Gia knew what she wanted; that was for sure. But how much of this was worry over leaving their father alone? Or maybe she was simply the most mature seventeen-year-old on the planet. “Are Emma and Wen going away to school?” Surely her two best friends were headed somewhere other than Blossom Glen?

“Yes, but their majors aren’t as demanding as BME, and everybody says that if you want to go to med school, you can’t screw up your GPA. I want to stay here where it’s quiet so I can study.”

He wanted to ask her about her dating life, but he didn’t know how to bring it up. He’d heard his dad tell her, half jokingly (or maybe not), that there was no dating until she was eighteen. Actually, Leo would probably prefer to make that thirty or so. But he decided to table that discussion for another time.

Instead he smiled, squeezed her hand, and said, “I’m really proud of you. You know that, right?”

“Yeah, yeah,” she said, finally smiling.

He got up and brought over the bakery box from yesterday. “Tessa brought these over. She said to be sure to save you some.”

She tore into the box immediately. “Chocolate chip. These are the best.” She pulled a perfectly shaped cannoli out and took a giant bite.

Leo cleared his throat. “Did you—do you talk to Tessa?” Because it was odd that Tessa seemed to be crossing the invisible line they’d never crossed once in all these years. With baked goods as her bait.

Clever.

She was clever. In the most annoying, challenging, headstrong ways. He felt completely rattled. How could he get her to change her mind and say yes?

Gia shrugged. “Sometimes she’s in the bakery at night and I say hi when Dad’s not around. She lets me taste test her pastries. She’s really sweet.”

Another person describing her as sweet? And Tessa had clearly made an impression on his sister. Hmmm. More interesting facts.

Gia shoved the rest of the cannoli into her mouth and began to gather up her things. “I’ve got a calc test and a track meet tomorrow, and I’m exhausted.”

He got up to see her out the door. “Hey. I’m—I’m glad to be back home. I—missed you.”

“I’m glad you’re back, too.” She kissed him on the cheek.

“Hey, would you do me a favor? Go with your friends tonight. I’ll cover your shift.” He handed her a twenty. “Pizza’s on me.”

She looked at him and then at the bill. “Really?”

“Really.”

“Well, if you put it that way, I won’t say no.” Then she smiled, snatched the bill, and was gone, taking her plate into the kitchen on the way.