“So, look. I won’t be coming home this summer.”

“What!” Renee curled in like the wind had been knocked out of her. “We must have a bad connection because it sounded like you said you weren’t coming back to Cranberry Cove.”

“Mother, dial down the dramatics,” Tansy groaned. “I got invited to go stay with Beckett. I met his mom last night and she totally loves me and they supposedly have this killer place in Vail and—”

“Back up. Who is Beckett?” Renee sputtered. “And Colorado? For the whole summer? Have you been out in that California sun too long today and lost your mind?”

Dr. Dan turned and studied Renee curiously.

“Beckett is my new boyfriend. We met in geology,” Tansy said matter-of-factly. “And he wants to take me hiking and rock-climbing and they have an indoor pool and a home movie theater.”

Her daughter didn’t even like to walk barefoot in grass, nor had she ever looked twice at a rock. “You’re taking a geology class? You have a boyfriend? You want to rock climb?” This was all baffling news. Didn’t she miss Cranberry Cove? Didn’t she miss her mom?

“Yes. As a science elective. Things are serious with Beckett, and I think I’ll like camping. Okay? Does that answer all of your questions? Weren’t you the one who told me college was a time to try new things?”

“Yes, but…” Renee’s head spun. Too much to process at once. “How long have you been dating—what’s his name? Bennett? Why am I just hearing about him?”

“Beckett, Mom. Beckett St. John if you want to be a psycho and Internet stalk him. We’ve been together for about six weeks.” Tansy sighed, clearly exasperated with her mother. “And I don’t know why I didn’t say anything. Maybe because there was never a reason to bring him up until now.”

No reason? Since when did Tansy need a reason to tell Renee something so important, so essential?

“I just figured I should let you know about my change of summer plans, you know, as a courtesy, just in case you were preparing for me to be home.” Tansy had made her plans and they didn’t include seeing her mother. For the whole summer. And that would turn back into the school year and…

Renee could almost hear her heart shatter.

Just in case? Just in case? Renee had planned the entire summer under the assumption Tansy would be home! She’d already requested her vacation time and was counting down the days until Tansy would back down the hall. She couldn’t wait for rom-com movie nights and leisurely mornings spent making French toast casserole and reading magazines. She wanted to hear her daughter’s footsteps on their creaky hardwood floors and come home from work to find Tansy sitting on the front porch steps, absently nibbling her fingernails while flipping through a novel.

“I knew this would be high drama with you. Look, I’ve gotta go. We can discuss this more later.”