But it had been such a long time since he’d last made contact. What would she reply to someone who wrote to her column: Dear Alice, this guy I really like behaved like a total dick. Now he wants to reconnect. What should I do? Confused.

Dear Confused, perhaps he wants to apologize and start over. Everyone deserves a second chance. Alice.

Alice was already typing her reply to Tim when a completely new internal voice chimed in. Sure, give him a second chance but don’t be needy. Do it on your terms. Let him stew for a bit.

Her fingers slowed but it took real effort to completely stop. She closed the message app and shoved her phone deep into her bag where she wouldn’t be tempted to look at it. Turning her mind to Holly, she got out of the car and crossed the road. As she opened the Waxmans’ side gate, she pulled a dog treat out of her pocket.

“Hey, Brutus,” she said softly, approaching slowly. “I bought you a Schmackos.”

The lanky greyhound backed up, his body shaking all over. Alice sighed and put the treat back into her pocket.

A smiling Harry appeared at the back door. “Nice idea, Alice, but he has a complicated relationship with food.”

“He has a complicated relationship with everything.”

Today was Alice’s third visit to the house and each time, without success, she tried something different to lessen the neurotic dog’s fear of her. She thought of McDougall, her parents’ enthusiastically friendly border collie, and of Libby’s mutt, Monty. Both dogs were great with people.

“Exactly why is Brutus a good pet?”

“He makes us look and feel emotionally healthy.”

Alice laughed. She was learning Harry had a wicked sense of humor when he chose to unleash it. “The superiority effect?”

“Pretty much. Come in.”

The house was in a much neater state than previous visits and the scent of melted sugar and chocolate wafted on the air. She noticed jars of daffodils, freesias and jonquils scattered around the living area—the sirens of spring. “I see Holly’s been busy decorating.”

“Sorry?”

“The flowers.”

“No, I picked those. The garden’s exploding with color. Take some.”

Her mother’s garden was mostly natives these days and although Alice knew that was best for the local fauna and water consumption, she missed the bulbs. “Thank you! I’d love to. I’ll pick them up when I drop Holly back at 6:00.”

“Do you have a hot date tonight?”

“No, that’s Thursdays,” she said absently.

Harry’s brows rose. “Lucky for us it’s Wednesday then. When you get back from the jetties, why don’t you stay for dinner?”