For a second, I just stood there, smiling to myself, weighing my options. Should I play it cool, pretend I hadn’t noticed, and wait for the fun of watching their faces when they realized I was here? Or should I make my presence known immediately, and enjoy the reaction head-on?

Tempting as it was to lurk and watch them squirm, curiosity and mischief won out. I walked straight over, pulled out a chair, and settled in like I’d been invited.

Sophia’s head snapped up first. Her eyes went ...