“See, that was easy,” I say, smirking, and she just shakes her head and turns to walk away. I watch her for way too long, until she disappears around the corner, and I want to jump into the SUV and follow her, but I know she’ll just close up again.

Instead, I start the vehicle and make my way to the rink. After five minutes, I’m about to turn back around when my phone rings. “Hello,” I answer the Bluetooth.

“I’m here,” she says, and I smile.

“See, was that so hard?” I ask, waiting for her answer.

“Yes,” she huffs out. “Now I have to go.”

“Have a great day at work, sweetheart,” I say, and she doesn’t answer me; she just hangs up, and I laugh. Dylan just looks out the window while I drive to the rink. I park in my usual spot, and I’m getting him out of the truck when my phone rings, and I see it’s Allison.

“Hey,” I say, putting the phone to my ear and grabbing Dylan’s hand.

“Don’t hey me,” she starts, her tone angry. “Why would you tell Zara you think I’m getting fat?”

“What?” I ask, confused, and we walk in. “Go get changed,” I say, and he runs off.

“Zara just called,” she says. “I’m not getting fat. I just weighed myself, and I’m the same I was the last time you saw me.”

“I never said you were getting fat.” I laugh. “Not once.”

“You better not,” she says. “So I heard something.”

“And there it is,” I say. My sisters are like the newspaper. If one gets a morsel of a story, then it’s only a matter of minutes before all three of them know and then also Karrie and her best friend Vivienne. “Spit it out.”

“You’re dating a single mother,” she comes right out and tries not to screech, but she fails. “Justin, you really think that’s a good idea?”

“I think it’s a great idea,” I say, waving at a couple of parents and going into the changing room.

“You know it’s not just her,” she says softly. “You can’t just dip and go.”

“Dip and go?” I close my eyes.

“It’s slang,” she says. “Mini Cooper taught me.” She mentions Matthew’s son, who is now almost fifteen. “Means you go in, do what you need to do, and then bounce.”

“I know what it means.” I laugh. “Does Max know you use that ‘slang’?”

“Um, no,” she says and then calls Max’s name. “Babe, I’m going to dip and go.”

“What the fuck?” I hear Max in the background. “You aren’t dipping anywhere. Don’t say that.”

“Told you.” I laugh.

“Anyway,” Allison says, “how serious is this?”

“Very,” I reply, not skipping a beat. “I just need to convince her of this.”