The closer they got, the more real this whole thing became. She was going home. Again.

“You want to know something crazy?” When Morgan licked his jowls, she took it as being as close to a yes as she’d get. “I’ve never lived on my own. Ever. There was dorm life. But I don’t think that counts. I’ve always lived with someone, and mostly it’s been with an authority figure. What does that say about me?”

When nothing but silence filled the car, she added, “What if I never live alone?” If things kept progressing with Gabe the way she expected them to, they’d very likely be moving in together when this year was over. And she’d welcome it, but still, would she be losing out on something if she never had this experience?

She was still reeling over this new awareness when she pulled off the highway and stopped at the U Gas to fill her almost-to-fumes tank. While it was filling, she got Morgan out to stretch his legs, remembering how impressed she had been with Gabe that first day she’d met him when he’d done nothing more than point to the grass and trustworthy Samson had trotted over to do his business.

She could hardly fathom being able to do that with Morgan someday. Even if he didn’t run off, it seemed like a far stretch to imagine him becoming as calm and easily obedient as Samson.

It didn’t matter if Morgan was never obedient like that, she thought, heading back to the car with him. He was charming and affectionate and already loyal in his own way. Even if she did have to guard her plate with the attention of a night watchman.

“Olivia Graham? Well, I’ll be! Look at you. All grown up and still a Graham at that. Got a lot of your grandfather in you, don’t you?”

Olivia blinked at the woman who’d just gotten out of the truck on the other side of the pump. It took a couple seconds to connect the considerably older but familiar woman with the voice that didn’t seem to have changed a bit. “Mrs. Tilby?” She could hear Ava saying it was just the kind of town where your fourth-grade teacher remembered you even when you hadn’t seen her for the better part of fifteen years.

“In the flesh.”

Morgan let out a loud bark when Mrs. Tilby stepped around the pump, her gait having stiffened considerably since Olivia had last seen her.

“Hush, Morgan. It’s okay.”

“I heard you’ve been teaching up in St. Louis this spring. City kids, of all things. Bet that was an adjustment compared to the good stock we get around these parts.”