“Okay, how about this?” Annika said, scribbling a note on her flash card. “I believe in happily ever after, even if it doesn’t take the first time. I believe in happily ever after, redux.”

June grinned and pumped her fist. “That’s it!” Then, looking solemnly at Annika, she added, “We’re going to get it.”

Annika blew out a breath. “I really want it. I really, really want it.” She got ZeeZee out of her desk and squeezed him.

“I’m looking for Make Up.” An authoritative male voice drifted to them from the hallway.

June frowned. “We’re not expecting a beta tester, are we?”

“No,” Annika said, frozen. “I think I know that voice.” She slipped her sandals on and walked down the hallway.

Her dad stood by the elevator, talking to a man dressed in a suit and carrying a briefcase.

“Daddy?”

He looked over at her, his face breaking into a smile. “Ani!”

“What … what are you doing here?”

The suited man watched them, bemused, until the elevator doors dinged and he got on.

“I wanted to pay you a visit!” her father said, as if his presence here was the most natural thing in the world, as if he frequently stopped by to check in on her, when in reality he hadn’t visited her since the very first day she’d opened up shop. Even then, his visit had lasted all of fifteen minutes before he’d jetted off to his practice. “I had the hardest time finding your office, though.”

“It’s … this way,” Annika said. They began walking back together. “So … you’re just here to visit me. That’s it?”

As they entered her office, her dad said, “Well, that’s not all.” He cleared his throat and smiled at June. “Hello, June. How are you?”

June’s gaze flickered toward Annika before landing back on her dad. “Um, great, Dr. Dev! Just, you know, workin’, workin’, workin’!”

Annika led her dad to the couch, where he promptly plopped down, feeling the velvet with his big hands. “Yes, yes, very nice.” He looked around the room. “Nice art. And nice sign. You’ve done a good job, Annika.”

If she weren’t so furious with him, she would have laughed. He and the purple settee looked ridiculously incongruous, especially with his custom charcoal suit and bland, expensive haircut, both of which screamed, “My gold wedding ring is the flashiest thing I own!”

He smiled and gestured at her T-shirt and messy bun. “So … is this workplace casual?” When he saw her expression, he rushed to add, “I like it!”

“Dad,” Annika said, folding her arms across her chest. “What are you really doing here?”

He glanced at June, who’d been watching them with avid interest. “Oh!” she said, her cheeks getting pink. “I’ll just … um … see if there’s some, ah, tea.” She ran out of the office, closing the door behind her.