“Wine, pizza, and ice cream, or the Thai noodle salad I was planning to make for myself. You win.”

“Pizza always wins.” He paused at the door, her hand still in his. “Then stay. Stay the night.”

He could see, clearly, she hadn’t expected him to ask. He hadn’t expected to either. But it felt natural; it felt right.

“I’m not sure, with the kids …”

“We’re going to the beach together soon,” he pointed out. “And they already know I kiss you on the mouth. Phineas, who sees, hears, and knows all, tattled. And they’re all right with it. So stay.”

“Maybe you just want backup with the backyard campers.”

He smiled, drew her in. “That would be a factor. Not the biggest one, but definitely a factor.”

“I guess I can help you out, since I’m getting pizza and ice cream.”

Knowing they were taking a big step, the next step, Raylan kissed her on the mouth.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

In the yard outside her studio, Adrian worked on a yoga routine using light weights. She aimed for fifteen minutes, so had a timer set. She had the concept for a new program, all yoga (maybe edging a little into her mother’s territory), all fifteen minutes with four different focuses.

A good addition, she felt, to her streaming programs. And fun if she could do it all outside, she thought, holding a tree pose while doing shoulder presses.

She had the glass doors open so Sadie could roam in and out as she pleased.

When her timer beeped, she was on her mat, in bridge, doing chest presses.

“Okay, crap, too long.”

Rising, she set down the weights to study the outline on her tablet, made adjustments.

Setting another fifteen, she started again.

This time when the timer sounded, she sat cross-legged on the mat, hands out to the sides, palms up. She brought them together in prayer, bowed.

“Nailed it. That’ll work.”

Because she could, she stretched back out, watched a puff of white cloud ease its way across the summer-blue sky.

Sadie came over, stretched out beside her.

She listened to the birds singing, the breeze sighing. She smelled grass, rosemary, the heliotrope from the nearby patio pot.

If only everything could stay just like this, she thought. Pretty and quiet and warm and bright. Or like the evening she’d spent at Raylan’s—all noise and excitement, kids running, friends talking, Monroe plucking on a banjo, and all’s right with the world.

But it wouldn’t stay, and it wasn’t all right with the world.

She knew Rachael had located four more women. Three alive, one murdered in the hospital parking lot where she worked.

And that changed the percentages again, she knew. She wasn’t going to attempt the math.

And she knew Rachael planned to interview Nikki Bennett the next day. With the woman finally due back at her office, Rachael would go there, lay it out, push for answers.

If there were any.

There had to be answers. There had to be a time it would be all right in her world again.

Because she wanted to be able to stretch out in the grass with her dog under a blue sky and not think about the fact that someone she’d never met wanted to hurt her.

And why.

“Add to it?” she said as she stroked Sadie. “Mom’s coming next week. I’m fine with that, I really am. It’s just one more thing—so I need to get this routine set before she gets here and suggests changes.”

Then she sighed. “Because they’d probably be really good suggestions. And I’m brooding because Raylan’s going to New York tomorrow. Just overnight, and I’m brooding. Have you ever known me to brood over a man? No, you have not.”

She shifted, snuggled with the dog. “So I’m going to stop, and I’m going to figure out the ab portion.”

She got up to put the weights away before she consulted her tablet for a refresher. But when she started to set the timer, Sadie let out a woof—a friendly one—and headed around the side of the house.

Following suit, Adrian saw Teesha and Maya each get out of their cars.

“Well, this is a surprise.”

Maya spread her arms. “We are kid free!”

“So I see.”

“Mom’s got Collin and Phineas—prearranged. Then she insisted on keeping her granddaughter. I have pumped, and I have dumped the baby.”

“I’d already done that for Thad—Monroe’s shift—so I texted him to say he was doing a double.”

“And we came to make you blow off your workday and hang with us,” Maya finished as they reached the back.

“I can do that. I’ve gotten most of it done anyway.”

“Roll up that mat, girl,” Teesha told her. “Let’s pour something cold.”

“I wish it was margaritas.” Maya closed her eyes and sighed. “I wish we could spend the afternoon day drinking frothy, frozen margaritas in birdbath glasses rimmed with lime and salt. Do you remember drinking margaritas, Teesha?”

“I do. Fondly. Next summer our boobs will be ours again, and we’ll day drink frothy, frozen margaritas.”

“I made lemonade this morning,” Adrian said consideringly. “Now I want to put tequila in mine.”

“Don’t taunt us. Lemonade. Got any cookies?” Teesha wondered.

“No, sorry. I’ve got—”

“Don’t say hummus.” Maya held up a finger. “Don’t say raw veggies. We don’t want to hurt you.”

“I’ll find something else. Front porch or back?”

“Out here’s just fine. We’ll go on up to the porch.” Maya hooked arms with Teesha. “So you don’t have to bring not-hummus refreshments far.”

She put everything away, opened the kitchen door to the porch.

Teesha got glasses, Maya the pitcher while Adrian gathered snacks that would meet the current standards. She had guacamole, chips, herb crackers, and a very nice Gouda. Chilled grapes and berries.

“Nice.” Maya sat, tossed back her sunshine-blond ponytail. And let out an Mmmm. “I haven’t had a girl afternoon, just you guys, in so long. We have to figure out how to do this. Once a month. No kids, no guys, just us.”

“A Girl Club instead of a book club.” Teesha scooped up guacamole. “I love my kids, so much, but—”

“Right there with you, sister.” Maya tapped her glass to Teesha’s. “A few hours with no one calling me, needing wiping, changing, feeding. And you and me aren’t doing it alone like my mother did. God, how Raylan is.”

Maya smiled at Adrian. “And I heard you took the fashion queen shopping. How’d that go?”

“She talked me into buying—for myself—twice what I’d planned for or needed. I kept thinking, But I’m in workout gear or sweats ninety percent of my life. I don’t need those adorable capris. And she’d say something about when clothes make you look good, they make you feel good. When you feel good, you’re nicer to people. So I’d buy the capris for humanity.”

“As her doting aunt I’m glad she’s got someone on her team who can appreciate her innate skills. Now … How are things going with you and Raylan?”