Page 113 of Home Ice

And before Dad can argue anymore, I do something that I haven’t in a really long time. “It can’t hurt to try. You might love it, and you might hate it. Just … see what happens.”

He studies me. “You think I should?”

All my worries about him failing and it sending him into a spiral try to stop me from answering. But I need to learn to trust him again. “Yeah. I think you’ll regret it if you don’t.”

“Ah … well … okay, then. Two finger paintings coming right up.” He winks at me and goes back to the box he was searching through.

And I have to remind myself that whatever happens in the future doesn’t affect his happiness now.

We’re okay.

Everything is okay.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

JENSEN

“What if she murders me?” I mutter to Gigi as she pulls up out front of Kasen’s house. After all her help at Barrett’s, I took her out to lunch today, and it was fun to spend some time with my sister.

“Want me to grab the baseball bat from my trunk and listen at the front door?”

I strangle a laugh. “It’s enough to know you would.”

If I’m honest with myself, I need to do this alone. Last time with Amelia, it felt like we took baby steps, but with an actual plan in place with Kasen now, I need to bring her on board. We need to stop fighting each other and remember that at the end of the day, we both want what’s best for him.

“Okay, text me when you’re done. If I don’t hear from you in an hour, I’ll lodge a missing person’s case.”

“Give me two.”

“Nah, too generous.”

I grin over the center console at her, wondering if I’ve finally figured out where Kasen gets his snark from. “You know what, when I leave, I want you to make an effort with Kasen. Something tells me you’d get along.”

She cackles. “Bold of you to assume we haven’t been texting for weeks already.”

I stare at her. “Texting? Does he answer you?”

“Yeah, all the time. We’re going to catch a movie next week.”

“That little—” I’m not sure whether to be proud that they’re building a relationship or offended that they didn’t tell me. “A heads-up would have been nice.”

“Pfft. I’m the aunty. It’s basically my job to take his side in any and all things, encourage terrible behavior, and in general wreak chaos and spoil him rotten. I have fifteen years to make up for.”

“Delete his number.”

She blows me a kiss. “Love you too, Jenny.”

There’s no winning with her. I climb out to a hope you don’t die before she leaves, and the only way I get my feet moving is with the reminder that I’m going to be late.

Amelia wasn’t exactly thrilled about me asking to catch up for a chat, but she didn’t give me any shit about it either. Baby steps.

She opens the door before I reach it. “Hello, Jensen. Come in.”

I offer her a smile because she can be as stiff and formal as she likes toward me, but I’m not going to do the same. “Good to see you again.”

The tension in her face doesn’t shift, but I’m really hoping that after today, she’ll be able to trust me more.

She leads me into the tidy living room, where there’s already tea and snacks waiting. I don’t know if she goes to this effort with everyone, but to show I appreciate it, I pour us both cups—even though tea tastes like dirt—and offer hers to her.