Page 60 of Wicked Grumpy Heart Doc

“That’s not enough, Dad.”

“Says who?”

“Everyone,” Brianna chimed in.

He kissed Kailey’s forehead. “I’m going to be fine. I promise. Besides…” He tugged the seatbelt and clicked it in place with a smug smile. “Guess who was at the Cape this weekend.”

“Who?” Brianna demanded.

“Dakota,” he said as he pulled back onto the road.

“Shut the front door!”

“Did she have Barney with her?”

“That was kind of my reaction, too, when she walked onto the patio. And, no Barney.”

“I don’t understand. How did she end up at Dr. Ericson’s?”

“She’s friends with Steven’s girlfriend.”

“Wow. That’s a pretty weird coincidence, don’t you think? Were you nice to her?”

Oh, I was very nice to her.

He didn’t say it out loud, but his smile must have given him away because both girls squealed.

“That’s awesome, Dad. Are you going to see her again?” Brianna asked.

“I’d like to.”

Kailey narrowed her eyes at him.

“I thought you said you were too different? You deal with aortas and she deals with auras.”

“She said my aura was brighter when I was with you two, so I figured she was on to something.”

“My dad dating Dakota… I never would have imagined it.”

“Oh, I did,” Brianna interjected. “Remember how he just stood there in the parking lot at World’s End, staring at her like an idiot without saying anything?”

“I did not.”

Kailey took her sister’s side. “You kind of did.”

“Whatever. No, I didn’t.”

“So, when are you going out again?”

“This is the hippy shit I’m not a fan of. She”—he took his hands off the steering wheel to make air quotes—“left it up to the Universe.”

“What does that even mean?” his youngest inquired.

“I guess if we run into each other, she’ll take it as a sign we should have dinner.”

Brianna wrinkled her nose. “Yeah, I’m not a fan of that either.”

“I guess we better make sure you run into her again, then,” Kailey said with a conspiratorial grin.

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