There was silence on the line for a count of five. “Crosby, I am going to whup your butt.” Penny was maybe fifteen years older than me, but she talked to me like I was her grandson. Now, instead of that familiar tone, tears filled her voice. “Why didn’t you say anything? Of course, you can’t work today. But it would’ve been helpful if I could’ve told the client there’d been a death in the family.”

Family. It was what Harriet had become. And no matter how full and beautifully crazy her life had been, I still hadn’t been ready for it to come to an end. Kenna’s face flashed in my mind. That brief moment when she’d shown how broken and lost she truly was. But just as quickly as her true feelings appeared, they were gone again, an expression of nothingness overtaking her face. When Bell and Caelyn had taken her back to the guest cottage, I’d fought the urge to follow. I wasn’t sure what the hell I would’ve done, but I hated how closed off from the world Kenna had become.

I cleared my throat as I pulled onto the main drag of Shelter Island. “I am working today. I’m headed to the Alliance right now. I just needed this morning to get my head on straight.”

“Cliff jumping or rock climbing?”

I chuckled. “Mountain biking.”

“Did it work?”

“A little.” Not as much as I would’ve liked. But the adrenaline rush, the whip of the air, the jarring of my bones after each jump, it all helped.

“I’m sure Callie would understand if you postponed.” Penny’s voice was full of sympathy. As hard as she was on me, Penny was a big softie at heart.

I wound my truck through town, careful to keep my lead foot to the speed limit. “Callie would understand, but the little girl I’m meeting with would think I’m just another person who’s going to flake on her.”

Penny clucked her tongue. “You’re a good man, Crosby McCoy.”

“Just don’t go spreading that around.”

“It’ll be our little secret.”

I pulled into the parking lot to the side of the Alliance and shut off my engine. “I’m here, and I’ve got to jump if I don’t want to be late.”

“Okay. Let me know if there’s anything that little girl needs and my knitting circle girls will get it for her.”

“You’ve got an ooey-gooey heart in there, Penny.”

“Oh, hush. Get going, you troublemaker.”

I chuckled. “Thanks for managing the schedule. I’ll check back in with you when I’m done here.”

“Sounds good.”