“It doesn’t sound to me like the two men are even remotely similar.” Theo went after Cynthia’s earring, so Dahlia reached forward and plucked him out of her arms. She carried him over to a little toddler-sized kitchen and stood him up next to the stove. “Be like Daddy,” she said. “Cook me something good.” She came back to the sofa. “Andrew came after you in a planned, strategic attack. You had no hope and not enough experience to see it coming. Rick sounds like someone who is very careful, very methodical, and who would probably cut off his arm before he did anything to hurt you. If he invited you to Kentucky, it’s because he wants to spend time with you and wants to give you an opportunity to get to know him in his environment.”

Dahlia accepted a plastic banana from Theo with a smile and a kiss. He giggled and ran back to the kitchen. She slid forward and took Cynthia’s hand. “Go to Kentucky. Have fun. Take a picture of a racehorse for me.”

Heat spread from her chest over her cheeks. “Dahlia, I don’t know. What will people think?”

“Sister, I am a Black doctor married to a Japanese chef. Since when have I ever cared what people think?”

That made Cynthia chuckle. “You’re right. I know you are.” She sighed. “The problem with me compared to you is that I tend to attract reporters lately. So no matter what happens, someone will find out that I went and Rick’s reputation might be hurt.”

Theo carried over a little plastic skillet containing a rubber fried egg. “Oh, yum,” Cynthia said, taking it from him. “Thank you.” He squealed and toddled back to his stove.

Dahlia sipped from her teacup and coyly said, “You could travel as Mrs. Nonaka.”

Cynthia looked at her with wide eyes, contemplating the thought. “How would that work when I checked in?”

“I can check you in with my phone. You can use the app for the hotel and access a digital key. You’d never have to even go near the front desk.”

Could that possibly work? How lovely to travel incognito and surprise Rick! “That’s a great idea,” she said.

Dahlia clapped her hands and snatched her phone off the end table. “Where are we going?”

Cynthia stayed for lunch at Dahlia’s, then headed home. In her room, she wrote a check for the coming hotel bill and put it in a thank-you card. She addressed the envelope to Dahlia and found a book of stamps in her desk drawer.

She emailed the head of the Secret Service detachment and let him know she was going out of town but didn’t want a detail to accompany her. If anything, that would definitely bring the press.