“It’s just one of those places that holds bad memories for me,” she said, looking away. “And besides, do I look like the type of girl who enjoys a Vegas good time?” This time, the joke fell flat to her more discerning audience, and Rainy turned to her meal, head bowed.

“Could be fun. You’re all about the human experience.” He was prodding her, and she’d have to give him something. “I could take care of all the details for you,” he said hopefully.

She chewed enthusiastically for several minutes to stall. How to explain that there were certain human experiences she had no desire to revisit? Grant didn’t know certain things and that wasn’t on him; she just wasn’t ready to let him see those parts.

“Wait a minute,” she said. “Did Stephen say something to you about this?” Stephen was Grant’s best friend and also Braithe’s husband. They’d gone to school together, and it was Grant who’d gotten Stephen the job with his company.

He glanced up at her and she could see the guilt in his eyes. She waited to see what he would say, her nerves spiking. Her foot began a vigorous side-to-side shake under the table.

“Stephen did mention that they were going to invite you on their trip. To be honest, I thought you’d want to go. And,” he continued, “my work trip is coming up. I’d feel better if you weren’t alone up here the entire time.”

“I won’t be alone,” she said, glancing at Shep, who was asleep in the corner. It sounded nice actually: a few days of uninterrupted work would allow her to catch up on things.

“Rainy, I’m serious. If you get a random snowstorm while I’m gone, you’re going to be trapped up here without power. The soonest I can get the generator installed is late spring.”

“We can manage,” she said, sounding more confident than she felt. “If the power goes out, I can build a fire, and we have plenty of supplies, don’t you think?”

Grant made a face, and she knew what he was thinking: city girl. And that had been true of the last decade. But Rainy hadn’t always lived in the city: quite the opposite.

And anyway, what was she supposed to say? I’ve survived worse than a snowstorm? I’m terrified of people, not nature?

“All I’m saying is, if you have the chance to get out of here before bad weather hits, take it.”

“And what about Shep?”