“You won’t, but tears never hurt anyone. Someone I know told me about that.”

“Hush, you know how I hate eating my own words. Have you read it to Ginny yet?”

“I did and she said she’d call me back. I hope this doesn’t send her into a real crying jag again. She has said so often how tired she is of crying. I get that.”

“Interesting that three of us in this group have lost a husband. You ever thought of that?”

“Nope. But true.” Roxie glanced at the clock on her cell phone. “I gotta run and get changed. Meeting with a client in an hour. Thanks, my friend. Ah, could you call Ginny in a while, just to check on her?”

“Of course.”

Roxie clicked off and stared at the phone while petting Juno. Sir Charles laid his muzzle on her leg and stared up at her as if pleading for her to be happy. “It’s okay, fella.” She stroked down his soft fur. “How about a cookie to help us both feel better.” His tail thumped against the floor and he headed for the door.

Later that afternoon after meeting with one client to sign the final papers on their house and then explaining how the system worked to another who had called to learn about her services, she stopped by the grocery store on her way home. They needed something for supper and she had been so busy lately, the pantry was becoming depleted, along with the fridge and freezer.

With a car full of grocery sacks, she drove into the garage just before Loren.

“Yay, you’re here to help haul this all in.” She made a sweeping motion at the rear of the SUV with paper-to-paper bags.

“I hope you got something easy for supper.”

“I did, deli salads and fried chicken.” She leaned in and grabbed handles. “Those two bags are for the freezer if you want to start with that. Hurry, the ice cream is melting.”

When they’d finished the groceries, they took their filled plates out on the deck and sank into the loungers. Juno joined Loren because she knew Loren was an easy touch and she smelled fried chicken. Sir Charles sat by Roxie wearing his terribly pitiful pleading look.

“It won’t work,” Roxie told him before she picked up the thigh and, after one bite, closed her eyes in delight. “I do love fried chicken. I think I could eat chicken every day of the week.”

“We almost do.” Loren gave Juno a bitty bite of the skin. “Now that is all, so forget it.”

Roxie almost snorted. “You say that every time.”

“I know, so why should I be surprised that she never believes me?” She tipped her head back. “So, how was your day?”

“Busy, but I got the most interesting letter that I’ll read to you once I no longer have greasy fingers. I was planning on doing some cold calling but I had too many inquiring phone calls.”