Irina smiled. “The least I can do. I missed my visit this past week because of all of this.” She gestured to the people filling the yard. “But I’ll see her in a few days.” She stood up. “I have to pull that cake from the oven. If it burns, I will have revolution.”

Dana chuckled as Irina hurried away. “I like her.”

“I knew you would.” Liza looked around, grinning at Tom, who was sneaking up behind his mother with a Super Soaker. Caroline would not be pleased. “He’s just a big kid.”

“And happier than I’ve seen him in a while. Which makes Caroline and me happy, too. We always wondered if anything would happen between you two.”

“They had a betting pool here,” Liza grumbled. “Karl won two hundred bucks.”

Dana clapped her hands, a delighted expression on her face. “We had one, too!”

“Who won?”

Dana preened. “I did. And everyone said I cheated because I told you to keep your heart open if he changed his mind, but I took the cash anyway. The girls at the shelter had an ice cream party. They said to thank you.”

Liza laughed. “Karl donated his to Tom’s charity here in town. It’s a sports program for kids from abusive homes.”

Dana leaned into Liza’s shoulder companionably. “It’s like we came full circle, you know?”

Shrieks from across the yard had them looking up. Caroline was dripping wet and had wrested the Super Soaker from Tom because he was laughing too hard to stop her.

“He’s gonna pay for that,” Dana said fondly.

And he did. He didn’t even run, taking his punishment like a man.

“I feel like . . .” Liza sighed. “Is it stupid to worry that things are too good?”

“No. It’s normal. I struggled with that for years. Still do.” Dana met her eyes, serious now. “You’ve earned every bit of happiness. If another shoe falls, you’ll deal. You’re not alone.”

“I know.” And she wasn’t, the object of her affection striding across the lawn, dripping wet and looking like every fantasy she’d ever had. Every carved muscle was on display. “Wow.”

Dana snorted. “Stop it. I knew him when he was seven.”

“He’s sure as hell not seven anymore.”

Dana shook her head. “I’m going to leave you to your drool. I’ll see you later.”

Tom tried to hug Dana as they passed, but she shoved him, still shaking her head.

Tom dropped into the chair she’d vacated. “You okay?”

“More than.” Liza gave him a peck on the lips. “How are your lips cold? It’s hotter than hell out here.”

“I filled the Super Soaker with ice water.”

“Oh, your mom is gonna get you back. I mean, this”—she gestured to his wet T-shirt—“was just the first wave of attack. Although I do like the outcome.”

He grinned wickedly, sending her libido on a roller coaster. “Really?”

“You know it. How long before we can go home?”

“Too long. My mom told me not to even think about sneaking off for ‘private time.’ ”