“I’m sorry.” Anne takes my hand. “I’m sorry I didn’t make it easier for you. I think I was jealous—”

“Jealous?” I interrupt, incredulous. “But why?”

“What’s not to envy?” Anne drops my hand, pushes her hair back from her face, tears in her eyes. “A young, hot, hard body totally digging you? Wanting to jump your bones, keep you in bed?” She makes a little hiccup of sound. “I can’t even get Philip to look at me, much less make love!”

Kris is nodding in the front passenger seat. “We’re kind of stuck in the same old routine—”

“Damn rut is more like it,” Anne mutters. “And you’ve had these trips to Hawaii and this romance and this guy…” She makes a little face. “You got to do something we can’t. We won’t.” She shrugs. “I just wish it ended more happily for you.”

So do I. I wipe the tears away quickly. But my life is good, and I love my kids and I have great friends. “I’m all right,” I say, and I mean it because I am all right. “I’ve no regrets. I’m glad I went to Hawaii… met Kai. Think about it. Me on a surfboard. That alone was an adventure.”

Anne laughs. “But still. I was wrong. And Jack, the next time you meet a hottie, go for it, girl.”

Two weeks later, Anne and Philip are having an end-of-summer barbecue, the day before Labor Day sort of barbecue, and have invited me to join them, as they know Daniel has the kids and they’re off in Santa Barbara.

Nic calls me before the party to let me know her sister’s having a crisis and she’s heading to her sister’s tonight.

“I’ll miss you at the party,” I tell her. “And please drive safely.”

“I will.” Nic hesitates. “Um, Jack, how do you feel about dating?”

“Why?”

“Philip and Anne have invited a single doctor to the barbecue tonight. I think they’re going to try to set you up.” Nic sounds guilty. “I wasn’t supposed to say anything, but I was worried Anne’s matchmaking attempts might upset you.”

Just as Nic can be so obtuse, she can also be incredibly sensitive. “Thank you, Nic. I appreciate the heads-up.”

“You’re still going to the party, aren’t you?”

“Oh, yes.” I laugh. “I don’t get invited to many parties these days. It’s important to show up when I am included.”

“Jack…”

“What?”

“I don’t know how you do it.”

“Do what, Nic?”

“You’re amazing.” She takes a little breath. “And I admire you more than you know.”