“I plead the fifth.”

“Alright calm down, law school,” I tease and she giggles. I nod toward her computer. “How’s your paper coming anyway?”

“Fine—” she starts when Kevin comes into the room with two stemless wine glasses of champagne.

“I thought I heard you in here,” he says, handing me one of the glasses. “Whit, you need a refill?”

“Dad, I am literally trying to do homework! And I’m the bad influence?” She shakes her head as Kevin drops to the love seat adjacent to the couch where Whitney and I are seated. A huge flat-screen television is mounted on the wall in front of us making it feel like we are damn near seated on the field with how large it is.

“Michelle is almost done with breakfast, I think Mase is coming over in a bit too,” he says without removing his eyes from the television.

Fucking great. I just wanted some alone time with Whitney without any knowing eyes. Whitney stiffens slightly next to me making me believe she wasn’t aware that her brother was coming over either. I am somewhat aware that Kevin is still talking but I can’t focus on anything he’s saying. My attention is entirely focused on the woman next to me despite the fact that I’m not looking at her.

“Price.” I hear my name, breaking me out of my thoughts and I turn toward Kevin.

“Sorry, what did you say? I spaced out.”

“We didn’t really get a chance to talk last night, but are you going back to work at the hospital? Or thinking about doing something different? Opening your own practice, maybe? You’re not going back to Mexico, are you?”

Not without there being a very different ring on Whitney’s finger.

“I don’t have any plans to go back, but we’ll see.”

“You’ll see what?” Her voice pipes up and I turn away from Kevin to see Whitney staring at me. I can see the unasked question all over her face. It has to do with me, doesn’t it?

“Just… if I’m still needed here.” I shrug, trying my best to answer her question without alerting Kevin of anything.

“You’re one of the best general surgeons in the tri-state area, you’re needed everywhere,” Kevin responds. There was a time not so long ago that I’d thought about opening my own practice, but then I spent two years spending every bit of my free time between Whitney’s legs so those plans had been put on the back burner.

“I’m taking a few weeks off to just reset but I have a meeting with the chief of surgery at my old hospital at the end of the month. More of a formality.” I shrug, because they’ve been begging me to come back since the day after I left for Mexico three years ago.

“Dad,” she says, closing her laptop and giving him an innocent smile. “I think I’m ready for another mimosa, can you please get me one?” she says, clasping her hands under her chin and smiling widely at him.