What had started out as a nondescript Wednesday was turning out to be a momentous day. She’d adopted Morgan, who’d been much more content watching out her back window in traffic than she’d been driving in it, and—even though she was having a hard time believing it—she’d pretty much accepted a job she’d not even known existed a few hours before. A job that would keep her away from all the amazing things—and people—up here that she was starting to love.

Or already did.

Her belly flipped in a wild circle as traffic opened up and she drove along the Great River Road. Flanking her left side, the sprawling Mississippi had finally retreated to a full but nonthreatening level as the spring rains eased up.

“You’ve been here once. Do you remember?”

In the rearview mirror, she noticed how Morgan turned his head toward her at the sound of her voice.

“You may not realize this yet, but you’re my dog now, and—hopefully—I’m your person. I know you had another one before all this, but I’m crossing my fingers you have no regrets. I know I won’t.”

As he turned his attention back to the window, her thoughts went back to wondering what Gabe would say about all this. And the strain it might cause on their relationship. She’d called on the way to the shelter to get Morgan, but it had still been his workday, and he hadn’t picked up. He’d called back a half hour later, but she’d been in the middle of filling out adoption papers.

What kind of girlfriend was she? Gabe had told her he loved her, and her response was going to be taking a job that would keep her away from him for nine full months. Sure, there were weekends. She’d drive up here most of them, after she traded in the Cruze for a newer car.

It wasn’t going to be a picnic, moving back in with her grandparents, especially with her parents still living in the prefab house on the other end of the property. Ava was going to read her the riot act for this. But a three percent raise on the salary she’d gotten for teaching in rural Missouri wasn’t enough to pay a car payment, apartment, and her student loans.

You could always call Principal Rutherford back and turn it down. Work as a sub up here to get you through. Maybe pick up a second job too.

Olivia rolled her neck in a slow circle and dropped her hands away from ten and two after realizing she was still in full-traffic driving mode.

The longer she waited, the more telling Gabe all this was going to sound like an afterthought. He didn’t even know she’d headed home to Elsah and he wouldn’t see her tonight.