Dax grinned. “Well, yeah, there’s that too.”

“So you realize you’re in love?” Grant said.

“Yeah. I was pretty sure I was falling from almost day one. But yeah, I’m there.”

“And the woman that you gave Hot Cakes up for has a father living in a nursing home, so naturally you’re interested in how those work.”

Dax nodded. “Exactly. It’s a part of her life, so I want to know more.”

“Do not buy that nursing home, Dax,” Grant said.

Dax didn’t answer right away. His mind was spinning too fast.

Grant interpreted his silence correctly. “Shit. You weren’t thinking about buying it?”

“I hadn’t gotten quite that far,” Dax said. “But I probably would have at some point.”

Grant sighed. “Dammit. And now I gave you the idea.”

Dax laughed. “Don’t beat yourself up. I almost always get to hey, I should buy one of these with most things eventually.”

Grant groaned. “Dax, you know nothing about nursing homes.”

“Which is exactly why I texted you and Piper.” He rolled his eyes. “I’m not an idiot.”

“You’re impulsive.”

“I’ll give you that.” Then Dax laughed. “But don’t run out for more antacids just yet, G,” he said. “I was actually just thinking I could maybe make a donation so they can implement some new programs for depression. Sounds like most nursing homes need extra funding, and depression is very common among residents.”

There was a beat of silence on Grant’s end. Then he said, “Jane’s dad’s depressed?”

“Yeah.”

“And it’s hurting her?”

Dax took a breath. “Yeah.”

“Okay,” Grant said. “Then you should totally make a donation. I can get some resources together to see what kinds of programs are available and reach out to see what kind of funding would help most.”

Dax smiled. Grant Lorre was a good guy. He wanted to protect his business interests from Dax and Ollie’s reckless and sometimes ridiculous ideas. He wanted to protect his friends too, for that matter, from scams and people out to defraud them because of their fame and money. But the bottom line was Grant cared about them and believed in them. When they had a good idea or a true passion project—and not something that just occurred to them on a whim or when they were on an endorphin high—he was behind them 100 percent.

“Thanks,” Dax said. “I’d appreciate the help researching. I’m going to do more of my own too.”

“Oh right, you have more free time now,” Grant said. “What with not being a part of Hot Cakes anymore.”

Dax grinned. “Tell you what, I’ll do my research in the Hot Cakes break room. I hear they have great cappuccino. Then if you guys need me, you’ll know where to find me.”

Grant gave a grunt that was supposed to be laughter. “Great. When I need a quick game of Ping-Pong, I’ll be down.”

Which meant Dax would never see him in the break room. Grant didn’t play Ping-Pong.

Just then, Jane stepped into the lobby. She found him immediately and motioned with her hand in a come on gesture.

Yes. He was in. “Gotta go. Talk to you later.”

“Don’t spend any money before we talk again,” Grant cautioned.

“Only on cake and pie today,” Dax agreed.

“Cake and pie?”

“Big dessert-tasting thing. Buttered Up is going to be there, so Jane and I are going to take her dad and sister out there.”

“Buttered Up?” Grant asked sharply. “Zoe’s bakery?”

“Yeah.”

“Zoe will be there?”

Dax frowned. “Yeah.”

“Anyone else?”

“Her assistant, Josie,” Dax replied.

There was no sound on Grant’s end.

“Hello?” Dax asked.

“Yeah. Okay. Nothing. Talk to you later.” Grant disconnected before Dax could reply.

Well, that was weird.

“Everything okay?” Jane asked as he joined her.

“Yeah. Probably. That was just Grant.”

“Okay. So—” She took a deep breath. “You ready for this?”

“You sure he’s good with it?”

“He’s… willing.”

“Took a while.”

“Yeah. We eased into it. And had to discuss Kelsey’s chemistry grades and her grounding and…” She sighed. “Anyway that’s all done, and he knows Kelsey thinks you’re amazing and that you were nice to Aspen and that you have the coolest car. Which he agrees with.”

“How’s she know about my car?” he asked with a grin as they started down the hallway.

“Oh, it’s not plastered all over your social media?” Jane gave him a look.

“Right. Yes, it is.”

“Yeah.” She shook her head. “I’m still getting used to the idea that you’re kind of famous.”

He laughed. “You’re probably not the target demographic for my message.”

“I don’t know,” she said without looking at him. “I think I’ve received your message about living in the moment and making it as great as you can, pretty clearly.”

He stopped her, turning her to face him. “That means a lot to me.”

She met his gaze. “I’m glad.”

He thought about kissing her, but she turned and started walking again.

The hallway was wide, stark white, with a white tile floor. It was brightly lit by fluorescent lights overhead.

The first room on the right seemed to be some kind of community room. There were several round tables with chairs and wheelchairs pulled up to them. There were about eight people in the room along with a woman who looked like a staff member, judging by her lavender scrubs and the name tag he could see but not read. It looked like they were working on some kind of craft project.

The next room was empty but was clearly a small chapel. On the left was a much larger room filled with exercise equipment of various types. Two staff people were working with two residents going through a set of leg exercises. He gave them a smile as they continued on.

They passed the office of the nursing home’s director, empty at the moment, and finally got to rooms that seemed like resident rooms.

There was a lot of noise—a lot from televisions in the rooms, but also some conversation—and a variety of smells. There was a medicinal disinfectant smell underneath the smell of food being prepared.

Finally, they reached the end of the hallway, where two more hallways led off in either direction. In the middle of that intersection of hallways was a round desk where staff, who were clearly nurses, typed on computers or leaned over writing on papers.

They took the hallway to the left and went four doors down. Jane hesitated just outside. “Oh, also, you should know my dad thinks you’re my boyfriend.”

“I’m totally good with that. In fact, I think we should just make that official.”

She rolled her eyes but was smiling. “Okay. That would help so I don’t feel like I’m lying to him.”

“Great.” Dax felt that warm feeling that had settled in his chest earlier, spread. “And does he think we’re going to this bridal fair because we’re talking about getting hitched?” he asked. He could totally play along with that too.