“Sorry, sorry.” He was just so happy she was here. “How is everything going? How’s chemistry?” Chemistry was her hard class.

“It’s good. Still almost impossibly hard, but good.”

“How’s Lynn?”

“Better at chemistry than I am, which is handy.”

“Anything else I should know about? Anyone else I should know about?”

“Sawyer.” She swatted him. “No.”

“You mean the ladies aren’t all lined up for a chance to study with you?”

“Sawyer.” She started toward the stairs.

“Okay, okay, but hang on. I have something to talk to you about.”

“I told you I’ll let you know when I go on a real date, okay?”

“Not that.”

Clara turned, her brow furrowed. She could sense that he was having trouble with this. Which was dumb. It wasn’t that big a deal.

“I’ll leave you two alone,” Eve said.

“No. Stay.” He softened his tone. He needed her. “Please.” Here went nothing. “With your birthday coming up, I decided to speak to Charles.” Both women’s eyebrows shot up in tandem. “Last year he wanted to give you a birthday present, and I didn’t let him.” He waited for a reaction—indignation, maybe, or more shock, but none came. “So now that we’re all, like, talking about our feelings and stuff”—he gestured to encompass both of them—“I thought I should probably stop being the gatekeeper. I’m not going to apologize for doing what I felt I had to do to keep you safe, and I’m never going to have a relationship with him, but that doesn’t mean you can’t. I spoke to his AA sponsor, and he’s been sober for two years now. So I asked him if he wanted to pass that present on this year, and he said yes. I told him I’d see what you thought.”

“I…” Clara’s eyes were darting around like she wasn’t sure what she wanted.

“Maybe a good way to start would be to let Sawyer give him your email address,” Evie said. “That way you could control when and how you digest anything he has to say.”

“Yes,” Clara said softly. “I think that’s a good idea.”

He cleared his throat. “All right, then.”

Clara threw herself into his arms. Surprised, he hugged her back.

“I love you so much,” she whispered.

More throat clearing was required. “I love you, too, Clare Bear.”

After a moment she sniffed and pulled away. “I’m going to run to the bathroom and pull myself together.” She gave him a little wave as she descended the stairs, and he felt like a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

“Sawyer.” Evie started to speak. “That was—”

He stopped her mouth with a kiss.