As soon as Oscar dropped her home, Sally raced inside and got changed.

She needed to run.

To be out in the fresh air.

To think.

Oscar had kissed her before he left. Just a very chaste brushing of the lips, but still, it unsettled her.

She hadn’t kissed another man since Nate, and she couldn’t get over the fact that it felt too soon. Too rushed.

Her heart still beat for that infuriating detective, and even though breakfast with Oscar had been lovely and entertaining, she was left crying on the inside.

She wanted lovely, entertaining meals with Nate.

She wanted to glance up and catch his blue gaze on her, be warmed by his little wink and the way his lips pulled up into that half smile.

When Nate was there and not hindered by a case, he was everything.

Why couldn’t he want her as much as she wanted him?

Why couldn’t he put her first?

“Come on, Rusty Boy, let’s go.” She clipped on his leash and took him out the door.

The sun had burned the clouds away and the air had a crisp, spring freshness to it. Sally relished the clear blue sky, pulling Rusty along at a fast clip until sweat began to drip down her belly and her lungs burned.

She didn’t care. She kept pushing until she’d made it all the way to Bleaker Street.

Rusty, his long tongue hanging out of his mouth, took a seat beside her as she rested her hands on her knees to catch her breath.

This was her halfway point and for the sake of her dog, she knew she’d need to take it slow on the way back. She’d probably jog/walk home and arrive thoroughly saturated and smelly.

That made her smile.

If Xavier was working at the home office, she’d track him down and hug him. She laughed, but the sound was cut short when she spotted Nate cruising down the road. He was in one of the department vehicles—silver and innocuous. His jaw was set tight, his eyes glaring at the road ahead.

He didn’t see her. Drove right past without a second glance.

Or had he seen her? Was he just keeping his eyes forward to avoid looking at her?

She wasn’t sure.

But it almost didn’t matter.

There was a really strong chance that even if they were still together, he wouldn’t have given her a glance or a wave. He was busy working, and that was all that mattered.

“Come on, Rusty,” Sally rasped. “Let’s go home.”

She tugged on his leash and strolled back toward the place she’d spent her teenage years. Her little bungalow on Kent Street was still unlivable. The second she walked in, she’d smell Nate and be flooded with memories of them together. She just couldn’t bring herself to go there. Besides, it was nice being home again. Having her family around.

Taking her sweet time, because that was all her legs would let her do, Sally wandered home and eventually walked in the door to the sound of laughter from the kitchen.

She went there before heading up to a shower and saw her mom patting Emmett on the back, still laughing. He was due back to the base in the next few days, and they were all going to feel his departure. The house would be just a little quieter, a little less complete.

Sally wasn’t in the mood to find out why they were laughing, so she didn’t ask. Instead, she got some fresh water for Rusty, gave him a little pet, then turned to get a glass of water for herself.

“Good run, sweetie?” Her mom smiled at her.

“Yeah. It’s a nice day. Rusty loved it.”

“He looks ready to keel over.” Emmett stared down at the dog he’d bought Sally for her twenty-first birthday.

“He’s just fine, thank you very much. He’ll have a nap and then be a ball of energy again.”

Emmett winked at her and took her glass, putting it in the dishwasher so she didn’t have to.

Leaning her elbows on the counter, she resisted the urge to ask what everyone was up to that afternoon. She didn’t really feel like hanging out. A hot shower and reading a book in bed would be a good way to spend the rest of the day.

“So…how was breakfast?” Emmett nudged her elbow, wiggling his eyebrows like only an annoying older brother could.

She jerked up with surprise. “How did you—Mom!”

“What?” Her mother laughed, wiping down the counter and trying to look innocent. “He asked me where you were. Was I supposed to lie?”

Sally groaned and tipped her head back.

“Oh, stop,” her mother chided. “I’m excited you went out with Oscar. He’s such a gentleman. Really good quality. Of course I’m going to share that with your brother.”

Sally bit her lips together, hoping they wouldn’t bring up Nate and start some kind of comparison.

Emmett folded his large arms, accentuating his finely honed muscles. “What’s the big deal, sis? It was just breakfast. I think it’s cool. He’s a good guy.”

“Who’s a good guy?” Xavier sauntered into the room, unbuttoning his shirtsleeves and rolling them up.

“You ready for lunch, baby?” their mother asked, turning for the fridge.

“Thanks, Mom.” Xavier, unaware of how pampered he was, leaned his hip against the counter. “Who are we talking about?”

“Oscar.” Emmett started helping his mother with lunch prep.

Xavier stuck out his tongue. “Ugh. Gag me.”

“You know you sound like a girl when you say that, right?” Emmett shot his brother a pitying look.

Xavier plucked a grape from the fruit bowl and chucked it at him. Emmett opened his mouth and dipped, catching the grape before raising his hands in the air and cheering.

The youngest brother rolled his eyes and turned away from the brother he could never compete with.

“I don’t like him,” Xavier grumbled.

“Who? Emmett or Oscar?” Sally winked.

It brought a little smile to Xavier’s face, but then he spun to face them all. “I don’t know why you all think he’s so freaking wonderful. Plenty of guys could do the job just as well as he could.” Xavier glanced over his shoulder, his expression flashing with concern.

“Don’t worry, Dad’s not home.” Sally popped a grape in her mouth and grinned while she chewed.

Xavier huffed and shook his head. “I get that he’s a nice guy and everything. I know his parents died and he’s got no one else, blah, blah, blah. But contrary to Dad’s popular opinion, the sun doesn’t actually shine out his ass!”

“Yikes.” Emmett winced. “Jealousy looks really bad on you, bro.”

Raising his middle finger, Xavier flipped his brother off until he was scolded by their mother.

Sally snorted as he huffed and walked out of the room.

“You shouldn’t tease him, Emmett.” Yvonne flicked him with the dishtowel. “Your father picking Oscar over him was a hard pill to swallow.”

“Why’d he do it, Mom?” Sally took another grape.

Her mother pulled in a breath and held it for a moment before answering. “Oscar was better suited for the position. He has been nothing but an exemplary employee since he started at the company. He’s got brains, foresight, he doesn’t miss a detail, plus he’s really good at dealing with people. He’s got that British charm working for him.” She smiled, but it quickly dropped away. “Xavier still has some growing up to do. He’ll be ready one day. Assisting on this project is only getting him closer to what he wants. If he can do this well, and prove to your father that he’s a man, ready for more responsibility, it’ll happen for him.”

“A man, huh?” Sally stepped back from the counter with a grin.

“That’s right.” Her mother nodded, rinsing off the lettuce and shaking it dry.

Sally crossed her arms and cringed. “Maybe you need to stop making his lunch for him, then.”

Her mother jerked still and looked down at the food on the counter before narrowing her eyes at Sally.

“I’m just sayin’.” Sally raised her hands and walked out of the room with a giggle.

Her mother couldn’t help herself. If she had her way, all four of them would grow old together in this big house. She had yet to lose a child to marriage or migration. Emmett was the closest with his tours of duty and living on the base, but so far he’d always come home every time he had leave.

Even though Annabelle and Sally had both been in serious relationships, they’d always lived nearby and came back frequently. Her mother loved them coming over. Any time. Any day.

Walking into her room, Sally peeled the sweaty clothes off her body and dumped them into the laundry hamper, wondering how long she’d end up staying here being pampered by her mother and avoiding the reality of life without Nate.