I really appreciated you coming to be with me at the vet,” she said quickly. “And taking my mind off Max last night . . .”

Liam grunted when his foot slipped. “Are you thanking me because you think I’m going to die? Not the vote of confidence I was hoping for.”

“And this morning . . .” she continued.

“Don’t talk about this morning when I’m trying not to fall off the roof. It could prove to be a fatal distraction.” He reached for the tree branch he and Sanjay had always used for the last, more precarious part of the descent. Daisy knew every step of their escape route. She had watched them too many times to count.

“But I have to tell you something. It’s important.”

He froze, teetered on the tiles, his eyes glistening in the morning light. “What?”

“I hacked Guitar Hero. There was no possible way I could have lost.”

A smile tugged at the corners of his lips. “I know.”

Puzzled, she frowned. “Then why did you keep playing?”

“It made you happy,” he said simply. “Same reason I brought you math puzzles, played video games with you when Sanjay wasn’t around, tried to guess the after-school snack instead of looking at your meal plan, and offered to take you to the prom when you didn’t have a date. I wanted you to be happy, Daisy. I still do.”

His sweet words took her breath away. This was the Liam she knew. Kind, generous, selfless, and about to get killed climbing down her roof. “Liam! Wait.”

“I’m good.” His hand closed around the nearest branch, and her pulse thudded in her ears. A man who would do this for her, who had done so much in the past to make her happy, wouldn’t have left so abruptly without a good reason—a reason he’d been willing to share.

“Come back,” she called out. “I’ll think of something. I’ll tell them I’m ill . . .”

Too late. He swung off the roof and the branch cracked, dropping him the last five feet to the grass with a sickening thud.

“Liam!” She leaned half out of the window, her throat constricting when he didn’t move. “Are you okay?”

“Daisy?” He pushed himself up, and her knees buckled as relief washed over her.

“Yes?”

“Next time I’m going out the door.”

* * *

• • •

AFTER throwing on some decent clothes, Daisy made her way downstairs and opened the door to Salena, Mehar, Lakshmi, and Taara aunties and poor Hari Uncle, his hands filled with coolers, boxes, and bags.

“Look who is finally here!” Salena Auntie brushed past Daisy and into the house, her bright orange salwar kameez brightening up the curtained living room. “We were worried something was wrong with you. Hari Uncle was going to kick down the door for us.”

Hari Uncle shook his head. “No, I wasn’t. I have a bad hip. I suggested using the spare key that they keep under the rock. You were going to kick the door down.”

Salena waved a dismissive hand. “No matter. Mehar told us about poor Max, and you’re all alone without your dad so we thought we’d bring you breakfast before you pick him up.”

Daisy’s skin prickled in warning. Her aunties had always come with dinner when she and Sanjay were young and their dad had been held up at work, but now that she was grown, the unexpected visits usually involved a suitor instead of food.

She peered out the door, trying to find the man they had no doubt brought for her to meet. “Where is he?”

“Who?” Lakshmi Auntie added her shoes to the pile in the hallway.

“Somebody’s friend’s sister’s cousin who just happened to be in town and just happens to be looking for a wife and you just happened to be in the neighborhood and thought you’d drop in.”

“It’s just us.” Taara Auntie held up a Tupperware container. “And my famous Cinnamon Toast Crunch Marguerita Poha.” A wannabe chef with two boys at home, Taara Auntie was infamous for her terrible fusion foods.

“Don’t eat it,” Lakshmi Auntie muttered. “Those are not flavors that go together. I had some this morning and . . .” She held her stomach. “Do you have any antacids?”

“Medicine cabinet in the bathroom.”

Daisy followed Salena Auntie into the kitchen and settled on the stool while Taara Auntie took out container after container from her plastic shopping bag.