Kate looked at her watch. One thirty. “No. I didn’t realize what time it was.”

“I’ll take care of the kitchen,” Fleur said. “I made some soup this morning. Go have a seat in the conservatory, and I’ll bring it to you.”

“Thank you, Fleur.” Kate was feeling tired—tired and jumpy, at this point. Food would do her some good.

A few minutes later, they were sitting in the conservatory while Fleur set a covered tureen and two bowls on the bleached oak table in front of them. When Kate lifted the lid, steam rose, and the mouthwatering smell of Old Bay filled the air.

“Maryland crab. I must be in heaven,” Blaire exclaimed. “I can’t remember the last time I had real Maryland crab soup.”

“Do you remember the first time you tried steamed crabs?” Kate asked, bringing a spoonful to her mouth.

Blaire laughed. “Yeah. At first, I thought you were crazy, eating those alien-looking crustaceans.”

Kate smiled at her. “But in your usual adventure-seeking way, you dove right in.”

“I smashed the thing right in the shell with the mallet. I’ll never forget the look on your dad’s face. He gave me a detailed tutorial on the proper way to open the shell.”

“That was such a perfect night.” Kate was lost in the memory. Everything had seemed so innocent and uncomplicated back then. She thought about the twists and turns their lives had taken since those youthful days and felt a fresh wave of sorrow. “You know,” she said, “the first time I went into Barnes and Noble and saw your book on the best-seller shelf, I felt such a surge of pride . . . and then sadness that I couldn’t tell you how proud I was. I thought back to all the nights we’d lie in bed talking about the future, our dreams of writing books and practicing medicine. We made those dreams come true, but we lost each other along the way.”

“I thought about you too. You were the one who always said one day you’d see my books in the bookstore. Being able to share it with you would have made it perfect.”

“Mother was positively beaming that day, by the way. She bought ten copies of your book and gave them out to all her friends. She told me I should call you and congratulate you.” Kate sighed and looked at the floor. “I was too stubborn,” she said in a soft voice.

“It’s okay, Kate. It’s time to put our regrets away. We’re together now. That’s what matters.”

“I’ve read all of them, you know. And I am so proud of you.”

“Thank you. That means the world to me,” Blaire said, her voice catching.

When they had finished, it was after two, and the sky was turning gray.