“That’s because you’re a good kid, honey,” John said as he pulled into the Stevenson Hall parking lot. “You just have to learn how to use your words.”

When he pulled to a stop, Becca straightened away from Victoria. “Thanks for listening,” she said.

Victoria gazed into the girl’s large and nervous brown eyes, startlingly similar to her own at that age. The twinge of pain and embarrassment she felt in that moment rendered her silent, so she quietly nodded. Meeting John’s niece was like looking into a mirror of the past. The encounter made her heart pound and palms sweat. As she slid her seatbelt off, she smiled at Becca. “Of course,” she finally said.

“See you later, Victoria,” Becca said with a smile. It was a real smile that lit up her glum face and made Victoria want to cry.

“Let me walk you to the building,” John said, climbing out of his side.

As they walked away from the truck, cold air hit Victoria in the face, relieving her flushed skin. “I’m sorry for telling her that story,” she said to John. “I just didn’t know what else to say.”

John chuckled. “Better she hear about your fight than my many bloody noses and cracked ribs.”

“Well, it’s probably not ladylike for her to hear about it.”

“I’m much less concerned about Becca being ladylike than I am her confidence,” he said. “And I assure you that my sister feels the same.”

She took a deep breath and finally looked him in the eye. “Good luck with everything.”

“Listen, I’m sorry,” he said.

“For what?”

He dropped his gaze to his shoes. “I feel like something between us is off.”

Strangely, Victoria felt it too. For the first time in their sordid affair, things seemed different. She’d feared this would happen. They had introduced the “real world” into their playful game and life with John was becoming complicated. She could have accepted his original offer to be dropped off on campus before he retrieved his niece, but her need to help him had felt more pressing than her need to leave. That need wasn’t sordid; it was potentially messy. Like, relationship messy. “I know that we had something scheduled for tomorrow, but it’s Saturday and that time should probably be spent with Becca. She needs you right now.”

John peered at her for a moment before giving a jerky nod. “Yeah, okay.”

Even though she suggested it, she was secretly hoping he’d say no. That her goodwill offer would be ignored and they’d make it work anyway. But this was probably for the best. Victoria hid her disappointment behind a quavering smile and held out her hand.

John’s face flickered with emotion. “What are you doing?”

“I figured a handshake was better in front of your twelve-year-old niece,” she said.