Her mother, Laura thought, rarely circled around a point if she could zero right in. “Josh must have told you about the mud slides, how Michael lost his house.”

“Yes, I know the background, Laura.” Her daughter, Susan thought, could evade like a champ. “He’s raising horses now and renting the stables for a time.”

“He’s got wonderful horses.” Laura leapt on the ploy. “You’ll have to see for yourself. Several are trained for stunts. It’s fascinating. He’s teaching the girls to ride, you know. They’re crazy about him.”

“And are you? Crazy about him?”

“It’s been good for the girls to be around a man who pays attention to them.”

Patient, Susan reached down to pet Bongo. Only one of the changes, she mused as the dog vibrated with pleasure under her hand. “I was asking about you, Laura. How you feel about him.”

“I’m very fond of him. He’s been helpful and kind. Are you sure you don’t want me to get you something to eat? Some fruit and cheese?”

“No, I don’t want fruit and cheese.” Susan reached over to still her daughter’s nervous hand. “Are you in love with him?”

“I don’t know.” Laura leveled her breath and met her mother’s gaze. “I’m sleeping with him. I’m sorry if you disapprove.”

“It’s not for me to disapprove over something that personal at this point in your life.” But there was a pang. “You’re being careful?”

“Of course.”

“He’s very attractive.”

“Yes, he is.”

“And nothing like Peter.”

“No,” Laura agreed. “Nothing at all like Peter.”

“Is that why you’re attracted to him? Because he’s the antithesis of your ex-husband?”

“I’m not using Peter as a yardstick.” Restless, she rose. “Maybe I was, to some extent. It’s difficult not to compare when you’ve only been with two men. I’m not sleeping with Michael to prove anything to anyone, but because it’s—he makes me . . . I want him. And he wants me.”

“Will that be enough for you, Laura?”

“I don’t know. It’s enough for now.” She turned away, paced to the fire. It was quiet tonight, just a warm glow and a subtle hiss. “I failed before. I wanted it to be perfect. I wanted to be perfect. Maybe I wanted to be you.”

“Oh, honey.”

“It’s not your fault,” Laura said quickly when her mother got to her feet. “Please don’t think I mean that. It’s only that I grew up seeing you, how you were, how you are. So competent and wise and flawless.”

“I’m not flawless, Laura. No one is.”

“You were to me. You are. You never faltered, never stumbled, never let me down.”

“I stumbled.” She crossed the room, took her daughter’s hands. “Countless times. I had your father to help me get my balance.”