“Well, it was nice to meet you,” said Morgan, in a voice too full of understanding for Emilia to tolerate. “I’ll see you around?”

“Yeah. Sure.”

“And you might want to think about taking a boating safety course.”

Heat exploded in her chest. A boating safety course? Really? Who did this woman think she was? She glared at Morgan, who visibly flinched. She savored the small victory.

“I’ll consider it,” she said in a clipped voice. “Nell, come.”

• • •

Morgan pulled into the long, winding gravel drive of 16 Bay Road, wincing as the truck nearly disappeared into a pothole. She’d have to see if Bill would grade it for a discount on his herd’s spring exam again. The grass needed to be cut, too—something else she didn’t have time for. The patchy spring growth shot up in some places and remained stunted in others, a testimony to the cruelty of the past winter. There were four of them in the house, Lillian and Angie in addition to Morgan and Stevie—someone else could do it. Lillian liked plants. Grass was a plant.

Her shoulders tightened as she saw the number of cars parked in the small gravel lot in front of the barn-turned-doggy-daycare and boarding facility for Angie’s start of the summer season staff party. She didn’t actively dislike Angie’s employees, but after a day like today, all she wanted to do was curl up on the couch or crash into her bed. Mingling with a group of teenagers and college-aged kids who still believed in their dreams didn’t enter that picture.

She parked in her customary spot in front of the sprawling farmhouse. White paint peeled off the northwest side of the house, but they’d gotten the gardens under control last fall, and carefully pruned shrubs and lilac bushes covered up the worst of the rotted siding.

“Let’s get this over with,” she said to Kraken. He leapt out after her and performed a quick inspection of the darkening yard before bounding onto the porch. He waited with obvious impatience for her to kick off her boots. Kraken didn’t mind Angie’s employees. They all showed him the admiration he felt he deserved.

Inside, voices clamored to be heard above the bursts of laughter. The sound of claws skittering on the hardwood floors alerted her to the arrival of the house’s other resident canines. Stevie’s brindle pitbull wagged his tail enthusiastically with his face split in a goofy grin. Lillian’s two dogs followed: an obscenely fluffy seventy-pound mutt and a tiny Italian greyhound. Both were one leg short of a complete set.

“’Sup, gang,” Morgan greeted the dogs. Kraken raised his muzzle and sniffed. Morgan’s nose caught the same scent: pizza. In order to snag a slice, though, she had to pay her dues.

“Ange?” Morgan said as she entered the farmhouse kitchen. Exposed beams and cluttered granite countertops were eclipsed by Angie herself as she pulled Morgan into a hug.

“I feel like I haven’t seen you in ages,” Angie said. Her messy bun of wavy brown hair tickled Morgan’s nose.