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“I’ve never seen Mom act like this about a guy before. Whatever is going on with you two, it’s got her...unsettled, but I think in a good way. Just be careful. But I believe you when you say that you’ve changed and you want to be with us, so I want you to know you have my support.”

I slid my arms around her and gave my daughter a hug. “Thanks sweetheart.”

“Just don’t make me sorry.”

A few minutes later I pulled my bike up in front of Jose’s. I’d seen it downtown but never had been there before. Walking into the restaurant, my eyes immediately went to Dawn, sitting at a table near the back with two women I recognized as Evie and Emma. I found an empty bar stool, ordered a beer, and turned halfway so I could watch her with her friends.

I felt someone staring at me and turned in the other direction. A very large man in a police uniform was staring at me. Behind him, another man was giving me a suspicious look. I raised my eyebrows.

“Is there a problem?” I asked mildly.

“Who are you staring at?” the cop asked, his voice the tiniest bit belligerent.

“My wife.”

He raised his eyebrows and I amended, “My ex-wife, I mean.”

“What’s your name?” he demanded.

“Griffin Anderson.”

The other man leaned forward to look around the cop.

“Oh, you’re the long-lost husband who abandoned Dawn when Chloe was a baby?”

I winced. “Yeah. But I’m not the same man I was twenty-five years ago. I’m back in town to finally make things right with my family.”

“Dawn is best friends with my girlfriend, Anderson. If Dawn gets upset, Evie gets upset, and if Evie gets upset, you’re not going to like the conversation I have with you.”

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

“Message received, man.”

The three of us sat in companionable silence, drinking beer and watching the women as they talked and laughed.

When they were done they came towards the bar, all of them looking slightly annoyed. Evie walked up to the big cop and poked him in the chest.

“I don’t need a babysitter, Jake.”

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her between his thighs. “I think you do, Nancy Drew.”

She gave a huff of annoyance but leaned into him.

“What are you doing here?” Dawn asked me. She looked curious, but not angry. I took that as a good sign. “I didn’t know you knew these guys.”

“I just met them tonight,” I told her. “I wanted to catch up with you, and Chloe said you were here. Then I saw you were with your friends and decided not to bother you.”

Evie and Emma both turned their gazes towards me, eyes going wide with recognition.

“Holy crap Griffin! How is it that you are so much hotter now than you were twenty-five years ago?” Evie’s gaze was openly appreciative.

“Hey!” Jake protested.

She smacked his arm. “Settle down, Copper.”

Jake stood up and threaded his fingers through hers. “You ready to go home?” He gave me a hard look. “With me. Your boyfriend.”

This time I did roll my eyes at his posturing.