She put her car into Park and slid out. “It’s nice.” Small, but new. There appeared to be a main part of the house and a small addition of some sort.

She popped the trunk and had just grabbed a bag when she heard a shout.

“Welcome home!”

Four people scampered down the hill from the house next door. She recognized Brody and Jamie. The other two must be Lucas’s parents. A huge hairy dog led the pack, and Mrs. Wright trailed the others by several yards, her slender body stiff, her arms stagnant at her sides.

Kate waved and smiled for their benefit. “What is your family doing here?” She wanted to get settled in the house. She was tired of being on public display. The photographer had left them alone after that first day at the beach, but even eating out they’d encountered stares and whispers.

“They live next door,” Lucas said. “Didn’t I tell you?”

Next door? Maintaining her smile was no easy feat. “You neglected to mention that detail.” He was going to get an earful later.

“Hey, guys,” Lucas called as his family approached.

The dog leaped on Lucas. It was the size of a bear.

“Hey, Bo.” He ruffled the animal’s floppy ears.

That is not Bo. She considered the size of the house and the size of the dog. What was he thinking? She nearly expressed her thoughts, then remembered his family would find it odd she hadn’t seen Bo before. They probably wondered how they hadn’t seen her there before, living right next door like they did.

Roy Wright approached first, wearing jeans, a Nantucket polo, and a genuine smile. “Welcome, welcome.” He hugged Kate first, patting her shoulder as if to burp her. He had a thick head of gray hair and a tan that leathered his skin. His clear green eyes angled downward at the sides.

“Thank you,” Kate said. Her eyes met Susan Wright’s as the woman came to a stop at the edge of the gravel driveway. “Hello.”

Susan nodded, her rose-colored lips pulled back into what didn’t quite pass as a smile. “Kate.” Her mushroom-shaped hairstyle framed her narrow face and high cheekbones.

“I wanted to get some pictures.” Jamie held up the camera that was around her neck. Her smile revealed braces with purple and pink bands. “Did you have a wonderful week?”

Kate felt like she was trapped in a Raymond episode. In real life the situation wasn’t so amusing.

“It was perfect,” she said as Lucas embraced his mom. Brody shook her hand, an apology in his eyes, if not on his lips.

What kind of man built a house next door to his parents? Apparently she’d not only married a pickup man, but a momma’s boy as well.

Lucas and his parents caught up briefly before Lucas asked them inside.