Handing Della her cobbler and a spoon, he said, “Something’s come up with work, and I won’t be able to take you to Denver on Friday.”

Normally, Arlo took her for her therapy sessions and they made a whole day of it. He’d take her to see Dr. Sanchez, and then they’d visit a gallery or a museum or take in a movie. A couple of times, they’d caught a football game or taken a drive into the mountains. Then they usually stayed the night at Wade Carter’s swanky apartment and came home the next morning.

On the occasions that Arlo couldn’t get away from work, Della caught the bus to Denver in the morning and home again in the afternoon. But this Friday, she was going on a date, and she’d decided to sit on that news until Friday morning. Arlo was being very circumspect about the whole Tinder thing, but she knew he was anxious about her taking her first baby steps toward independence, so she hadn’t seen the point in worrying him until absolutely necessary.

She’d abdicated her safety, protection, and well-being to Arlo three years ago, a responsibility that, thanks to his sense of duty, he’d taken seriously.

But now she was taking them back.

“That’s fine. I can get the bus.” She’d just catch it home Saturday morning.

“Actually, Tucker’s heading to Denver Friday morning. He said he can take you if you want?”

“Oh.” The spoon loaded with cobbler paused halfway to her mouth.

That was unexpected. She’d never ridden in a car with Tucker. Hell, she’d never ridden in a car with any man other than her father, her husband, or her brother. Della suppressed an eye roll—it sounded like she’d been raised in a cult.

She’d ridden with Molly and Marley, and occasionally she caught a ride with Ruth, one of her work friends, to the old folks’ home, but ugh. Depressed, she spooned in the cobbler.

Cobbler made everything better.

“That’s okay, isn’t it?” Arlo asked. “You don’t have to. You can still take the bus. I just thought, since he was going…”

Of course. It made perfect sense. That’s what folks in small towns did—they helped each other out. But… “I think I will. Tucker doesn’t need a tagalong, and I was going to stay overnight. I’ve already checked with CC about using their apartment.”

It was Arlo’s turn to oh. “Oh. Is there a movie you wanted to see?”

“No.” Della drew in a steadying breath as her heart crawled up her chest and lodged in her throat. “I’m going on a date Friday night.”