Erin snorted. “She was a manipulative little shit.”
Cassie burst out laughing, and Erin had to take another sip of coffee.
“She still is,” Cassie said. “She brags all the time about how her ability to convince professors to have class outside on nice days is unparalleled.”
“I am not manipulative.” Parker tossed her hair. “I’m persuasive.”
Cassie and Erin laughed at her, and Parker gave a goofy grin.
“Whatever,” she said. “Cassie, you’re coming to a cappella tonight, right?”
“To see you sing and make eyes at that girl from The BarBelles? Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
“What’s that now?” Erin smiled as Parker groaned. “Does my daughter have a crush?”
Parker stared daggers at Cassie. “Why did I invite you to breakfast again?”
“My wonderful personality, I think it was.”
Cassie smiled like butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth.
By the time they finished, the crowd waiting for tables extended onto the sidewalk in front of the restaurant. Parker and Cassie headed outside while Erin went to the counter to pay. She watched them through the window. Parker giggled at something Cassie said. Erin let out a happy sigh.
Breakfast had gone well—so much better than she’d expected once she laid eyes on Cassie. Parker was happy and talkative, Cassie was charming and funny. It’d been easy. So much of Erin’s relationship with her daughter wasn’t, since the divorce. Parker had always been a daddy’s girl. She and Erin were too much alike not to butt heads. But with Cassie between them, they’d talked and laughed and that knot of anxiety in Erin’s chest had loosened.
Who would’ve thought it would end up being a good thing that Erin’s one-night stand came to breakfast?
That part was still too ridiculous for Erin to process. She’d freak out about it at her hotel later, when she had time to think. For the time being, she just smiled as she rejoined Cassie and Parker out front.
The way Cassie grinned at her made Erin feel like the only person in the world, despite the crowd of waiting patrons around them. Cassie must have really not been paying attention to their surroundings, though, because while she was busy smiling at Erin, she stumbled off the curb.
Erin didn’t stop to think. She was just there, an arm around Cassie’s waist, holding her up until Cassie could get her feet underneath her.
“Good?” Erin asked. She couldn’t help but think of the last time she’d lifted Cassie off the ground, when she’d set her on the counter and pushed her knees wide.
“Great,” Cassie said, looking at Erin’s mouth.
It took Erin a moment to let go.
With Cassie’s long hair down, Erin noticed, for the first time, an unnatural tint to it.
“Is that pink?”
“Streaks, yeah,” Cassie said, a hand coming up to tug on a lock. “Too much work to keep up a whole head of color.”
“It looks good.”
When Erin finally took a step away from Cassie, the rest of the world came hurtling back, Parker looking between them, her brow furrowed. Erin pretended not to notice.
Cassie took a different, more direct route. “What?” she snapped.
“There’s the Cassie I know,” Parker said. “You don’t let anyone but Acacia touch you.”
Cassie ducked her head and Erin pressed her lips together. She was definitely going to freak out about this at her hotel later, but for now, she let herself enjoy the way Cassie’s cheeks reddened.
“I just met your mom. Didn’t want to be rude.”
Parker laughed. “When has that ever stopped you from doing anything?”
Erin took the opportunity to change the subject. She didn’t want to give Parker too much time to think about the way Cassie behaved around her.
“It was lovely to meet you, Cassie.”
Cassie’s smile was free of hunger for once. “You, too.”
“I’ll see you tonight at the concert?” Erin asked. “Promise you’ll show me which one is Parker’s crush?”
“Mom!”
“I will,” Cassie said, eyes sparkling. “But Erin? Parker makes it obvious all on her own.”
Parker grumbled as Erin laughed.
Parker met Erin in front of her dorm after dropping Cassie off at her apartment. Erin had seen the room when she and Adam had brought Parker to school, but it hadn’t been decorated then. And though she’d caught glimpses while video chatting with Parker, it was better in person. Twinkle lights lined every wall. Parker’s half of the room was orderly and clean, posters perfectly straight and evenly distanced. Acacia’s side wasn’t messy so much as less controlled—a giant corkboard with photos and sticky notes and ticket stubs tacked all over it. Erin didn’t mean to pry, but her eyes snagged on a picture of a much younger Acacia, braids in her hair instead of the shaved head she had now. Beside Acacia in the picture, unmistakable even though the photo was from maybe ten years ago—