Page 278 of Silver Sweet

Surely,these calls would’ve woken her up if she was just sleeping. How would they not?

Tension fractures among us once the Honors House comes into view. It resembles a sorority house with collegiate columns and a pristinely manicured lawn. But it’s not why a collective breath is released in the car.

The headlights swing onto Ben Cobalt. He’srunningtoward the car like we’re a refuge from a flash flood. He has no shirt on, let alone a coat. It’s fucking freezing this December, and his skin looks pink and angry from the wind.

Tom rolls down the window and sticks his body halfway out. “Ben Pirrip!”

Relief is all over Ben’s face, but Harriet isn’t with him. Where the fuck is she? Alarm grips my muscles. “Get out, Tom.” I reach around him and yank the handle.

I don’t have to tell him twice. He’s jumping out of the moving vehicle, and I’m right behind my boyfriend.

I just barely catch Eliot saying, “I love them together.” That’s going to fuck me up for a minute. He’s quick to follow us, but Beckett and Charlie wait for the car to stop before piling out.

Ben reaches us in the middle of the lawn, winded.

Tom puts a hand on his brother’s back. “Breathe, breathe, breathe.”

Eliot sheds his peacoat, but Ben is already rejecting the offer with two outstretched hands and a hard shake of his head.

I don’t think he’s cold. He seems pissed.

“Forgot your shoes and your brain?” Charlie quips.

Ben glares. “Fuck you, Charlie.” His socks are dirty as he stands on the soft, squishy grass. He’s only wearing blue drawstring pants—what he wears to bed. “You have no idea?—”

“Forget Charlie,” Tom cuts in. “Are you okay, dude?”

“No—no, I’m not okay. I’m so fucking angry right now, and not at you, Charlie.” He pushes a hot hand through his hair. “I—I left in a hurry. Harriet called me crying,reallycrying. Worse than I’ve ever heard her cry. Then my phone died in the middle of her call, and I just came here as fast as I could.”

“Wake us up next time,” Beckett says, gentle but firm. “Even just one of us.”

“Preferably me,” Eliot adds.

“I will.” Ben nods repeatedly. “Sorry, Beck. I wasn’t thinking.”

“We’re aware,” Charlie snaps.

Ben lets out a tired laugh. “I’m glad I’m predicable, honestly. I’m glad you’re all here.” His eyes linger on me, as if suddenly recognizing I’m back. Like he forgot for a second tonight was my return. He slips a smile over at Tom.

It immediately inflates Tom like a fucking helium balloon. He looks ready to take off toward the night sky. I can imagine Tom has talked Ben’s ear off about my arrival.

Anger flames Ben again. His glare swerves over to the Honors House, lights off in the bedrooms. Even the front porch is dark. “Harriet’s mom showed up.”

“What?” I snap, shifting my stance with fury. “Here?”

“Yeah. She showed up where Harriet lives and told her dormmates pretty much what she told you and Tom.”

I choke on rage.

Tom rocks backward, his hands on his head. His horrified eyes pin on mine because we know how awful her mother was.

“The fuck is wrong with her,” I mutter under my breath. Her mom. Her own mom.Fuck Hope Danes.

“Where’s Harriet?” Beckett asks.

“The parking deck in her Honda,” Ben explains. “I’ve been with her. She bolted out of the dorm with nothing but her car keys, and she doesn’t want to go back inside. I ran here to grab her phone. Then I saw your car.” He takes a single breath. “I need to get her stuff. But I’ve never attempted to go into the Honors House past curfew, so this will be interesting.”

“We’ll help,” Beckett says, then strides toward the front porch with Charlie.