Page 38 of Defensive Desire

For once, that feels like enough.

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The morning rush at Chapter & Grind is in full swing when the bell above the door chimes. I glance up from the espresso machine, expecting to see Mrs. Henderson for her daily latte, and nearly drop the portafilter.

My sister Melanie glides in, looking Instagram-ready in a cream cashmere sweater and camel coat. Her blonde hair is pulled back in a sleek ponytail, not a strand out of place despite the biting wind outside.

Behind her toddles four-year-old Maddie, bundled in a pink puffer coat, while baby James sleeps against her chest in some kind of designer baby wrap.

"Surprise!" Melanie sings out, weaving between tables toward the counter. "Look who came to visit Auntie Emma!"

I paste on a smile, handing off the vanilla latte I've just finished to a waiting customer before turning to my sister.

"Hey, Mel. This is... unexpected."

"Well, Mom mentioned she spoke to you today, and I thought, why not swing by?" She hoists Maddie onto a stool. "One hot chocolate for the princess here, and just a tea for me. Still watching the baby weight."

She pats her completely flat stomach, and I resist the urge to roll my eyes as I grab a kid-sized cup for Maddie.

"So," Melanie leans across the counter conspiratorially, "I saw you yesterday. Dating that hockey player from the festival, huh? The big scary one?"

I focus on pumping chocolate syrup into the cup. "We had one date."

"One very successful date, according to that hickey you're trying to hide with your scarf."

My hand flies to my neck, and Melanie cackles.

"I knew it! Oh my God, Emma, I haven't seen you with a hickey since... well, never! You've always been soproperabout dating." She says "proper" like it's a terminal illness. "Well… is he a good kisser? He looks like he'd be... intense."

I glance meaningfully at Maddie, who's thankfully distracted by the sprinkles I've just handed her.

"Can we not discuss my love life in front of your children?"

"Fine, fine." Melanie sighs dramatically. "But you're bringing him to my birthday dinner, right? Mom's already told everyone about your 'hockey friend.'"

I nearly spill milk all over the counter.

"I—what? We've been on one date, Mel. I'm not subjecting him to the Carter Family Inquisition yet."

"Oh, come on. It'll be fun! Dad will grill him about sports, Mom will passive-aggressively ask about his career goals, and I'll show everyone his fight compilation videos I found on YouTube."

"Absolutely not."

"I'm kidding! Mostly." She bounces baby James gently. "But seriously, bring him. I need someone interesting there besides Grandpa Walt. And the thought of listening to Brad's golf stories for another three hours makes me want to stab myself with a salad fork."

I hand her Maddie's hot chocolate, carefully topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

"I'll think about it."

"I know that means no," Melanie sighs.

"It means I'll think about it," I repeat, but we both know she's right.

The thought of Logan sitting between my mother and Melanie's husband Brad while my father lectures about proper investment strategies makes my skin crawl.

I've worked too hard to keep my family and my business in separate corners.

And right now, Logan belongs firmly in the "Chapter & Grind" category of my life, not the "disappointing daughter" section.

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