That caused her to look up at him. “Wow.”

“I know. Irresistible, right?”

“I just don’t know if it’s charming to call yourself charming.” But he was. He really was.

He grinned, clearly unconcerned about her doubting his charm. “Do you get along with your biological mother?”

“She died before I was even two. I don’t remember her at all.”

His grin fell. “Oh damn. I’m sorry, Jane.”

She shook her head. “Don’t be. You didn’t know. And it’s weird... It feels sad I didn’t know her, but I’m not really sad from missing her because I didn’t know her.” She took a breath. “It’s just weird.”

He nodded. “So your stepmom’s been around a long time? Wicked all along?”

“Wicked as long as I’ve known her,” Jane said. Then she shrugged. “That’s not entirely true. She’s not really evil or anything. She’s superficial and self-centered. She took a vow to love my father in sickness and in health, and now he’s in a nursing home because she doesn’t want to take care of him. But I know I’m being a little unfair to her. Still, she’s mean to my little sister, and she’s a bitch to me, and we have nothing in common—except my dad, I guess—and I have a very hard time understanding what he ever saw in her. She’s beautiful and about ten years younger than him, and, well, I guess she makes me face the fact that my father really does have horrible taste in women, and it makes me wonder about my mom.”

Dax took that in, just watching her, and not saying a word.

“But no, she hasn’t been around that long. About seven years. There have been many others though. My dad isn’t very good at being alone. But they haven’t all been wicked. Like Amanda. That’s Kelsey’s mom—my little sister. She was pretty cool. She got pregnant, and Dad had her move in with us, and she lived with us for about three years before she decided her dream was to be a flight attendant. She and Kelsey stay in touch, and when she’s in town we all go out. But she’s a much better once-in-a-while-girls’-night-out person than a mom.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah.” Maybe he’d understand why she had more than enough drama, thank you very much, without adding a Sinatra-loving-gummy-bear addict to the mix.

But dammit, the more they talked, the more she wanted to find out if his kisses were fruit flavored.

She looked down at her coloring page. It was mostly done. It had also been fun. Even though she’d ended up talking about some of the craziness in her life, she didn’t feel wound tight like she normally did.

She set her pencils down and closed the book. “I’d better get back to work,” she said, pushing back from the table.

“Okay.”

She smiled and stood.

“Go out with me Saturday night.”

She stopped and stared at him. “I… can’t.”

“Why?”

“You’re…” She should say “more than I can take on right now,” but instead she said, “my boss.”

“That’s a no-no?”

“Probably?” She shrugged. “I’ve never looked it up because there’s never been even the slightest need.”

“I’ll have Piper look it up. And I’ll convene a meeting of the board to rewrite any policies that are a problem.”

“The board?” Jane asked. “You mean, your four best friends?”

“Well, sure, if you want to get technical.”

She smiled. “There’s another I-word that applies to you, that’s not irresistible.”

“Oh?”

“Incorrigible.”

“Not familiar with that one,” he said, frowning in pretend confusion.

“Have Piper look that up for you too.”

He grinned, and she headed out to work.

It occurred to her about ten minutes later, that she hadn’t actually said no to him.

Her phone vibrated in her pocket halfway through her third episode of Schitt’s Creek.

Please God, let it be anyone but Kelsey. She felt immediately guilty for that, of course. She knew her sister was struggling. She was living in a less-than-ideal situation that really sucked. Cassie didn’t really mean her harm, but she wasn’t really doing much to make her happy and well-adjusted either.

Kelsey’s biological mom hadn’t been back for almost eight months, and when she was in town, it was a day or two layover at the most. They spent the time together shopping and eating and going to movies, like girlfriends. She wasn’t someone Kelsey could really confide in. Not that it would matter. Her mom wasn’t going to swoop in and save the day.

Nor did Jane want her to. The last thing she wanted was Kelsey being packed up and being moved God knew where. And the last thing she needed was someone else in her life doing… anything at all that required a single brain cell or emotion from Jane, including winding Kelsey up, for better or worse.

She pulled her phone out and looked at the screen, holding her breath even as she felt like the worst sister in the world.

It was Max.

With a huge sigh of relief and an actual smile, Jane declined the call and then texted him. Hey. What’s up?

Max was someone who never needed anything. Not beyond, “What do you think of this shirt?” or “Go with me to see Frozen II so I don’t feel like a creeper.” Those were things she could give.

Come down to Granny’s. A bunch of people are out tonight.

Granny Smith’s was the local bar. Yes, it was a play on Granny Smith apples, and yes, the last name of the family who owned it was Smith. The interior, like most businesses in Appleby, was decorated with an apple motif, and Granny’s specialty was hard ciders served in little wooden barrels.

Don’t think so. Sorry. I’m exhausted.

Trust me. You need this.

Maybe next time. She was already in her pajamas.

Her phone rang again. It was Max.

She frowned. If she picked up, he might talk her into stopping by Granny’s.

Then again, she was a little hungry, and it wouldn’t take much to slip on some jeans. She supposed she could have one cider while she waited for a pizza to go. Specifically, a small Squealer. All to herself. The Squealer was a pepperoni, sausage, ham, and bacon pizza, and she didn’t even pretend to apologize for how much she loved it. It was worth a clogged artery or two.

The call ended and he texted. Pick up.

She sighed and called him back.

“Get your ass down here,” Max said, far too loudly, when he answered.

“One cider, and I’ll order a pizza to go,” Jane said.

“Oh no, you have to stay tonight, babe. I think you need this.”

“Need what?”

“A night out. Some fun,” he said.

“I don’t think I’m in the mood.”

Not that you had to be at Granny’s. That was the nice thing. It was laid back and very come as you are.

“How is he?”

She sighed. She knew Max was asking about her dad. “Yesterday was a little rough. I need more Schitt’s Creek and to go to bed early.”

“Well, hey, it’s very hard to beat a dose of David and Patrick,” Max said of two of the main characters. “But I’m sorry.”