Oh yeah, that hurt, but he was no chicken. He was also used to fighting for what he wanted in life, and he wanted to call Catie his own. The only problem was that he couldn’t figure out what he was doing wrong.

That thought was uppermost in his mind when Sailor, Ísa, and the kids gave him a video call. It was good to see their faces and hear the children’s chatter. He ordered them not to forget their favorite uncle, listened to Connor’s earnest toddler talk, and soaked in Emmaline’s excitement over her team’s recent win, then told them about Japan.

After the kids wandered off, Ísa patted Sailor on the shoulder. “You two have some brother-to-brother time. I want to make a new recipe for Sunday lunch with the family.”

A deep pang in Danny’s heart. Sunday potluck lunch at their parents’ place wasn’t compulsory—with such a big family, all with busy lives, including children who played weekend sports or did other extracurricular activities, and adults who were involved in various endeavors, it wasn’t a given that everyone could make it. But someone always did.

One memorable weekend, Danny had walked in late to find the table occupied by Alison, Joseph, Jacqueline and her professor husband, Oliver, all of them a little tipsy from wine and laughing uproariously over something.

He’d quietly tiptoed back out.

“How are Mum and Dad?” he asked. “I chatted to them a week ago but haven’t heard much since.” His parents had tended to baby him even after he reached adulthood, until he’d gently reminded them he was a full-grown man; he knew it was still a struggle for them to rein in the protectiveness, so at times they went a bit overboard with giving him space.

“Ísa still finds it bizarre that Mum has become such good friends with Jacqueline, but that seems to be holding.” Sailor grinned. “They went out antiquing, and Jacqueline apparently pulled out her credit card to buy this ten-thousand-dollar armoire that Mum admired. Mum had to explain to her that admiring things that are ridiculously expensive is part of the fun. The joy is in finding affordable treasures.”

“I can’t quite see the Dragon grasping that.” Catie’s mother had a way of thinking money solved any problem.

Sailor lifted both hands, palms upturned. “Yet they get along. I don’t get it either, but Mum is happy and so is Jacqueline.”

“Is Dad still doing that extra coaching with the kindergarten team?”

“Yeah, and the kids are freaking great. One made a try in the opposite direction the other week and all the players clapped and happy-danced.” Sailor laughed, his cheeks creasing and the blue of his eyes bright. “Dad says they remind him that at the heart of it, sports should be about joy.”