“He isn’t going to run away.” Logan kneeled down as the dog, a Boxer-Labrador mix, according to the pound, came bounding back to him. “You love us, don’t you, boy?” He put the dog in a headlock and began to wrestle with him, rolling him onto his back.

“Be careful,” Lina said. “You could hurt him.”

“He’s fine,” Logan laughed as the dog began to lick his face. “Aren’t you, Tyson?”

“Tyson?”

“Yeah, because he’s part Boxer. Get it?”

“I get it, but his name is Knight,” Lina said.

“He’s not even black,” Logan said.

“No, Knight as in knight in shining armor,” Lina said, hoping that’s the role he would play for her when she awoke in the night.

“He’s funny looking,” Katie said as she joined them. “Why is his nose all pushed in?”

“He isn’t funny looking,” Logan said. “He’s half-Boxer.”

“Hi.” Katie timidly touched his head when he pushed his nose against her leg in greeting. “I thought you were going to get a puppy.” She began to pet him with both hands.

“No, I wanted him to be house-trained,” Lina said. “He’s about two.”

“I guess he’s cuter than funny looking,” Katie said as she studied him. “What do you think Dad’s going to say?”

“Why should he say anything?” Logan snapped, scowling at her. “He doesn’t live here. He doesn’t have a right to an opinion!”

“Sorry,” Katie said. “Calm down.”

“Don’t get upset with her,” Lina said. “She asked an innocent question.”

“Well, he doesn’t,” Logan said before stomping away, the dog on his heels.

“Logan?” Lina called after him, taking a few hesitant steps before deciding to let him cool down on his own. He had been so happy, more like his old self, since picking up the dog two hours earlier, but at the mention of his father he was back to the angry teen he’d been most of the week.

“May I spend the night at Emma’s?” Katie asked.

“Katie—”

“What? Am I going to be punished forever? It’s been a year and a half.”

Lina sighed. She’d known this question was coming. With Phil gone, it was only a matter of time before Katie tried to push her boundaries. “I’ll think about it.”

“Please.” For the first time in at least two years, Katie initiated physical contact, taking Lina’s hand. “I won’t drink or anything. I swear.”

“I just need to think,” Lina said.

If it were only up to her, Lina would let Katie spend the night at Emma’s, but she knew it wasn’t, so she called Phil’s cell phone. When it went directly to voicemail, she called his office. “Hi, Anne, it’s Lina Hunter,” she began as soon as his secretary answered. “Is he in?”