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“Please focus. I’m asking whatyouwould do if this wasyourdaughter. How would you deal with this withher?”

“I’d have her mother deal with it.”

“Let’s pretend in this scenario that you have no other parents to fall back on. Everyone you usually foist her on is gone. It is all you, mate. You have to be the dad who deals with the fact that his girl is making whoopee with some of the boys in town.”

“What happened to my wife? Is shedeadin this scenario?”

“Focus, Damon! I am asking for advice in a very roundabout way!”

“Well… realistically.” His heavy breath of reluctant acceptance was a good sign, right? “There’s not much you can do in this situation. It has happened. Even if you could go back and take it back, what’s the point? As parents, we know that our children are going to… er, experiment. Probably. Most probably want to do that, like we did at that age.”

“Hormones and such. I remember well.”

“I’m sure we had very different experiences, Jane, but yes.”

“Hmph. We were both being a dad’s worst nightmare but for different reasons.”

“If I had to talk to my daughter about this… hypothetical situation.” He crossed his arms on the table, bringing himself closer to Jane in a way that suggested they were in a darkened, relaxing lounge more than his personal interrogation chamber.Boy, did I turn this on its head, or what?“There’s only one thing I could do. I would have to tell her the truth.”

“What? That boys are poison and a girl must be careful to not get her heart broken?”

“That’s what I wouldwantto say, yes. But it goes against what I told myself when my daughter was born, which is that our relationship would be more important than anything else. I never wanted to be like my own father. If he had a daughter, he would burn every bridge possible to keep her under his thumb. We’re talking about a man who hated Alice because she waspoor.”

“Yes, yes, he hated me because I’m Asian.” Jane had met the man more than once. Even when she was introduced as “just a friend” Russell Monroe made it clear that he hated his son hanging out with “one of them” in case itdidturn romantic.He couldn’t conceive a universe where men and women really are only friends.Jane conveniently left out the relationship she did have with Damon after her divorce. Short, but made a point.Now I wish that old asshole knew!

“He was obsessed with good genes, yes. The man tried to arrange a marriage between myself and Eva Warren, you may remember.”

“I’m sorry, what?”

“Never mind. We’re off track.”

“Yes, thank you for reminding me that there is an issue at hand.” Damon rapped his knuckles against the table to get his thoughts together. “I would tell my daughter that I am here for her if she wants to talk or ask any questions. I would tell her that we can do whatever we need to do to make sure she’s safe while she figures herself out. Her safety and health are the highest priority, but so is her trust inme,her father. I want to be a good male role model for all of my children. For my daughter, that means teaching her that there are men she can trust, no matter how much it makes me uncomfortable. I signed up for this when I became a father.”

“Yes…” Some of those words certainly rang true to Jane. “I signed up for it too. I simply didn’t think this would happen so soon. At least not in my face like this. Literally in my face.”

“I do not envy you this experience.”

“Nor should you! I was having a nice dinner when this all unfolded. But…” She ran her hand over her hair, simultaneously fixing any errant strays while assuaging her nerves. “Thank you. That’s what I needed to hear from someone who is actually a parent.”And not my silly, absentee sister.Or Jane’sold-fashioned mother for that matter. Someone she trusted. Someone who lived in the same world as her.

This time when the waiter respectfully poked his head in, Damon motioned for him to proceed. He ordered his usual, and when Jane shrugged when he asked what she wanted, ordered on her behalf.As usual, he knows what I like.Plenty of vegetables, light on the meat, medium on the carbs. She supposed that was part of what made them friends.

“Now, then…” There he was! The man who had stared her down when she entered. “Tell me what Monica Warren is planning. I know you’ve been to Warren Manor to meet her, and I know that you’re planning on investing in the expansion of Le Salon. But I want to know whatshe’splanning. This is important. I don’t like it when rivals have the upper hand with friends.”

She didn’t know if she should be grateful for the total change in subject or throw her water in his face. At least one soundedfun.

Cecelia came through the door at 7:05, tiptoeing past Jane in the living room where she watched TV and scrolled through her phone. Jane thought about making a jest about her niece being five minutes late but refrained. Now was not the time for jokes.

“Did you have supper yet?” Jane asked.

Cecelia stopped halfway to her room. “No.”

“Me neither. How about I order us some Indian curry? There is a spot down the block.”

Her niece shrugged. “I like mine spicy.”

“Two spicy curries, coming right up.”

Jane continued the pleasantries as Cecelia sat with her for dinner, asking about the model UN, if they had started their mock war, and if there were any things Cecelia would like to see during their short weekend in New York. They wouldn’t have much time for sight-seeing, but Jane knew that her niece definitely wanted to dosomethingtouristy, be it Times Square or the Empire State Building.