“We got lucky. And my 3H’s are gifts I didn’t expect. Besides, I’ve got your gang whenever I need a little kid fix. Jess made me promise to shower Leo in glitter and glue and paint and clay.”

“He painted his first elephant the other day.”

“Wow, really?”

Libby laughed. “It’s a blob of color, but every time he walks past the fridge he tells us it’s Elmer.”

“That’s one of the books Jess read, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

Alice hugged her. “How are you?”

“Yeah. Sad. But it’s nothing like when I lost Dom.” Libby fiddled with her wedding ring. “And don’t roll your eyes, but somehow having Leo makes it all a little bit easier to bear.”

“I don’t think that’s strange. I know he looks a lot like Nick, but there’s quite a bit of Jess in there. I guess in a way, it keeps her close. Are you and Nick going to try for another baby?”

“I think we need a year to blend our new family before we add another one. And there’s always the challenge of getting pregnant.”

“Oh, God, are you perimenopausal?”

“No.”

“That’s good news then.”

The words chastened Libby. In a year when betrayal had derailed her life, revenge had skewed her beliefs to an unrecognizable point and forgiveness was a dark lesson in humility, Alice had been there for her, even when she disagreed with her actions. And now, despite Alice’s own disappointments and heartache, she was still wanting the best for her.

“Thanks for being my sister.”

“Thanks for being mine.”

Nick dropped down next to them. “Honey, I’m home and I’m starving. Any food left for a volunteer coast guard?”

“Nope, we ate the lot.”

Nick grinned. “Guess it’s a Dagwood Dog for me then, with a jam donut chaser.”

Libby shuddered and lifted a container out of the cooler. “Mom made your favorite chicken salad.”

“Where is everyone?”

“The carnival and the beach. They’ll be back in time for the fireworks.”

Alice shot to her feet. “I’ll take one for the team and go and get hammered at Finska so you two can have an unexpected canoodle on the picnic blanket.”

“We don’t deserve you, Alice,” Nick said.

“Pay me more,” she teased before making her way toward the top of the beach path.

A family of four was walking up the stairs, two boys preceding their parents. Their mother was obscuring their father and it wasn’t until the woman drew level that Alice saw the man. She recognized him immediately.

“Tim.” His name shot out of her mouth before her brain could censure it.

The woman looked at Alice then turned to Tim, whose expression was a combination of stunned surprise and intense wariness.