She drew a deep breath, but the sandwich crumbs still scratched her throat. She tried to swallow, failed, and broke into a choking cough instead. Heat washed over her face. Her cheeks burned.
She grabbed her cup and took a gulp of scalding tea, trying to force her breathing back under control. Why were they coming straight toward her? There were dozens of free tables around. Why this way?
Jasper noticed her state the second they stopped near her.
“You okay?” he asked.
Nina jerked away slightly, coughed again, swallowed at last and dragged in a shaky breath.
“Yeah… I’m fine,” she managed, blinking rapidly as her eyes watered from the coughing fit.“Just swallowed wrong.”
Jasper stopped in front of her; Lynn stood a little behind him, still holding her tray. Nina kept her gaze down, pretending to fuss with the sandwich, pretending she didn’t feel Lynn’s stare cutting through her.
Lynn said nothing. She simply watched her—quiet, tense, eyes narrowed just a touch. The silence hanging between them felt sharp as glass. Nina’s insides twisted, the familiar instinctive urge to retreat pressing hard, as if she’d been cornered with no way out.
Lynn flicked a quick glance at Jasper, then back to Nina. Nina tried to look unbothered, to look composed, to look like her heart wasn’t ricocheting off her ribs.
“Maybe we should sit,” Jasper said, nodding toward a small table under the nearby canopy.“There’s space over there.”
“I was actually just about to head back,” Nina breathed, wiping at the corners of her eyes.“They need help taking the tents down.”
Jasper gave a short shake of his head, lips tightening like he wanted to argue.
But Lynn suddenly stepped forward.“Let’s just go,” she said sharply—without looking at either of them. Then she pivoted on her heel and walked toward the open table, her stride quick and determined, as if she feared she’d lose her nerve if she slowed down.
Nina froze for a heartbeat, watching her go, unsure what to do.
Jasper exhaled heavily, threw Nina a brief sideways look—a quiet invitation—and followed his daughter.
Nina’s fingers tightened around the now-crumpled paper cup.She forced herself to move, each step making her pulse pound harder.
They settled at the small plastic table under the canopy. The white disposable tablecloth was already wrinkled and stained by dozens of hands and plates—but that was the least of Nina’s worries.
She took the seat across from Lynn, lowering her gaze to her own tightly clasped fingers.
Jasper set the drinks down. Lynn placed her tray.
Both of them were looking at Nina.
Nina felt something tighten inside her—sharp, painful. Maybe it was her heart, or something she’dlost a long time ago.
The three of them sat around the small plastic table, each too wrapped in their own thoughts to start anything resembling a normal conversation. Jasper kept his gaze schooled, almost unreadable, but Nina could feel how closely he was watching both women, tracking every flicker of emotion. Lynn pretended to focus on her salad, but her fork moved too slowly, like she was gathering courage for something.
Then, out of nowhere, Lynn lifted her head. She cast a quick glance at Jasper—as if looking for permission or reassurance—before turning to Nina.
“Nina,” she said suddenly.“Would you… want to come with us next Saturday to the animal shelter? Dad and I go every month. We bring food, check on the dogs and cats. Sometimes we take them out for walks.”
Her eyes flicked to her father again, searching. Jasper simply watched her with a faint smile, something in his gaze warmed for a brief second.
Nina froze. Her breath caught.
She wasn’t sure she’d heard correctly.
The shelter? A trip? With them?
For a moment she couldn’t form a single coherent thought.
Did this mean Lynn no longer hated her?
