Kristen nodded.“Makes sense.”
Mickayla moved to the towel dispenser.“I’m sorry if I wrecked your plans with Killian.”
Kristen shook her head.“Far from it.You reminded me to think of my girl first.Making things awkward works both ways, so I appreciate it.”
We meandered between tables to get back to ours.Killian had a sharp focus on us the entire time, and even knowing who he was, I struggled to differentiate him from Ryan.
Killian had shaved, but I wouldn’t be able to count on that all the time.The thought of Ryan with a beard appealed to me.I wondered if he’d be cool with that.
Chad looked up and grinned, prompting Ryan to turn in his chair.
Yeah, I could tell the difference in their eyes.
“As ever, you worked your magic.Our food came out a minute ago,” Chad said.
I settled in my seat and Ryan leaned toward me.“Did my sister make you uncomfortable?”
I choked down my laughter.“Kristen did, but I’m used to it.”
“Are you going to see Debra tonight?”Chad asked.
“Not tonight,” Ryan said.
Chad’s gaze shifted to me.“Ivy—”
“It’s okay, Chad.I’m gonna call her when she’s off work.”
“One of you needs to fill me in, here.I hate being the odd one out,” Killian said.
I shifted my eyes to his.“Lark is my biological dad, but I haven’t told my mom that I found him.”
“Or that you were still looking,” Chad muttered, with more sass than necessary.
I twisted a hand up.“She knew that I might try, considering she gave me the sperm bank info ten months ago.”
Killian did a spit-take, but got his napkin to his mouth in time.“Are you shitting me?”he demanded.
“You can’t be surprised.He does all kinds of shit on the fly.Imagine him in his twenties,” Ryan said.
Chad aimed a dramatically pointed look my way.
“I don’t do anythingthatspontaneous,” I said.
Kristen laughed.“Girl, if someone said, ‘dance on this table,’ you’d be on it in under ten seconds.”
“Dance on this table,” Killian said.
“Killian,” Ryan growled.
I glanced between Kristen and Chad.“Dancing in public isnotthe same as donating my reproductive DNA.”
“That’s why it was private,” Killian said in a low voice.
“Great work, Sherlock,” Ryan bit out.
I rested my hand on Ryan’s forearm.“It’s okay, Nickel.Really.”
Ryan turned his face toward me.“Yeah, but he needs to back off.”
