“Jonah,” came a voice from the doorway, and like everything else having to do with Nora Clarke, he couldn’t really explain it, the relief he felt. Out of all his visitors today, she was the enemy he should be dreading the most; she was the most dangerous to him. Frankly, she was probably here to finish him off.

But he didn’t think any of that, at first. He looked up and saw her there and all he could think was: Finally.

Finally, she came.

Her hair was up again, that sleek, straight ponytail he had an absolutely deranged urge to tug on, and she was dressed casually, like she’d been the other day—a loose, long-sleeved gray shirt, dark leggings that stopped above her ankles, and a pair of sneakers that looked like they’d never been worn outside.

She was so pretty.

It doesn’t matter, you knob, he told himself. She’s the enemy. “Your ride’s here,” she said to Jonah.

“Already!” He reached up to smooth his tufts of white hair, then patted his pockets. “She’s early.” He looked over at Will. “I’m watching you, pal,” he said gruffly, before heading toward the door.

“No wine,” Nora said to Jonah when he got close, a warning note in her voice.

“Sure, sure.” He looked over at Will and proclaimed that he was “on the dating apps!” and then waved as he passed by Nora, saying something to her Will didn’t catch.

Will felt a tide of annoyance sweep through him. He didn’t want any more of this We’re a family performance-art shit these people had been doing all day, distracting him and slowing him down. He finally looked away from Nora, his eyes sweeping over the room. It’d started a mess, and now it was more of a mess, and he figured he knew who’d given the marching orders.

“I see you came empty-handed,” he said, turning toward the kitchen. “That’s new.”

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see her, still in the doorway, a more tentative approach than any of her neighbors had taken, and for some reason, that annoyed him even more. He wanted her to come in; that was the hell of it.

“Can I offer you something?” he added. “A casserole, or a small appliance? Maybe a potted fern?”

She took a step inside, and he and his heart had a firm, silent communication about its recent behavior. This visit wasn’t anything special. She was the last neighbor in the building, and obviously he wouldn’t be left in peace until they all came through. It was like ticking a box; that was all. Easy.

“So,” she said, casting her eyes around the space. She didn’t seem quite as familiar with the place as Jonah had been, and that was strangely comforting to him. “Now you’ve met everyone.”