“It felt big to me,” said Laura, who was still a little bit thrown. Weirdly, she wasn’t anywhere near as discombobulated as she had been in the truck. Mind you, earthquakes had a certain novelty value, whereas the danger of cars felt painfully familiar.

Libby looked up. “It was a 4.2, which is minor.”

Bob opened the gate of the vegetable garden and headed toward his tomato bed, which resembled the aftermath of a pretty serious food fight. “I think the tomatoes might be done for.” He stared at the wall, the trellis, and the massacred roses.

“Poor Cécile,” Bob said softly. He stepped forward and tried to move the trellis, sighing and picking bricks from between the branches.

“You named the roses?” asked Laura, coming over to help.

“That’s their variety,” he replied, “Cécile Brünner. She’s been around for a long time, and she’s pretty indestructible.” He bent down to look at the roots, then looked up at Laura and grinned. “If we can get the trellis back up, I think the old lady might make it.”

Laura stepped next to him and reached for the trellis.

“Careful,” he said. “She’s not completely thornless.”

“Who is?” muttered Laura, carefully placing her hands to avoid the worst of the spiky branches, and closing one eye against a trail of roses that threatened to blind her. “This thing is heavier than I thought.”

Bob nodded. “I’m glad you’re here to help with it, I’m not sure I could manage on my own.” He looked at her, noticing her hair was filling with petals, the loosened pink curves settling in her curls.

They got the trellis upright, and Laura held it while Bob ran to get wire. The fence around the garden was still totally solid, and in a few minute the trellis was firmly attached again. Bob pulled clippers from his pocket and lopped the damaged branches, ending up with an enormous armful of pink blooms.

“I think you deserve these,” he said, “for surviving your first earthquake and saving my favorite roses.”

Laura smiled easily. “Thanks. Not sure I have a big enough vase, but I like the thought.”

They smiled at each other until they heard a cough, and remembered they weren’t alone.

They turned to see Maggie, Asher, and Libby staring at them.

Maggie was smiling. “Bob, once you guys have finished posing for the top of a wedding cake, will you check the wall to make sure it’s not going to collapse any further? We’ll call someone tomorrow.”

Laura and Bob turned to each other and realized they were still standing under the arch, dotted with a confetti of petals and leaves, Laura’s arms filled with the blooms Bob had handed her. They both blushed and nodded, and Maggie headed into the house, followed by Libby mumbling something about checking on Anna. There was a pause, then Asher changed the subject.