Chapter 203 – Intentions With My Daughter

• Dinner goes smoothly after that, I think the liberal pouring of whiskey helps us find our rhythm. Kent is by no means an easy addition to any party – he’s too commanding a presence, and Daniel and Jerome fall too easily into their habitual fear of him.
• But Janeen and I work hard to cajole the boys, getting them back to the playful banter that we relied on so much to keep our spirits up at the beach house. And it works – it’s only a short while before I see the tension leave Daniel’s shoulders, before he leans unconsciously towards Jerome, before Jerome slides an arm around Daniel’s waist without even thinking about it.
• I glance at Kent when this happens, curious, but Kent gives no indication that he even notices – even though I’m sure he does.