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reaching up to kiss her son and grandson.
    â€œI need some sugar, too.” Eleanor shuffled over for her own round of kisses.
    â€œThanks for everything,” Luke said when he extracted himself from her embrace. With four long strides, he was standing at the door. It must have been as an afterthought that he turned back to face me and waved.
    â€œHey, Luke, Sam, wait up.”
    My outburst surprised me as much as it had Luke.As nonchalantly as a woman could after she’d just hollered across the room, I made my way over to them. I avoided eye contact with any of the other adults, though I could sense their gazes on me.
    â€œWhat’s up?” Luke asked when I stood in front of them.
    â€œI would like to invite you and Sam to come over tomorrow afternoon for a day at the beach.”
    Luke was already shaking his head before I finished. “Cassie, I already said Sam couldn’t come over.”
    â€œNo, you said he couldn’t invite himself here.”
    â€œThat’s not—” He stopped himself, seeming to think for a minute before he gave an exaggerated shrug. He couldn’t argue that I had a point.
    â€œWell?” I pressed while I had an advantage.
    I could just imagine the parental wheels turning in Luke’s head. Should he give in? Was it really giving in to Sam’s begging when they now had a proper invitation? Would it establish a precedent that if Sam begged long enough at those candy traps in the grocery store checkout lanes that his father would fold?
    â€œPlease, Daddy. Can we?”
    For several seconds, Luke said nothing, but when he did, he spoke to his son instead of me. “I think a day at the beach would be okay, particularly since we were invited.” Once he’d made that point, he glanced back at me. “That’d be great. Thanks for asking.”
    I nodded, trying to appear only moderately pleased.
    â€œAre we skipping church?” Sam asked.
    â€œOf course not. We’ll come after church.”
    â€œBut Daddy—”
    â€œNo buts about it.”
    Sam opened his mouth to protest, but seeing the firm set of his father’s jaw, shut it again. I wasn’t sure why it impressed me so much that church was nonnegotiable at Luke’s house, especially when I’d declined my aunt’s invitation to join her and my uncle at services in the morning. Maybe it just comforted me to know someone was where I needed to be.
    It had taken them nearly a half hour, but Luke and Sam finally went out the door. I made a point of not staring after them as I sensed I was still being watched. Instead, I busied myself clearing away dessert plates and dishes. I loaded the dishwasher, at first trying my best to keep from smiling, and then, finding little success, at least keeping my back to any prying eyes.
    None of those eyes would be around tomorrow. I should have been relieved to finally escape the microscope—really this time—but I couldn’t help feeling keyed up at the prospect of spending the day alone with Luke. Or rather as alone as any two adults could be hanging out on the beach with a rambunctious four-year-old.
    I didn’t know how I felt about tomorrow: excited, nervous, curious, terrified. If I were honest with myself, I would admit it was a mixture of all those things—some more, some less. But one emotion trumped all the others, so clear in my mind: relief. I was relieved that this wouldn’t be the last time I saw either of the Sheridan guys.

Chapter Five
    â€œG et over here, you four-footed, prima donna fur ball.” Beside me, the kitchen faucet continued to pour its precious natural resource down the drain while Princess sat in the doorway having a staring contest with me. Winning, too. She probably wouldn’t blink if a bottle rocket shot off in the kitchen.
    â€œI said, come here, you little beast, and drink this water or you’re going to have to slurp on your own spit until