Chapter 3

I rubbed a thick towel over Scout's wet back while Sophie knelt beside him, wiping the caked mud from his paws. The pink collar stood out against his damp fur, and the tracker beside Lucy's name kept blinking red in the dim entryway.

Headlights swept across the front window. Tires stopped hard in our driveway, and the lock turned before I could reach the door.

Ryan came in with his phone raised in one hand. A pin on the tracker app sat directly over our house. Megan followed close behind, gripping Lucy's hand. Lucy wore a winter coat over her fleece pajamas, and her hair was still flattened on one side from sleep.

"Scout!" Lucy pulled free and ran toward him.

Ryan jabbed a finger at Sophie. "Give Scout back to Lucy. Right now."

Sophie dropped the towel and wrapped both arms around Scout's harness. Lucy grabbed the end of the pink leash from the floor, but Scout pressed his muddy side against Sophie.

"You promised he was mine now," Lucy cried, looking at Ryan.

Sophie's arms tightened around the dog. "He promised me first."

Megan caught Lucy by the shoulders and drew her close. "She's already lost her dad, Ryan. Scout's the only reason she's been sleeping through the night. She can't lose him too."

Ryan stepped farther into the house and glared at me. "Tell Sophie to let go. I tried to do something decent for a grieving child, and you're turning it into a war."

"I spoke to the rescue organization this morning. The contract doesn't allow you to give Scout to another household. They're reviewing what you did, and until they do, he stays here."

I eased the leash out of Lucy's hand and dropped it beside the door. Then I moved in front of Sophie before Ryan could reach for Scout again.

He drew breath to argue. His eyes shifted past me and landed on the stack of cardboard boxes in the hallway.

Ryan's name was written across the top one in black marker. He stared at it, and the anger slipped from his face for a second. His hand closed around his phone, but he didn't take another step.

I picked up the divorce petition my attorney had sent after our consultation that afternoon. My signature was already on the last page. I laid it on top of his box.

Ryan looked from the papers to me. His mouth tightened.

"You don't have a full-time income, Nora. If you try to take Sophie from me, I'll fight you for custody, and I'll win."

He shoved the petition back across the box. "Withdraw it. Then make Sophie apologize to Megan and Lucy for all of this."

Megan laid a hand on his arm. "Maybe you should stay here tonight," she said softly. "I don't want Nora thinking I'm trying to break up your family."

"No!" Lucy grabbed the front of Ryan's coat with both hands. "You said you were sleeping at our house. You said you wouldn't leave me."

Ryan crouched at once and pulled her against his chest. "I'm not leaving you. I promised."

He rubbed her back until her breathing slowed. Sophie watched him hold Lucy the way he'd held her after nightmares, one hand spread across the back of Lucy's head.

Ryan stayed on one knee and looked over at his daughter. "Lucy lost her dad, Soph. I made Jack a promise that I'd take care of her and her mom. You still have your mom and your grandparents. Lucy doesn't have a father anymore."

Sophie stared at him. Her face had gone quiet in a way I had never seen before.

"Are you coming home?"

Ryan's hand stopped on Lucy's back. His eyes went to the packed boxes, then to the divorce papers on top. For a moment, he said nothing.

"I'll come home when Lucy doesn't need me so much."

Sophie lowered her eyes to Scout. "Okay."

Ryan let out a breath and stood, as if her answer had settled everything. He reached past me for Scout's harness.

Sophie stepped back immediately and pulled Scout behind my legs.

Ryan's hand stopped in midair. "Sophie, stop this. I'm still your dad."

She looked straight at him. "No. You're Lucy's daddy."

His face went pale. His fingers curled slowly into his palm, and he glanced at the divorce petition again.

Sophie turned away from him and slipped her hand into mine. Her fingers were cold.

"Mommy, close the door."