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My dad lifts his glass in a toast on Sunday evening at dinner. “To the future,” he says, and Joanie and I clink our glasses to his.

We’re back at Desmonds, Dad’s favorite steakhouse in Vegas, and I think he chose this place because he feels comfortable here.

It’s the first official dinner with my dad and his girlfriend, and I don’t waste the opportunity to point that out after I set my wine glass down. “So did you invite me to this dinner tonight so we could talk about the future?”

He glances at Joanie and offers a sheepish smile. “Maybe.”

I giggle. “Well, don’t beat around the bush. Hit me with it.”

He clears his throat, and I smile as I note how Joanie seems to enjoy watching him squirm. “Joanie and I have been together a long time now,” he begins, and she leans into his side a little, which seems to settle him.

It’s in that moment I know these two are going to make it the long haul. It’s hard to look objectively at a relationship one of your parents has, but in this case, I can see the love between them. I don’t know what their dynamic is like as a couple, but she seems to be exactly what he needs.

And it’s as I study her with him that I realize she might be an entire decade younger than he is. I don’t know her exact age, but I’d put her in her early to mid-thirties.

He’s forty-one.

Why would it be okay for him to date someone younger than him, but not okay for Cooper?

“I’ve been wanting to have this dinner for months, but you know how it goes,” he continues. “At first, I thought we were just playing around. Then as things started turning more serious, I wasn’t sure how to introduce her into what still feels very much like a new equation between the two of us.” He nods toward me. “But then you got the internship, and when I see you two working together, I just know the dynamic is going to work.”

He pauses as if he’s waiting for one of us to fill the gap, so I speak up despite the whole playing around comment that is a clear reminder this man owns some sort of sex club. I shake off the thought.

“It will work, Dad. I’m so happy you’ve found someone that makes you happy. That’s all anyone deserves.”

He presses his lips together and nods. “It is. And someday when you’re a little older, you’ll find the right man, too.” He shakes his head a little wryly. “As long as it’s not a baseball player.” He holds his hands up in silent prayer, and I think he expects to hear my laugh along with Joanie’s, but instead my heart sinks.

Too late, I realize my expression might give away my thoughts. And it’s too late because I suspect Joanie caught it by the way she narrows her eyes at me.

A server comes by to take our order, causing a shift in subject after he leaves.

“How was Chicago?” Joanie asks.

I clear my throat. “It was fine. Cooper’s brother is doing much better, and his family was lovely and so welcoming.”

The way she eyes me tells me she definitely has her suspicions, but if she does, she doesn’t say anything.

“And Coop?” my dad asks.

We got back last night, but my dad hasn’t been home since. He texted me earlier asking if I wanted to meet for dinner, and here we are.

“He’s doing well,” I say. “I think he was just scared his brother was going to take the same path his dad did.”

“The same path my own father did,” my dad admits, and his eyes look a little pained for a beat. “That’s why I wanted you to go. I know what it was like when I lost my own dad to a heart attack, and I didn’t have a friend with me to lean on. It was tough, and I hated for Cooper to go through this thing with his brother alone. He’s really started to see you as a little sister, and I appreciate that sort of friendship.”

Joanie must see my face give me away again at the little sister comment, because she jumps in. “I don’t know about a little sister, but they do seem like they’ve gotten closer.”

“As friends,” my dad amends. “Sure. Even though I’m sure it’s hard to find much in common with a man twelve years older than you.”

“You’re seven years older than me and we have plenty to talk about,” Joanie points out, and I almost shoot her a grateful look before I realize I haven’t confirmed a thing to her—yet—and a grateful look will only be an admission of guilt.

Not that there’s anything to be guilty about.

You know, other than lying.

“Right. Seven years. There’s an entire decade plus two between her and Coop. It’s just different worlds. Different generations, you know?” he says.

I guess that answers my whole age gap question from earlier.

“How are you enjoying the internship?” he asks, shifting the subject again as I try not to feel the whiplash even though I’m glad for the subject change.

“I’m loving it,” I say. “Most of the other interns are great and some have already started becoming good friends.”

“At tomorrow’s meeting, we’re going to talk about your project for the week,” Joanie says, excitement in her tone. She glances at my dad. “It’s the one you helped me come up with.”

His eyes light up a little. “Ah, yes. It’s a good one,” he promises.

I laugh. “I can’t wait to learn all about it.”

“I’d tell you now, but I wouldn’t want to give you any advantages the other interns don’t have,” Joanie says, and she winks.

I’m not sure what the wink means. Does she think I have an advantage because of my dad—like Mackenzie seems to think? I blurt it out before I can stop myself. “Some of the other interns already think I have advantages they don’t have.”

“They do?” my dad asks at the same time Joanie asks, “Who does?”

“I don’t want to say,” I begin, but I guess blurting it out might have not really given me much of a choice.

“Honey, if someone isn’t playing fair…” my dad begins, but I cut him off when I hold up a hand.

“I can handle it. I don’t want to change the dynamic or make you think less of any of the interns. I want us all to have a fair shot. It’s just that some think I have an advantage at the Social Media Manager position because of who you are.” I nod toward my dad.

“Pfft. That’s ridiculous,” my dad says, and he holds up his whiskey glass to the waitress across the room to indicate a refill.

“Is it?” I ask.

“We will select the best person for the position,” he says, and I hold my tongue even though I wonder who the we he’s referring to might mean. Is it him and Joanie? Or does he mean we, the Heat as an organization?

Why would he be involved in these sorts of decisions when he’s in charge of player management and there are others in place for front office management?

I get that he’s an important man and somehow all these pieces fit together, but it just feels like he runs a lot more than his position entails.

I’m just not sure what that means if I do end up with the position, and I’m not sure I’ll ever feel like I got it on my own merit or because of who my father is.