“I told Sammy, by the way. About the Easton thing. He congratulated me and said he knew Eric would want me to move on. He also urged me not to listen to Tina.”

Natalie blew out an angry breath. “I will never, ever forgive them for what they did at the memorial.”

Tina had cornered her and said, to Tuesday’s face, that it was her fault Eric had not gone to the doctor. Said Tuesday had willfully ignored his decline in health to be done with Eric and get the insurance money.

She’d said it within hearing distance of GJ, who’d nearly got into a fistfight with more than one Heywood. The cops had been called and it just made falling away from all that noise easy. For a while anyway.

“They lost Eric and that’s the one thing that makes me not say they’re utterly worthless ”

“Dude, let’s not go there. I’m about to spend a lovely evening with Ezra and his menagerie. He’s promised me sex and breakfast tomorrow. That is a good thing. I want to think about good things. Come on, Loopy.” She made the sound Ezra did, a cross between a smooch and a tsk, and must have done a pretty good job because the Lab hopped down and came to Tuesday’s side, looking up, waiting.

“You are such a pretty, smart and awesome dog.”

Loopy licked Tuesday’s nose in thanks, her tail whipping back and forth so hard it made a little breeze.

Natalie stared, blinking. Then she grinned and Tuesday stood again with a groan. “What? Say it now before we go back downstairs.”

“You’re happy. He makes you happy. You just talked baby talk to a dog and you let her lick you. With her tongue. I don’t even know who you are right now. But I like it.”

“You act like I walk down main street frowning at kittens and toddlers all day long.”

Natalie waved a hand. “Now who’s the drama queen? All I’m saying is he makes you happy. Just in general. Not that you cried all day long or kicked puppies before. You say, Oh no, I can’t talk about it! Like it’s a talisman against falling in love. And it’s not. Trust me on that. It happens whether you want it or not. It’s good on you. It’s really good on him.”

“We’ve been seeing each other a month. Slow it down, sister.”

“You and he had instant hotness. Plus he kissed you in December. It’s now June. So that’s much more than a month.”

“He kissed me in April, too.”

“What?” Nat yelled it and Loopy barked.

“Should we go downstairs when I tell you the details of this thing I haven’t told anyone? I’m up here saying so—quietly—because I don’t want to say all this in front of a crowd.”

“Well I’m sorry! You have withheld him kissing you. Twice!”

“Hush. I told you about all the sex stuff because you’re insatiable and a deviant. What’s a kiss a few months ago? It was a surprise one!”

“When? I need details before I can be sure I’m not mad.”

“You’re not mad.”

Natalie grinned. “Not really. But you still have to give me details.”

So she told Nat about the day Ezra came to the house to talk about Nat and Paddy’s fight and how they’d get the feuding couple back together. Oh, and the way Ezra had pinned her to the wall next to the new arbor and kissed the heck out of her until he left her wobbly and with a need on for more of what he delivered with that mouth.

“I knew something had happened between you that day! And then how the two of you were at dinner that night we went up to Sharon and Michael’s. Did she know?”

“Who knows? She’s spooky. Like Diana is spooky. Whatever she knew, it’s clear she invited Ezra that night for me.”

“So the truth is, you and Ezra have been involved on some level since you first met in September. That’s nine months. And you kissed him in December, and then in April. Those were like first dates. Anyway, you can’t deny there is something major between you. This is not—” Nat made air quotes “—I’ve only dated him a few weeks! Oh no! I don’t know him well enough yet.”

Tuesday sent Loopy downstairs and turned back to Natalie.

“No, it’s not. I’ve never felt this way about anyone.” Tuesday dropped the duffel and paced back into her bedroom. “Not even Eric.”

Once she’d let the words free they seemed to slice through her.

“Why can’t it be that loving a person is a totally unique thing? Of course you feel things about him you didn’t feel for Eric. He’s not Eric. I’m sure you’re always going to feel things about Eric that you won’t feel about him.”

“What if I’m tossing away Eric for something I think is better only it’s not and then I’m screwed and alone?”

Natalie shook her head, taking Tuesday’s hands and stepping into her path to stop the pacing,

“Tuesday, that way lies madness. I’m not going to let you do this. Stop.”

“I can’t. I’ve tried. Sometimes, when he touches me it’s like chain lightning all through my body. He’s just...” She licked her lips. “He’s so much, Nat. But, I want it. I want it all even when I feel like I’m drowning in him. He’s messed up and afraid to let me in. And I’m messed up. And yet he knows me. He sees it and he wants me despite that. Or maybe because of that. I don’t know. And part of me? Part of me doesn’t care which. Because, regardless, it’s part of me. Sometimes when people who’ve known me from before I was married are around I feel sort of like they’re not only sad that Tuesday is no longer, but they’re sad they don’t like this one as much.”