Worn out from playing, Brutus curled up in Quinn’s lap and started snoring a minute later.

Quinn stroked the dog’s soft fur. “Do you ever feel confined or cooped up or… I don’t know, crazy, being stuck here? Especially after living in the city for as long as you both did.”

Lizzie glanced at Jared, who nodded at her to go ahead and reply. “I love it here. I love everything about it, from the natural beauty of the island, to the work we’re doing at the Chesterfield and now with the rest home, to the people. I’ve made some of the best friends I’ve ever had here. Does it get quiet? Sometimes, but I’ve found the quiet allows me time to breathe in a way that I never could in the city. Life there was always frantic and fast-paced. It’s a slower life here, to be sure, but no less satisfying.”

“I agree,” Jared said. “It’s a totally different life than we had in the city, but that’s a good thing. I don’t know how much longer I could’ve kept up that pace and not had some sort of breakdown.”

Lizzie was surprised to hear him admit that.

“We’re still working almost as hard as we used to,” Jared continued, “but our downtime is more relaxed here. It works for us.” Smiling, he took Lizzie’s hand and gave it a squeeze.

“And being hot and heavy newlyweds has nothing to do with the contentment?” Quinn asked with a sardonic grin.

“Of course it does,” Jared said. “That’s the best part. But it’s not the only thing we love about being here.”

“There’s something special about this island and the people who live here,” Lizzie said. “I’ve never felt so instantly at home anywhere else I’ve lived since I left my parents’ home.”

“I can see why,” Quinn said. “I really liked your friends and how easily they accepted me into the group.”

“And that’s only one small fraction of our island tribe,” Jared said. “Wait until you meet the McCarthy family and the rest of our friends.”

“I’ll admit to being tempted to take you up on your generous offer,” Quinn said.

Lizzie held her breath, waiting to hear what else he would say.

“I do have a few stipulations.”

“Name them,” Jared said, speaking for both of them.

“If I take the job, the business end would be all yours, but the medical part would be all mine. I hire, I fire, I set policy and oversee everything having to do with patient care.”

“Done,” Jared and Lizzie said at the same time.

“That was easy,” Quinn said, laughing.

“We need you to do all of that because we haven’t the first clue,” Lizzie said.