He scowled at her. She hated that he was living so far away, had been trying to get him to return to Silver Springs ever since Shiloh died. Why are you still in San Francisco in that mausoleum of a house by yourself? You need to be around people. You need to start living again. Come home where you have a family who cares about you.

“Don’t get your hopes up.” He held his hand in the classic stop gesture. “I told you I can’t stay any longer than what I’ve already committed to. I have a gallery showing coming up and need to get ready for that. It’s important. But I’ll give you one term.”

She nodded, seemingly satisfied—for the moment. He knew this subject would come up again. “Fair enough,” she said.

“Did you get the list of student supplies I sent you?” he asked.

“I did, and I already got the order in, so everything will be here when we start the new semester.”

“Good, because I want to focus on something else while I can.”

“And that is?”

“Raising money for the humanities center I’ve been talking about.”

Her eyebrows slid up. “You’re going to do that now?”

“Why not? Might as well get started while I’m here. It’s the end of the year. The kind of people who would be in a position to help might also be looking for a tax break.” Maybe by Christmas he’d be so deeply immersed in the project he’d scarcely notice the holidays, and this year wouldn’t be quite as empty as the others. He was just as eager for that as he was to get the center started.

“If you really want it, I have no doubt you’ll get it,” she said. “Once you make up your mind, nothing can stand in your way.”

Except himself. He’d long been his own worst enemy. “We’ll see.”

After they left the classroom, he took Aiyana to lunch at her favorite Italian place off campus so they could have some time alone together. Then he dropped her off at the school and swung by the grocery store, where he gathered fresh fruits and vegetables, hummus, plant-protein wraps, POM Juice and other items to fill the fridge and cupboards at Maxi’s. He didn’t want to have all his meals delivered. He was making a renewed commitment to eating healthier and exercising.

He was just coming out of the store when he caught sight of Shiloh’s mother trying to get one cart separated from another at the other entrance. Although she hadn’t noticed him, that could easily change.

He needed to call her and Graham and go visit them. They’d be offended if they found out he was in town and he hadn’t let them know he was coming. But he dreaded that encounter.