“Okay,” was all he said. He sucked in a deep breath and looked around. “Think Dawson will get angry if I check on that prime rib? The smell is making my stomach growl.”

“We won’t do anything more than peek.” Kendall followed him into the kitchen.

I glowered at the carpet. Kate hadn’t said a word the entire time. Had Dad made a point to discuss this situation around her? He was a crafty bastard, and Kendall was just as cunning.

Kate would have questions. She’d want explanations. If only my reasons sounded as strong now as they had before she’d asked for a divorce.

Kate

Our agreement not to exchange presents hadn’t stopped Aiden from calling in a favor with Dawson. In the back seat was a box with half a dozen homemade jumbo double chocolate chip muffins.

Those things were going to ruin me. I just knew it. My brother-in-law baked as well as he cooked. I’d never be able to eat another jumbo store-bought muffin without tallying all the ways it didn’t live up to Dawson’s.

“That was really nice of you both.” I’d thanked Aiden five times already. It wasn’t that long ago I’d been wishing for sweet gestures from him and now I was the one falling behind.

“I know how much you like them.”

“I never eat them in front of you.”

“Every time you see one, your eyes have sex with it.”

I sputtered out a laugh. “Do not—yeah, I totally do.”

He chuckled but kept his eyes glued to the road. Light from the headlights swept across the highway. The wind hadn’t died down and snow snakes blew across the road. The weather had stayed cold enough and traffic was too light to melt enough snow to stick to the surface. Still, I was always glad when Aiden drove during these conditions. Bad roads never rattled him.

The conversation from earlier kept replaying in my head. It wouldn’t quit. I’d gleaned enough to figure out the gist of what had happened, but Aiden hadn’t elaborated.

Disappointment settled into my belly. I could ask him. He’d probably tell me. Except that wasn’t the type of relationship I wanted. I didn’t want to beg for information. For years, I’d justified his silence with excuses about how things that dealt with his job weren’t my business. But the subject they’d talked about had seemed to directly impact our relationship. It was my business and we should discuss it. Before I made my decision to move back in.

“The thing with Grams…”

My gaze shot to Aiden. Was he broaching the topic?