Chapter 2

I had just typed the word "Yes" when Vivian's sigh drifted in from the dining room.

"Everything about the new role is perfect, except for the monthly travel. Charlie is thirteen now, and I just can't bring myself to put him in a kennel."

Ethan chimed in without missing a beat. "Don't board him. A colleague of mine uses an in-home pet care service—they administer meds, stay overnight, the whole package. I'll send you the details."

I froze by the kitchen doorway.

"Is it expensive?" she asked.

"You're a director now," he chuckled. "These are things money can solve. Don't let them hold you back."

"So hiring help was an option all along."

Ethan turned to look at me. "What?"

"During the first six months after your mother’s surgery, I begged you to hire a nurse. You said having a stranger in the house would keep you on edge."

His smile vanished.

"Claire, Charlie is a dog."

"So you're eager to find help for her, but you refused to even discuss it with me."

"I never refused to discuss it."

I slipped my phone back into my pocket and walked up to the dining table.

"Then let's discuss it now. Your mother is well enough to buy her own groceries and walk to church. I am going back to work."

"We'll talk about this later."

"Megan reached out to me. Her Seattle team is hiring, and I want to speak with her."

"Seattle?"

He repeated the name as if I had already booked a one-way ticket.

"It's just an interview."

"My mother could need someone at a moment's notice. And who's going to manage the house? Have you thought about any of that?"

"When you travel for business, do you ever stop to think about who buys the groceries?"

His jaw clenched tight.

"We had an agreement."

"The agreement was that once she recovered, I would go back to my career."

"Recovered doesn't mean nothing will ever happen to her again."

I stared at his hand resting casually on the tabletop. Minutes ago, those same fingers were tapping out the contact info of a pet-sitting service for Vivian.

"Then how long am I supposed to wait?"

Silence hung heavy over the room.

Vivian lifted her glass and let out a light, breathy chuckle.

"Claire, you've probably been away from the corporate world for too long. The market is cutthroat right now. Honestly, not having to clock in every day is a blessing."

Earlier, when I had asked if she was willing to trade places, she hadn't said a word.

This time, I didn't bother offering a polite smile.

"If it’s such a wonderful life, why didn’t you choose it?"

"I was only trying to help."

"You want to protect your opportunities. So do I."

She turned toward Ethan. "Was I out of line?"

"Not at all," he answered instantly.

Then he wheeled on me.

"Apologize to her."

I stood beside my own dining table, the faint scent of dish soap still clinging to my skin.

"Why?"

"She's having a wonderful evening. Do you really have to do this?"

Vivian reached out, resting a placating hand on Ethan’s wrist.

"Let it go, Ethan. I get it. Being cooped up at home for this long puts anyone in a foul mood."

Ethan didn't pull his wrist away.

A sudden wave of exhaustion hit me, and I desperately wanted to sit down.

I had been running around preparing this dinner since noon without sitting down once, but the single empty chair left for me was buried beneath Vivian's designer coat.

I picked up her coat, draped it over the arm of the sofa, and pulled out the chair.

"I have nothing to apologize to her for."

Ethan glared at me. I picked up my fork and cut into the cold, congealed beef on my plate.

After the guests finally left, he walked Vivian down to her car.

I unlocked my phone. That unsent "Yes" was still sitting in the input box.

I fleshed out the rest of the message and hit send.

Megan replied almost immediately: Tuesday at 2:00 PM. Does that work for you?

Through the window pane, I watched Ethan open the car door for Vivian, leaning down to listen intently to whatever she was saying.

I didn't wait around to run it by him.

That works.