Although we were family by marriage, Marin was the closest thing to a sister I had, and loyal to a fault. Her husband, my brother-in-law Cody, often jokingly—or not so jokingly—reminded me of this when Marin put me before him.

Marin was my rock when motherhood tried to sink me. When Vera entered her tween rebellious stage, Marin stepped in to support me against Vera’s demand for an eyebrow piercing. When I needed extra help after opening Barkalicious Boutique, Marin groomed a dog or five when I was understaffed and overbooked. When Oliver’s promotion at his marketing firm enslaved him at the office, Marin delivered meals to him for me. And when my green-grass world turned bleak and brown, Marin comforted me with the vow that Sydney would be okay and we’d get through her sickness together. Marin convinced me I wasn’t a monster for what I wanted to ask Vera to do. Marin reminded me I was doing the right thing.

I trusted Marin. Oliver, on the other hand, I didn’t trust.

I had noticed the shift between my husband and sister-from-another-mister, the way his gaze lingered a little too long on her. The way his attention zeroed in on her every word. I couldn’t blame her that my husband was a flirt. It came with the package when I married him—take the good with the bad—and it had helped him charm his way to the top of a billion-dollar company. I accepted it, but I didn’t have to like it.

“Marin thinks Vera can handle the news,” I said. “She’s fifteen years old. Old enough to know what’s going on, Ollie.” A droplet spattered on the glass mosaic bistro table, another pelted my silk blouse.

“It’s not the news about Sydney that I think will upset Vera. It’s what we’re asking her to do that’s the issue,” Oliver replied.

“I have a feeling she might already know after all the bloodwork she’s gone through.”

Our waitress, her curves shrink-wrapped in black Lycra, rushed by. Oliver’s gaze trailed behind her, then darted back to me when he realized I’d caught him.

“Like what you see?” I asked.

“She’s hideous compared to you, honey.” There was that charming grin again. Irresistible, even after twenty years.

“She does kind of resemble a pug.” Her upturned nose, expressive face. Who was I kidding? Pugs were adorable.

Another raindrop made waves in my drink. I was ready for the check, but Oliver seemed unfazed by the weather.

“You think Vera realized it’s not normal to do a full blood panel in order to go to lacrosse camp?” Oliver’s eyebrow bowed upward.

I huffed. “I’m pretty sure she knows something’s up.”