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“Nice throw,” Carter said to Ethan as I watched Ethan throwing out a runner at the plate for what must have been the tenth time since he got home Sunday night.

Warmth spread through my chest at the obvious affection Carter had for Ethan, but I brushed it off. No point getting sentimental, this was a short-term thing. Even if we stayed friends after it ended, him spending time with Ethan didn’t mean anything.

“Thanks. Coach says I’ve got to work on my arm strength a little, but my accuracy is good.” Ethan turned to face me. “Hey, Mom. How was the game for you?”

Ethan had come out to the ballpark with the rest of his team to watch the game, so hadn’t been by my booth to help.

“Sales were great. Emily and I managed fine, and Sarah held down the fort at the bakery. I think we’re figuring this out. I still may need to hire more staff for the season, though. If you or Sarah have any friends who want to work for the summer, let me know.”

“I might know someone. I’ll ask them.” Ethan turned back to the video.

Carter winked at me before returning to the screen, setting off butterflies in my stomach. We were spending time together: platonic time. Our friendship kept getting stronger, but I wanted him so much that I was ready to climb him like a tree. It might be time to sneak away to Calgary for a night or two.

“What about after high school? Are you going to college on scholarship? You’re good enough to get into any elite baseball school,” Carter said to Ethan.

I waited for Ethan’s answer. I wanted to know what Carter thought. Ethan looked up to him; his opinion mattered. Which would only make it tougher on Ethan when Carter left.

“I already have scouts wanting to talk to me about drafting me after high school. I have a couple of dream teams that if they want to draft me, I want to say yes.” Ethan’s eyes lit up.

The patio doors to the deck opened and Brooke poked her head in, breaking up their conversation. “The burgers will be ready soon. When do you want dinner?”

I smelled of sugar, fried food, and ballpark popcorn. I wanted to wash up before I ate. “Do I have fifteen minutes?”

Brooke nodded. “I can keep everything warm until you’re ready.”

Exactly fifteen minutes later I was back downstairs, having rinsed off in the shower in record time. Brooke was bringing a steaming tray in from the grill, and Carter and Ethan were fixing themselves buns when Chad came into the kitchen and picked up a plate. I tensed, too tired for a confrontation.

“Veggie burgers are on the left, beef are on the right,” Brooke said as she set the platter of patties onto the island.

“Veggie burgers? We never ate that crap before you moved in. Do you really think those will help you get back to the majors?” Chad snarked at Carter as he helped himself to a beef patty, then added some potato chips to his plate, ignoring the two salads Brooke had also prepared. Chad had put on a few pounds since he’d quit playing ball, not that it mattered to me. But I would not let him disparage Brooke’s cooking like this.

Brooke stepped in front of her father. “If Carter wants a veggie burger, he’s welcome to it. I cooked them because I’m a vegetarian, Chad, which you would know if you paid any attention to anyone other than yourself.”

I braced for the explosion that I knew would follow. Brooke had every right to be upset; she’d been a vegetarian for a few years now, and if Chad cared about her, he would know that. And we didn’t food shame in this house. Chad was way out of line.

“Don’t call me Chad. I’m still your father, and you need to respect that.” Chad’s face was bright red. “How was I supposed to know you’re a vegetarian? You don’t speak to me. I never see you. I might as well not have a daughter, but why should I be surprised? Your mother moved away, and that turned you both against me.”

I dug my nails into my palms, fighting back my anger. I did not need this right now, but I wasn’t going to let him lie about me.

Brooke slammed her plate down. “Mom didn’t do this. You did. You body shamed her, treated her terribly, and she put up with it so we could be a family. Not that you noticed. You paid no attention to any of us, unless we made you look good. Then you went and got caught on video cheating on her with two women half your age. You humiliated all of us. Of course she left you and moved as far away from you as possible. Now you want me to respect you? You haven’t earned my respect. I will give you credit for this, you absolutely taught me what I won’t tolerate from a partner. I guess I owe you for that.”

Brooke picked her plate back up and finished fixing her burger as if nothing had happened. Chad was still staring at her in shock when she pushed past him to take a seat at the table with Carter and Ethan.

“Are you going to let her talk to me like that?” Chad demanded, glaring at me like this was my fault.

I hid a smile I knew would enrage him even more, and shrugged. “She’s an adult. She didn’t say anything that wasn’t true. If it was hard to hear, maybe you need to look inside yourself and figure out why she feels that way.”

I brushed past him to fill my own plate. I was pleased to note my hands were steady as I dished up my food. My stomach was cramping, my heart beating faster than normal, but there were no outward cues that the confrontation between Brooke and Chad bothered me. Even after years of therapy, I’d placated him for so long to keep the peace that confrontation still triggered my fight-flight-freeze response. I was proud of Brooke for standing up to Chad.

Chad took a beer from the fridge and stomped outside to sit on the deck. As soon as the door shut behind him, the atmosphere in the kitchen shifted. I took the chair next to Brooke. “Do you want me to kick him out? I’m pretty sure this was enough to break at least one of my rules.”

“I think he’ll be more miserable if he keeps living here, having to see us all happy without him. I mean, he may not be that self-aware, but you never know.” She took a bite of her burger.

I wanted to laugh at how petty she sounded. She had more strength at nineteen than I had, by far.

“What about you, Ethan? What do you want?” Ethan didn’t want to see his father homeless, so I wanted him to weigh in.

“If you kick him out, I get it. He was a jerk to Brooke, made fun of Carter, and blames you for things that are his fault. But he still doesn’t have anywhere else to go. He’s been a good coach for my ball team, and him being here hasn’t been all bad.”