“Just while you figure out what you’re going to do,” Kennet said. “Come home with me, meet my family. Stay a while at our hotel. We’re easy people. If you don’t want company, you can be alone. Go off fishing. Or go explore Canada. You ever been?”

“No.”

“It’s right across the river. You can putter all day between two countries.” His foot bumped O’Hara’s hip again. “At the very least, I’d love if you sat for one dinner at my family’s table, set with that fish-handled silver.”

“I… I don’t know. Thank you, I mean. But…”

“Think about it, all right? It’ll be a place to rest and look over your sketches and lists. I can teach you how to pilot a boat if you want.”

Now O’Hara smiled. “I lived in Carson City, Nevada for a year. I kept a boat on Lake Tahoe.”

“Then you won’t need me for anything.” Kennet said. “I won’t needle you anymore. Just know the offer’s open.”

They sank into their easy, comfortable silence. Kennet rubbed circles on his chest, where a strange feeling was thrumming. Not the tight, chilly waves of anxiety but a low little rumble, like the purr of a kitten.

He felt…good.

“Heading back,” he said, getting up. “Gonna write some letters.”

“Tell Astrid I said hello.”

“Hardee har har.”

Dear Asta,

It’s good to hear from you.

Kennet’s train of thought didn’t get far out of the station. He brooded a long time over the first sentence, bopping the pencil against the pad, until Ingle told him to knock it off

It’s good to hear from you, he thought. So what now? Do we pick up where we left off? Do you even want to?

He sighed. Do I?

“Sigh one more time, Pescado,” Ingle mumbled. “Go ahead. I dare you.”

“What crawled up your ass and died?”

“Your attitude.”

“And you loved it.”

Ingle threw a pillow at his head. “One of these days, your smart mouth is gonna get your pretty face in trouble.”

Kennet threw it back. “Promise?”

Quit fucking around and just write what you feel.

Marta told me about your husband. I’m sorry. And she told me you’re coming to Clayton with your boy. That’s good. I’d like to be able to talk to you again.

It’s hard to explain how I’ve been feeling lately. Or not feeling, rather.

A lot’s changed. I’ve changed.