“Because as much as we’d like to think otherwise, the girls are in charge, and we do what we’re told.”

“I don’t like it.”

“You’d better get used to it if you’re planning to keep Kara around.”

“I’m planning to keep her around, but she’s not the boss of me.”

Grant howled with laughter. “Keep telling yourself that. Let me know how that works out for you.”

“Are we going to get some work done, or do I have to continue listening to you talk shit?”

“Both.” Grant slid his latest pages across the table to Dan, who handed over his.

“Go easy on me with that red pen of yours, will you?” Dan said.

“My red pen is making this a better book.”

“No doubt, but you’re ruining my self-esteem.”

“Good thing you’ve got plenty to spare. Now shut up and read.” Grant thought he heard Dan utter “fuck off and die” under his breath, but he chose not to engage, because he did want to get some feedback on the latest scenes, and Dan had proved to be an able critique partner. His expertise was more in the storytelling than the writing, while Grant was helping to polish the writing in Dan’s book. It had turned out to be an unlikely yet productive partnership.

Grant was completely absorbed in the story of how Dan and his team of law students had helped to free a man who’d been on death row in California for thirty years. He almost missed it… A conversation taking place in the booth behind him. They were speaking loudly enough to be heard over the din of voices in the diner.

“I don’t care if Kara wants to see me or not,” the woman said. “Connor is her nephew. She can’t refuse to acknowledge him.”

“I’ve gone along with this mission of yours, but I want to reiterate my objections to blindsiding her,” the man said. “She’s not going to be happy to see either one of us.”

“I don’t care if she’s happy to see me. She won’t be rude to us with the baby there.”

“Don’t be too sure.”

Grant reached across the table to nudge Dan with his pen.

Dan grunted in reply.

“Dan.”

“What?”

“Listen. Behind me.”

“This whole thing has gone on long enough,” the woman was saying. “I mean I didn’t steal you from her. What man in his thirties can be stolen from a woman if he doesn’t actually want to go?”

“That’s not how she sees it, and you know it. She had no idea that we’d begun seeing each other when I was still seeing her, too.”

The baby let out a squawk that had both his parents focusing on him for a minute.