“It’ll be a challenge, but it’s something we’d like to do,” he said. “For Atticus’s birthday.”

There was another long pause, during which Jada started to nibble worriedly on her bottom lip.

“Yosemite is a beautiful place,” Maddox said. Tobias knew he wasn’t giving his blessing to the project. He’d said something completely neutral—his way of indicating they’d discuss it later. But Tobias wasn’t opposed to hearing him out. Maybe someone should talk some sense into them.

He and Atticus both let the conversation segue to another subject and then another… When Atticus’s truck would be fixed (not for another week—a friend had brought him to the Blue Suede Shoe but then had to go to work, and Jada would drive him home). How long Carl might remain in town. (Everyone agreed the sooner he left the better.) Whether it was even safe for him to be living with his father. (Tobias didn’t think so.) And Susan’s health (which was in decline). They talked about Aiyana Turner, their boss, and how she and Cal Buchanan had been together for some time but hadn’t yet married, and why Aiyana, even though she was obviously head over heels in love, was so resistant to taking that step.

“She’s just scared,” Maddox said.

“Scared of what?” Atticus asked. “He adores her.”

“Scared that marriage will change things between them. I get the impression she’s been burned in the past and doesn’t want to give a man that much power over her life, so she keeps putting Cal off.”

“You don’t think she trusts him?” Tobias asked.

“She doesn’t trust giving another person that much say in her life—doesn’t want to be that beholden.”

“So you doubt they’ll ever get married,” Jada said.

Maddox slid his now-empty glass away. “If something were to happen to Cal—his health began to decline or he needed her in some other way—she’d do it. They’re both just so busy right now that it’s easy to keep making excuses.”

There was no one like Aiyana. She’d done a lot for Maddox, giving him a job. And she’d supported Tobias in the same way. Tobias hated to think where he’d be without her willingness to take a stand against his detractors and give him a second chance.

They were talking about going to Jada and Maddox’s for Christmas Eve, and whether they should try to invite Susan, knowing she’d probably refuse to come, when Tobias went to the bathroom.

“You ready to get your ass kicked at darts?” Atticus joked when he returned.

Tobias grinned at him. “Might as well get it over with.”

Maddox and Jada were following them over to the dartboards in the corner when Maddox touched Tobias’s arm.

“What is it?” Tobias murmured, falling back as Jada and Atticus went ahead.