“And where does your momma want you?”
“B-minus.”
Dawson didn’t want to say that seemed fair, though it did. “Is that even possible to do before the dance?”
“I have to get it up before the end of January.” She sighed. “Or she won’t take me to buy a dress.” She looked over to Dawson. “They’re dumb anyway. Dresses.”
He gave her a smile she didn’t return. All at once, he knew why Caroline wanted him to smile when they were together. “Are you going to ask Aurora to make you something?”
“I think I could slay in a denim jumpsuit,” she said.
Dawson laughed, straightening his back and letting himself relax into the conversation. “I’m sure you could, sweetheart.” He got a grin from her this time. “Sounds like you better get your grade up to a B-minus.”
“I can do it,” she said with another sigh, this one notas pathetic and irritated as her previous one. “I have a test in a couple of weeks that’ll do it.”
“Do you need to come study with me in the office?”
“Maybe,” she hedged.
“You could have your Valentine’s dance date do it,” Dawson suggested, trying to keep his voice casual. He was really asking her who she was going with, for he might agree with Zona about getting her grade up.
“Yeah, that would be a hard pass,” April said. “Rusty is like, a genius. The last thing I need him thinkin’ is that I’m stupid.”
“Well, he could never think that,” Dawson said. “Because it’s not true.” He gave April a pointed look, and she ducked her head.
“Okay, Uncle Dawson.”
“Do you need to do the journaling? Or should we just talk through it?”
April didn’t answer right away, and Dawson wouldn’t let this go. Mental health was extremely important to him, as he dealt with some of his own issues. Even now, his fingers twitched to be doing something, and he forced them together to still them.
“I’m okay,” she said finally.
“You sure?”
“Yes, sir.” She took a big breath. “I can get my grades up, and Rory’s gonna make me a denim pantsuit that is going to blow Rusty’s mind.” She grinned at Dawson. “Not that it matters. He’s just a friend.”
“Mm hm,” Dawson said. “In his eyes? Or yours? Or for your momma and daddy?”
April’s face colored quickly, which happened when she got angry or embarrassed, and the hint of Zona’s redheaded genes betrayed her every time.
Dawson laughed and held up his hand. “I don’t want to know.”
“She just doesn’t like him because he’s sixteen already.”
“Well, that is a fair bit older than you.”
“Daddy is like, a million years older than Momma,” she said bitterly.
“Yeah, and they met when your momma was in her thirties,” Dawson fired back. “And they dated forever. Totally different, missy.”
She said nothing, which was her way of admitting that what Dawson had said was right. He didn’t need to rub it in her face, so he stayed silent too.
“I have a date tomorrow night,” he said, clearing his throat as his niece swung her attention his way. “Maybe you could tell me a hip place to go.”
She grinned and grinned. “Uncle Dawson, don’t say ‘hip.’ You’re too old.”
“Ouch.” He laughed, glad the mood had lightened. “She really likes potatoes in all their varieties. Seemed interested in a bit of Three Rivers history.”