As she watched them go into the kitchen, Sydney, too, was filled with yearning for her own children who would’ve loved Thomas. They’d always had an affinity for younger children, and more than once, Sydney had questioned her decision to have her tubes tied after Malena was born. They would’ve been an awesome big-brother-and-sister team to a younger sibling.

“Looks like you’ve made a new friend, Buddy.” She spoke softly to him and ran her hand over his back until he drifted off to sleep.

Sydney checked her watch and realized she needed to get back to make dinner for Luke. Remembering what he’d failed to tell her had her stomach aching with anxiety. Why hadn’t he told her? Should she ask him? Or should she wait for him to tell her himself? Would he ever tell her? It was all so confusing.

She’d always thought of Luke as an open book—what you see is what you get—but she was discovering there was so much more to him. His boat renovation business was a prime example, and it was another thing he’d failed to mention to her.

Still pondering the issue, Sydney went to join her mother and Thomas in the kitchen. Her mom was wiping chocolate from Thomas’s mouth and clearly enjoying the visit with the little boy.

“I’d forgotten,” she said softly.

“About?”

“How sweet they are at this age. How open to every new experience they are.”

“I always thought two got a bad rap,” Sydney said. “Three was terrible, and four was willful, but two was sweet and cuddly.”

“You know,” Mary Alice said tentatively, “I’d be delighted to help out with Thomas while Maddie is on bed rest. I could take him to lunch and the park, or he could come over here for an afternoon.” Mary Alice stopped herself, maybe not wanting to get her hopes up. “If it would help.”

Sydney hugged her mom. “I’m sure Maddie would love that, and how lucky would Thomas be to get a third grandma to dote on him?”

Mary Alice smiled and put another cookie on Thomas’s plate.

“One more,” Sydney said. “And then we need to go check on Luke. He hurt his foot.”

“Papa got a boo-boo on his head,” Thomas said.

“Yes, but he’s going to be just fine. And so is your mommy and Luke.”

“Quite a day around here,” Mary Alice said.

“No kidding—and everyone talks about how nothing ever happens on Gansett.”

“Plenty happens around here.” Syd’s parents had become year-round residents six years ago but retained their Boston-area home and had spent most of the previous winter there so Syd wouldn’t be alone. “Stick around for a winter. You’ll see.”

“I just might do that.”

Mary Alice gasped. “Oh, Syd, really?”

“Thinking about it.”

“Are you planning to live with Luke?”