Dani sighed, accepting the inevitable. It was fresh, but so was her resolve to stop avoiding. She looked right at Jake. “I don’t know about the adoption stuff, but I do have something I need to tell you.”

Jake grew quiet.

She felt a lump forming in her throat again. “You asked me a long time ago why I came back. I was in a relationship, and he asked to marry me. I left him, and that’s why I came back home. I came back to heal.” He needed to know the rest, or most of it. “You warned me about being with Jonah because he’s going against the Quandrys, but they’re not going to hurt me. Mitch was the guy who proposed to me.”

“Whoa,” Kate said under her breath.

Dani was only worried about Jake’s reaction. “Jake. I’m sorry.”

He jerked back a step. Raw emotion etched over his face. His eyes looked strained. His mouth tightened. “No. I mean, good job. You got one over me.”

“Jake.”

But he was gone. He was already halfway to his squad car.

Kate laid a hand on her shoulder. “I’ll talk to him. He’ll get over it. Men are stupid sometimes. They don’t realize that when they break up with a girl, that girl is no longer theirs anymore.” She gave Dani a quick pat. “Honestly. Don’t sweat Jake. If anything, this is good for him. Maybe make him rethink some of his hoity-toity choices in life.” She murmured before following her partner, “And for the record, holy shit, woman! Mitch Quandry.” She whistled. “Blows Julia’s money out of the water.”

Their car’s back lights turned on.

Kate groaned. “I gotta go before he leaves me. And he says I’m the emotional one.” She laughed. “Please tell me your secret. I must learn from your amazingness. You’re like a goddess with men.” She took off, getting in the passenger’s side. Jake reversed the car out of the parking spot, bringing him almost right in front of her.

He wouldn’t look at her.

Jonah came over later, and she filled him in on everything that happened. He was gone when she woke the next day, so she figured he was off to work, and she was just sitting down with her coffee when someone knocked on her front door.

It was Aiden, and she wasted no time. “I need your help.”

Dani readied herself. “What with?”

“My father is coming into town tonight, and he wants to stay at my home.”

“Whoa.” Jonah hadn’t said a word. “What? Your dad?”

“You don’t understand. My father. Is coming. And he wants to stay—at my home. At my house. My house, where I’m supposed to be having a party tonight and people are supposed to be giddy and drunk and laid. And Kate and Robbie are supposed to kiss tonight.” She stopped, pressed a hand to her stomach, and took a deep breath. “My father cannot step one foot in my home. He will ruin everything.”

“Oh.”

Kate and Robbie were going to kiss?

“He will not ruin my poker night. We’re going to dress as carnies tonight. That’s the plan. The back-up is animals. Kate’s going to be one of those belly dancers. Bubba’s the bearded lady, and I was going to dress as the blind hostess. I need him to stay somewhere else, and I’m going to tell him it’s my house.” She grasped Dani’s arm. “Please don’t judge me. My dad’s not like normal dads.”

“Hey.” Dani held up one hand in surrender. “I’m still trying to figure out who my dad might be. No judgments here.”

“Oh, good.” A few tears from relief leaked out. Even Aiden’s grin was a little shaky. “All we need is a place—a very nice place—and most of my stuff can be transferred there. I’ll hire people for all the moving. Of course, whoever’s place we stay at, we’ll have to get rid of their pictures and keepsakes, but we can do it. We can do it! I just need your help. You don’t have a job. You have time.”

Dani took a step back, on instinct.

Aiden rushed inside, producing a thermos from behind her back. Aiden poured the rest of Dani’s coffee into the thermos and grabbed her arm again. “We can take my car.”

Dani managed to grab her purse and keys before she was dragged outside. “So, whose house are you going to use?”

“That’s the problem.” Aiden frowned as she gulped some coffee. “I’ve been thinking about that. My dad’s wealthy. He’s going to expect a certain type of house and our house won’t pass muster.”

“He’s never been to your house?”

“Hell no! Are you kidding? My father is stuck-up, rich, and thinks mansions grow on trees.”

“So, who has a mansion for use?”

“I’ve been racking my brain, and I can’t really—Robbie! Robbie just bought a huge house. That’s perfect. He didn’t move in too long ago. He probably hasn’t had any time to collect furniture, and I’m betting Lori got rid of most of his personal belongings. Lori’s the type who would do that. That’s great!” Aiden’s eyes lit up in anticipation.

“What am I in charge of?”

“Okay—we’re going to Robbie’s. He should be at the office right now. You charm Kelley Lynn, get his keys from her, and I’ll head in to schmooze it over with Robbie.”

“Me and Kelley Lynn? No.”

“Yes.” Her head was bobbing up and down. “The girl’s been biding her time before she pounces on you.”