Kenna scowled in my direction. “An Orca’s hearing is actually very acute under the surface.”

I dipped my paddle into the water, bringing me closer to Kenna. “Well, Miss Know-It-All, we’re above water.”

“Yeah, yeah. Stop interrupting my whale watching.”

I reached my paddle out and gave Kenna’s board the slightest little shake. She froze, holding out her arms for balance. “If you send me into this freezing water, I will give you the worst case of blue balls of your life.”

I barked out a laugh. “You’re brutal, woman.”

She pointed her paddle at me. “And don’t you forget it.”

We cruised around the inlet for another hour, watching the whales farther out at sea, joking and laughing. Seeing the spark come back into Kenna’s eyes caused the tension in my chest to release a bit. She would be just fine. I, on the other hand, would have to fight not to deck Grant Abbot when I saw him in court tomorrow. That family had put Kenna through hell, and now they were doing it all over again.

“Earth to Crosby…”

I turned at Kenna’s call. “Sorry, what did you say?”

“I asked if you wanted to grab lunch at The Catch before we head home.”

Home. The word had a battle erupting within me, a war between anxiety and joy. I loved that, in some part of her subconscious, Kenna viewed her home as mine, as well. But I didn’t want to be trapped there. I had my own house. One that sat on the bluffs of Anchor, with a killer view and everything just the way I liked it. And didn’t it make me an asshole for thinking that way? I wanted life both ways: free with zero commitments tethering me to the Earth, but I also wanted to come back to Kenna anytime I pleased.

I cleared my throat. “I would never say no to a Guinness and fried food.”

Kenna rolled her eyes heavenward. “It’s a miracle your cholesterol isn’t through the roof.”

I patted my flat stomach. “Healthy as a horse. Come on, let’s head back, now I’m hungry.”

Kenna laughed and started back towards shore. When were we about twenty-five yards away when she muttered a curse. I glanced her way. “What’s wrong?”

She’d stopped paddling and stared at the shore. “Janet.”

Kenna rarely, if ever, used the words Mom or Mother when talking about the woman. But why would she? From the little I knew, Janet had done nothing to earn the terms. The best thing she’d ever done for her daughter was to sign her rights away to Harriet. “Do you want me to ask her to leave?”

“No.” The word came quickly and harshly. “I’ll deal with her. You shouldn’t have to see this mess.”

“Life is messy. I’ve had my share. She’s not going to scare me off.”