Love is a precarious creature, sometimes appearing when we least expect it.

—Excerpt from Finding Mr. Right-for-You by Dr. Kate

Kate’s feet pounded the pavement beside Susan’s as they turned the corner and headed toward their homes. She’d decided she would bring up Susan and Roy’s marriage today, but if she didn’t hurry, Susan would be giving her a curt good-bye and striding up the grassy hill to her house.

Kate checked her watch. She had a scheduled meeting with Mr. and Mrs. Hornsby in an hour. Mr. Hornsby had broken it off with the other woman and they were trying to put their marriage back together. Even though Kate wasn’t officially counseling them, she knew they were counting on her help.

She would need a shower before the meeting, so there was no extending the walk.

Their breaths slowed as their strides shortened. Kate tried to find the words. She had to be subtle so she didn’t come across like a know-it-all counselor interfering in her in-laws’ relationship.

Silence had settled between them; now would be the perfect opportunity to say something.

“Susan, can I ask you something?”

Her mother-in-law stepped over a crack in the pavement.

“All right.”

“Well,” Kate took a few breaths. “I’ve been thinking lately about conflict in marriage. Well, really, conflict resolution. When you and Roy have a disagreement, how do you handle it? How do you resolve it?”

She stopped, afraid she’d put her foot in her mouth if she continued. Truthfully she wondered if the couple even employed conflict resolution the way they picked at one another.

Susan quirked a brow. “I’m surprised you’re asking.”

Kate stiffened. “Why do you say that?”

Susan flipped her hair from her face. “Well. You’re the expert.”

Why did the woman have to rub her the wrong way? “I know. It’s just—” Just what? Tell her I’m taking a poll or something?

“I suppose studying relationships and actually being in one are two different things,” Susan said.

Kate wasn’t sure where Susan was going, but she nodded.

“Marriage isn’t easy. Conflict is a normal part of it, though. You’re lucky Lucas is so easygoing.”

Oh, great. She thought Kate and Lucas were having problems. She’d probably made the woman’s day.

A yappy little dog scurried down a gravel driveway but stopped short of reaching them.

“Roy used to give me the silent treatment for days when he was upset. Sometimes I didn’t even know why he was mad and by the time we talked about it, he’d blown it all out of proportion.” Susan shook her head. “I used to get so mad when we argued that I’d storm out of the room or even take off in the car.”

“Really?”