“Do not apologize.” I motion for Jasper to come in and try to avoid running into a box—or three—to get to Dani. “He’s the worst. His default is awful, nothing you could’ve done would have changed that. Please promise not to quit after having to deal with him.”

“I promise.” A weak smile tugs on the corners of her mouth and she looks as relieved as I feel.

“Thank goodness.” Because I swear, if the Book Nook’s most knowledgeable employee quit because of Andrew freaking Young? I might’ve had to go all Taylor Swift, “No Body, No Crime” on him. “Mona and Ethel are working up front with Jess. I know what it feels like to be on the receiving end of an Andrew Young attack, so why don’t you take the rest of the day off to recover?”

Bubbly Dani is back in full force. She giggles like I told a joke. “You’re wild. I’ll go relieve Mona and Ethel.” She rolls her eyes and stands up from the lumbar-supporting chair. “Oh! And hey, Jasper. Nice to see you again.”

“Nice to see you too.” Color rises in her cheeks, but as usual, Jasper doesn’t seem to notice.

“Sooooo . . .” The door clicks shut and I’m alone with Jasper again. I wish it was with the same ease we had when he climbed into my Jeep last weekend, but thanks to my dear old dad, a heaviness tinges the already stale air of Gran’s office. “That was only slightly mortifying. I’m sorry you had to see that.”

I’m not completely sure he isn’t going to cancel our entire deal after seeing the madness up close and personal.

“No need to apologize.” He moves deeper into the office I’m convinced served as a closet at one point. It only takes him a few steps before he’s right in front of me, his large body blocking out the rest of the cluttered space, and he sets the bag on the desk. “I’m sorry you had to deal with it.”

I want to tell him he’s wrong, that I do need to apologize. Explain how I’ve let my dad get away with his shit behavior toward me for so long, I’ve allowed it to spill into every aspect of my life.

“Thank you,” I say instead, savoring the way his eyes soften around the edges and his smile warms. “I appreciate you saying that.”

“Well, it’s true. It sucks, but we don’t get to choose our parents.” He pulls his hand from his pocket, and time freezes as it nears my face. My breath catches in my throat as his fingers graze across the shell of my ear to tuck a defiant curl back into place.