Page 86 of After All

“It’s my life,” Dan said. “I’ve done my best. That’s really all anyone can ask, you know?”

Peyton swallowed hard. She wasnotgoing to point out all of the things he hadn’t done well, all of the ways she could name that he’d failed, the mistakes. Because maybe, just maybe, he really had done his best.

She took a second to consider that. She supposed it was possiblethat Dan and Jo just weren’t cut out to be parents, and that they’d done the best they could. And maybe it didn’t matter anymore. They were happy. At least, by their own definition. Who was she to tell them that was wrong?Sheknew that there should be more, could be more, and maybe that was all that mattered.

“I need to go,” he said.

She nodded. “I know.”

Dan slid out of the booth and stood. Then he shocked her—and maybe himself a little as well—by leaning over and kissing the top of her head.

Before she’d really recovered, he was across the diner and out the door.

* * *

They’d madeit past two weeks.

Scott looked at the date he’d just written on the check to the electric company, then up at the woman sitting next to him at the kitchen table working on her computer.

He was paying bills and she was studying. They’d finished dinner about an hour ago, done the dishes, and were now settled at the table. If tonight went according to the routine they’d already established, they would be here for a couple of hours, then head to the couch for some TV time, before going to bed, making love, and sleeping all night wrapped up together.

They had a routine. Full of some of the most normal, everyday stuff that two people could do together.

And he was suddenly filled with the urge to give a loudhell yeah.

Instead, he reached over and ran a hand over her hair.

She looked up and gave him a little smile that made his heart kick in his chest.

He wanted this for the rest of his life. He opened his mouth, wondering even as he did it, if it was the right time. It was fast. Kind of. He wasn’t going to propose, exactly, but he was going to ask her to stay. Like this. Forever.

So, okay, that would be sort of like a proposal.

But he didn’t want to spook her. He didn’t want to do anything that would rock this boat. This perfectly normal, routine, could-be-boring-but-it-wasn’t boat.

“Pey—”

Just then his phone rang. And he was split between frustration at being interrupted, and relief at being interrupted. He leaned in, kissed her quickly on the mouth, then pulled his phone out.

“Hansen.”

“North Dakota. You and me. It’s all set up.”

It was Lance. Shit.

Scott glanced at Peyton. “Um, I haven’t set things up here.”

“Dammit, Hansen,” Lance said. “Come on.”

Scott sighed. “Thought we were having a meeting first.”

“Yeah, tomorrow. And your ass better be there. We head out the next day.”

“The next day?” Scott repeated.

“What? You need to get a mani-pedi before we go? We don’t have time to waste here,” Lance said.

“It’s just…not a good time.” Scott saw Peyton frown slightly.

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