“David’s daughter, Michaela. She’s?—”
“Seven and three-quarters?” I say automatically, remembering Logan’s stories. “Apparently she’s very specific about that.”
Serena grins. “She’s eight now—at least until we hit the next quarter. Have you met her?”
“Not yet, but Logan talks about her. She seems…rambunctious.”
Serena laughs at that. “She’s basically a tiny lawyer who cross-examines everyone she meets.”
“That tracks,” Layla puts in. “She’s a Kingsley.”
Serena nods as she reads a new text. “Caleb says the group invite is in support of David—apparently he’s nervous about it. Single dad stuff. He wants Michaela to see she has people in her corner.”
Something in my chest warms at that. After everything with Logan’s parents—the coldness, the transactional nature of their so-called family—the idea of a group showing up for a little girl’s science project feels almost radical in its simplicity.
“I’m in,” I say.
“Same.” Layla is already texting, probably informing Bennett. “This is adorable. I love it.”
We all look at Jenna.
She sighs, but there’s no real resistance in it. “Fine. But I’m not wearing a ‘proud science fair aunt’ T-shirt or whatever Layla is already planning.”
“I wasn’t planning—” Layla starts, then reconsiders. “OK, I was absolutely thinking about it, but I’ll restrain myself.”
“You have no restraint. It’s one of your defining characteristics.”
“And yet you keep showing up to brunch.”
Jenna’s mouth twitches again—closer to a real smile this time. “Someone has to provide a voice of reason.”
My phone buzzes and I grab it faster than I should—relief flooding through me when I see Logan’s name instead of an error alert.
Logan:
Simulations looking promising. Miss you. How’s brunch?
I exhale. Everything’s fine. The lab is fine. I can be here.
I type back.
Me:
Good. Apparently we’re going to a science fair tonight for Michaela, and Jenna is worried she might have to fly to Tokyo with Dominic.
His response is immediate.
Logan:
It’s more of a showcase than a science fair. Her class is doing a project about the intelligence of dogs vs dolphins. And I’m sure Jenna would rather chew glass. Dominic’s been complaining she won’t even let him buy her coffee anymore.
I snort, and Serena glances over. “Logan?”
“Apparently it isn’t a science fair. It’s a showcase. And Dominic’s been complaining that Jenna no longer lets him buy her coffee.”
Jenna’s expression doesn’t flicker. “That’s because it’s never just coffee with that man. It’s coffee and twenty minutes of him asking about my weekend and whether I’ve ‘reconsidered dinner.’ I don’t have time to reconsider anything. I have an integration timeline that’s three weeks behind schedule.”
“Maybe going to Tokyo would be good for you,” Layla suggests innocently. “Change of scenery. New perspective.”
