“Oh, stop.” Renee waved a hand at him. “You know if I was having people over, you’d be right near the top of the list.”

“Speaking of the top of your list. You know, Dr. Hanlon was just in here.”

“Oh?” Renee’s heart fluttered. “That’s, um, nice.”

“How is that gorgeous hunka hunka man single?” Myles sighed dramatically, placing Renee’s purchases inside the reusable tote that for once she’d actually remembered to bring along. “He comes in here every Saturday and buys the same things: lentils, salmon, apples, peanut butter, spinach, and a loaf of whole-grain bread.”

“Yum.” Choices that obviously did a body good.

“How old do you suppose he is? Late forties or early fifties?” Myles had stylishly rumpled sandy blond hair and deep smile lines etched around his bright brown eyes. He was a handsome, middle-aged man, yet still reminded Renee so much of the playful high school class clown she’d known so well. Ever since her divorce from Russell, Myles had been trying to set up Renee with various bachelors around town. “I’m already taken, of course, but you should go African savannah on that man, hunt him down like a gazelle at a watering hole.”

“Uh-huh. I’m hardly a lioness. And stop it already, that’s my boss you’re talking about.”

“You stop. Nathan and I have been bingeing old Grey’s Anatomy and I am feeling this. Tell you what, I’m going to start calling him Dr. McSteamy.”

Renee wanted to crawl under a rock. “Do so at your own peril. Remember I broke your nose in third grade.”

Myles rubbed the bump. “Trust me, I remember. And I learned my lesson, too. Beware of the quiet ones, and never insult Renee’s little sister.”

Poor Bree had used a pair of scissors to cut her hair. And Myles had the nerve to make a joke about her crazy, choppy hairstyle, which meant Renee had no choice but to promptly bop him in the face.

The front door chime rang violently as Sadie Landry barreled in, eyes bloodshot and nose pink.

“Sadie?” Renee called, half relieved to get away from Myles and half concerned for Sadie’s distraught state. “How did the party go?”

“Oh, Renee, hi.” Sadie’s voice came out an octave too high, as they both realized at the same instant that her jacket was on inside out. “Lincoln’s party was awesome. So awesome. And everyone raved about your pies. As they should.”

Renee nodded carefully, wondering if she should probe. “And your mother-in-law made it into town okay?”

“Yup. She’s…at the house now. You know, just visiting.” Sadie swallowed, before she let out a giant exhale. “I don’t even know why I’m here. God knows we have enough juice boxes and macaroni-and-cheese packets to survive a hurricane.”

“Sometimes it’s just nice to get out.”

“Yes. Yes, that’s it exactly. I had to get out. I just don’t know where to go.” Her voice threatened to crack.

Renee glanced at her bags and considered the quiet evening she had planned. She was going to rewatch Crazy Rich Asians and try out a fig-raspberry-cardamom pie recipe she’d been inventing all day.