The worst part was the flashes of memory from Friday night. Fragments of scenes illuminated like matches struck then snuffed back out.

Lucky lifted her cheek from the tiled floor and gazed up at her blearily.

He pulled his hand from between her legs and his fingers were slick with her wetness.

It was typical of her youngest sister to wheedle out of any responsibility.

the city offered its litany of noises. A garbage truck groaned down the street. In the place of birdsong, cars communicated with a flurry of horns. On a floor below, a dog released a long howl.

Avery gave her a worn-out look.

elusive as any butterfly herself. The trick to loving Lucky, Bonnie wanted to tell Avery, was to respect her need to be free. Let her come and go as she pleased and eventually, she would land on you.

She was a scold, and no one welcomed a scold to the party.

Charlie beamed, making no effort to hide his delight.