“I want to name our first son Logan after my grandfather. Show me where I am on your hand,” he said, and a moment later was looking at the lines on Lina’s hand. “Maybe everyone has the same lines,” he said as he traced them with his finger.

“No, I’ve looked at other hands.”

The sound of the door opening had them both sitting up. “You’re supposed to knock,” Lina said, frowning at her mother. “You know the lock doesn’t work.”

“I knew it was safe. The bed stopped creaking twenty minutes ago.”

“Mom!”

“There is nothing to be embarrassed about. Everything you do in here is beautiful.”

“Please leave.” Lina fell back on the mattress and threw her forearm over her eyes.

“I’m taking breakfast orders,” her mother said. “Would you like French toast or an omelet, Phillip?”

“Um. Could I have both?”

“Of course.”

“Your mom is so cool,” he said after the door closed.

“What’s wrong?” Alice asked.

Lina pulled her mind back to the present. “Nothing.” She handed the book back to her mother. “I have to go.” She headed towards the door.

“Oh, your father and I are getting married in July,” her mother said as she followed her into the foyer. “Make sure you talk to me before you plan any trips.”

Lina turned with her hand on the doorknob. “You’re having a wedding? Like with guests?”

“Of course, and I would like Katie and Megan to be bridesmaids.”

“Oh my God.” Lina left without another word.

Over the next month, with dozens of new homes scheduled to go on the market, Lina lost herself in work, running from one house to another and fitting what easily could have been a full-time job into about thirty hours a week. Her life became something of a routine. After getting Logan and Katie off to school, she would walk Knight, attend a yoga class at a nearby studio or go for a run and then go into work for several hours, usually picking Logan up at his bus stop on her way home.

On Tuesday and Thursday evenings, while the kids were with Phil, Lina would either study home décor books or go to dinner with Adele, Alice or a friend from yoga. She’d seen Nick several times, and while he remained friendly, he was more reserved since her Christmas confession, no longer initiating phone calls or meetings. But his eyes couldn’t mask his feelings, and unless Lina was having a particularly hard day, she tried to limit her calls to a couple of times a week, knowing until she was free from Phil, she wasn’t being fair to Nick.