“I am not a date!” She was serious.

“Right. In Kansas, dates are a prelude to a walk down the aisle.”

Cait sighed. “Taran and I will have a cake full of strawberries. My dress will be—”

“Okay,” Coop said. “We’ll talk about money. I have none.” He opened the trailer door. On the step was a pretty basket that appeared to be full of food. “This could only be from your uncles.” There was a note on the side that said, “We’re off to the KC Zoo. Thought you two might like this.” He turned to Caitlyn. “This was nice of them.”

She was frowning. “Too nice!”

It didn’t look like she was going to go with him. “Help me make a floor plan of the house and I’ll buy you a DQ cone.”

She hesitated.

“Two of them.”

“We need paper and a tape measure and—”

“All of it is in my car. I bought everything yesterday.”

She nodded and followed him out the door. “You need a different car.”

“I’ll put it on my list of things to buy as soon as I get some money.”

Vera and Miguel were in the cellar and in bed together, as they had been for most of the last three days.

Smiling, he rolled off her. “We’re not kids anymore. I need rest.” He was quiet for a moment, then said, “Have there been many men?”

“Yes. Lots. I have a little red notebook where I list them. I don’t put in their names, just the places. I’m trying for sixty countries. I’m up to fifty-seven.”

“I deserved that.”

“What about you? Lots of women?”

“Only four.”

“Oh.” She sounded defeated. “Just four.”

“What does that mean?”

“That they were long-term. Marriage material, right?”

“Sometimes I felt that Cait needed a mother.”

“But nothing for you?”

He knew she was being sarcastic but he was honest. “I tried to feel something for them, but I couldn’t.” He took her hand in his and for a while they were silent.

“What happens now?” he asked.

“I promised Reuters I’d go to India in September, then maybe Cambodia. Nepal is—”

He looked at her.

“I know I’m avoiding the issue. Since you have a history of deciding my life for me, why don’t you tell me what I’m going to do?”

“Retire. Stay here with me. Cait will marry her vet and give us a dozen grandkids.” With each syllable, Vera’s look of horror increased.

“Okay,” he said, “so you leave and I stay. I’ll send you photos of us.” He paused. “Guess my grandkids won’t look like me.”

“And I won’t have any children or grandchildren, so we’re even.”

He smiled. “I never could get any sympathy from you.”

“Why don’t you go with me?”