Abbie shrugs, grabbing her backpack from the seat next to her. “It’s fine. But my room here doesn’t have most of my stuff in it, anymore, not like my room at home does. It does have a ton of toys my dad puts in there, though. And grandma and grandpa, too. It’s all the stuff mom says I shouldn’t get all the time ’cuz they aren’t supposed to be spoiling me.”

Caroline raises her eyebrows. “Why do I feel like you aren’t supposed to have heard that…”

Abbie flashes her a bright, guileless grin that explains everything, before she scrambles for the door handle.

Caroline gets out, taking Abbie’s adorable little wheeled suitcase out of her hatchback as Abbie hops out, too.

And as she lowers it, pulling up the handle, she hears Abbie exclaim, “Dad! When are we going skiing?” Seconds before she can see him.

Michael Dalton, in all his smarmy glory. His hands are in his pockets, dark blond hair perfectly coiffed back from his face,  and he looks just like the spoiled trust fund dick she knows him to be.

He gives Abbie an easy smile but his eyes are on her. And they aren’t warm in the least. “We’re leaving soon.” His eyes narrow at her. “What are you doing here, Parker?”

Irritation zips through her and a retort is on the tip of her tongue, before she realizes Abbie is still standing there. Clenching her jaw, she bites it back and forces a smile. “Hannah had to work. So I’m here.”

His eyes narrow – it had always reminded her of a snake and it still does.

And because she can see that he’s about to say something and she is sure it isn’t something good, she turns to look at Abbie. “Why don’t you go get your ski stuff ready, Abbacado? You’re leaving soon, so you have to be ready. I’ll see you in a few days.”

There’s a frown on Abbie’s face and she clearly doesn’t want to go. But when Caroline just holds her gaze, unwavering, in a move she’d seen from Hannah several times, Abbie relents. “Okay…” She looks between them again, before sighing and putting her backpack over her shoulders, walking inside.

When she looks back, Caroline gives her a grin and a wave, which gets her expression to brighten minutely.

Caroline’s kind of shocked that the move actually worked and her pride swells a bit. She hadn’t been quite sure she’d have the parenting chops to pull it off.

Michael’s eyes – it’s kind of alarming now, to see how they look so similar to Abbie’s. Only where Abbie’s are excitable and open, his are cold and harsh – haven’t left her for a moment, and they poke little pinpricks into her happiness.