“Let’s see. What did I say the other day? That it’s a big step and a little fear is understandable?”

“Well, yeah, but—”

I ran over what was sure to be a silly objection. “And, as I recall, she never actually agreed to move in.”

“No, but—”

“And what was my very wise recommendation? To give her time?” I quickly counted on my fingers. “And that was all of what, four days ago? Josh, four days is not a long time to think over a life change.” I held up my hand, forestalling his next objection. “Yes, I’m sure the total time she’s been thinking about is more than four days, but let’s use four days ago as the start of a new clock. And what’s the rush? You love her, right? Then you should be happy to wait until she’s ready.”

Josh had the grace to look abashed. “You’re right. It’s just . . . I’m worried there’s something else going on with her I don’t know about.”

Probably lots of things, I thought, but didn’t say out loud. Mia was a complex person. So far, Josh had seemed fine with taking the time to gently unwrap each layer of her, and I hoped he would find the patience to work through this wrinkle in their relationship.

“Talk to her,” I said.

“That’s all I’ve been doing,” he muttered. “She just changes the subject.” He looked at me. “You know Mia. You’re good friends with her sister. Can you talk to her? Ask what’s going on?”

I was not about to talk to either Mia or Leese, technically her half sister, about Mia’s living arrangements. “Sorry, Josh. It’s none of my business, and Mia would have every right to be furious with both of us if I interfered. You’re going to have to wait.”

“Had a feeling you were going to say that.” He twisted his mouth around in a grimace. “You’re right, but I don’t have to like it, do I?”

I smiled. “Not a bit.”

“Why is it,” he said, sighing, “that doing the right thing is so hard?”

But for that, I didn’t have an answer.

*   *   *

Saturday’s cold front blew through fast and furious, and Rafe and I spent the much warmer Sunday morning writing up a punch list of things that needed to be done before Minnie’s Move-In date. We’d intended to do a walk-through of the entire house, but the list got so depressingly long by the time we finished the first floor that neither of us had the heart to go upstairs. So we abandoned the chore and headed up to the Headlands, a lovely park in Emmet County, and spent the afternoon wandering the trails and skipping stones on the unusually flat Lake Michigan.