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“I know how to take care of myself.”

“You’re barely eighteen.”

“Even though I still have a few weeks left in high school, eighteen means I’m an adult.” Rissa gave him a pointed look, then took another bite of her bread, clearly believing that settled it.

But Grady wasn’t done arguing. “Which means you magically gained years of life experience overnight.” His sarcastic tone was unmistakable.

Amanda concentrated on her dinner rather than risk getting drawn into the argument. She could understand both sides. At Rissa’s age, taking a year to travel would’ve sounded incredible. Now, from the perspective of someone closer to Grady’s age, sending an eighteen-year-old off to wander the country—or God forbid, the world—sounded slightly terrifying.

Rissa looked at Amanda. “Whose side are you on?”

She nearly choked on the bite of lasagna she’d just taken. “Oh, no. I’m not getting dragged into this.”

“Smart woman,” Grady said.

“I didn’t say I agreed with you.”

His eyes narrowed.

She smiled sweetly at him, then turned back to Rissa. “I think taking a gap year can be a great experience if you have an actual plan for it. But I also understand why your father might be a little nervous about you traveling alone.”

“Thank you,” he said.

She pointed her fork at him. “I’m still not entirely on your side.”

Rissa grinned. “I like her.”

He closed his eyes and tilted his head back. “Of course you do.”

Amanda laughed before saying, “But you still haven’t answered my original question, Rissa. Whenever you do go to college, what do you want to study?”

“I’m not completely sure yet. That’s another reason I want the gap year. Everyone keeps asking what I want to do with the rest of my life, and I have no idea. I don’t want to pick something just because I’m supposed to have an answer.”

That was a point Amanda understood. “There’s nothing wrong with not knowing yet. Eighteen is pretty young to decide what you want to do for the next fifty years. But if you take a year off, use it for something worthwhile. Travel, work, volunteer, try different things. You might discover what you want to do along the way.”

“Exactly!” Rissa glared at her father as if Amanda had just proven her entire case.

Grady pointed his fork at Amanda. “You’re not helping.”

“I’m trying to help both of you.” She smiled at him. “It’s not my fault you were hoping I’d tell her you’re right.”

“You’re supposed to be the other responsible adult at the table.”

She gestured toward Edith. “I thought that was her job.”

Her aunt snorted. “Don’t drag me into this. I’m seventy-five. I’ve earned the right to encourage bad decisions instead of preventing them.”

Rissa burst out laughing while Grady stared at Edith for a moment, then grumbled, “Why did I agree to eat here?”

“Because I made lasagna.”

“Right.” He picked up his fork again. “I knew there was a valid reason.”

The conversation shifted to the production crew coming to town. Unlike her and Grady, Rissa seemed thrilled.

“I think it’s going to be awesome. Nothing like this ever happens here.” She gestured toward her phone, lying face down on the table beside her plate. “It’s all over social media now.”

Amanda paused with her water glass halfway to her mouth. “Already?”