Page 69 of Over and Above

“Trust me, I get that. Been there.” Diesel sounded older and wiser these days. “But playing it safe has never been your style. Eric likesyou, not this weirdly cautious cardboard version you’ve been lately.”

“Point taken.” I sighed, hating that he was right. I was trying so hard not to screw up that I was undoubtedly doing exactly that as a result. Eric hadn’t complained, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t noticed. “Maybe we need a date night.”

“And for you to relax.” Diesel nodded, heading toward the basement door with a dopey grin. “Right now, though, I have a nap date with my wife, so you’ll have to brainstorm on your own.”

“Go rest.” Chuckling, I waved him away and gave the sleeping baby a stern stare. “Sorry, Destiny. You’re stuck with me, and we’re going to make sure they get at least a solid three-hour block of sleep. Which means dealing with my bad taste in music.”

A few nights ago, I discovered the baby liked thumping bass, and I was willing to try whatever it took to allow Maren and Diesel more rest. Playlist set and chili bubbling on the stove, I wandered over to the fridge that housed Wren’s charts for the baby, along with varied calendars and schedules for the household.

“Dad? Oops. Sorry. Hey, Magnus.” John clomped down the back stairs, then quieted his voice as he noticed the portable crib near the island. “Baby asleep?”

“Yeah.” Of all Eric’s kids, I was most nervous around John. He’d been the most hostile to the news of us dating and had also been the hardest of the kids to get to know in the time I’d been living in the carriage house. I stepped away from the fridge. “I was just trying to decipher your dad’s work schedule, but I’ll get out of your way.”

“It’s okay.” John pointed at one of the several calendars. “Red are work days, yellow are days where he could be called in, and blue are days off.”

“Thanks.”

“No problem. It’s confusing. The station keeps changing how they are handling shifts.” John pointed at an upcoming date in February. “He’s off on the eleventh though.”

“What’s the eleventh?”

“Another fundraiser for the school.” John pointed at a colorful poster on the side of the fridge. “It’s the winter carnival. Sort of Valentine’s Day themed. You should come.”

“I should?” I peered at him, trying to decide whether I was being pranked.

“You guysaredating, right?” He frowned back at me.

“Yeah.” I nodded slowly. “I don’t have to go to a school thing though. I know you don’t want town gossip.”

John quirked his mouth. “Like Dad said, some of that is inevitable.”

“Thank you.” I wasn’t sure what else to say, but apparently, I’d chosen wrong because John let out a huff.

“You don’t need to thank me.”

“Okay.” Rubbing the back of my neck, I glanced again at the poster, unsure whether John actually wanted me to attend or not.

“Look. I’m not like Rowan. I missed all the signs Dad was falling for you.” John’s body language stayed rigid, but his eyes were not unkind.

“I’m sorr?—”

“Don’t apologize.” He held up both hands. “In retrospect, though, I should have guessed. He laughs around you. You make him happy. Like really happy.”

“I hope so,” I said softly.

“You guys are a great team.” John gave another huff, clenching and unclenching his hands. “Everyone can see it. Including me.”

“That doesn’t mean it’s easy.” I refused to discount John’s earlier pain over the news. “I’m… I’m not here to replace anyone.”

John took several deliberate breaths, color rising on his cheeks.

“Appreciate that.” His voice turned low and gruff. “If it had to be someone, I guess I’m glad it’s you.”

“Thanks.” I didn’t know him well enough to pat his arm, but I met his gaze, trying to make space for the myriad of emotions neither of us was great at naming. “And thanks for the heads-up about the carnival. I’ll arrange things at The Heist so I can come.”

“Come where?” The back door brought a gust of chilly air as Eric entered the kitchen. Like John, he immediately lowered his voice. “Oops. Sleeping baby. Sorry. Forgot you were on grandpa duty. Hi, John.”

“Hey, Dad.” John retrieved a soda from the fridge. “I’m just grabbing a drink.”

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