“That’s a blessing, I suppose. To have work that doesn’t feel like work.”
“The paperwork, on the other hand…”
“No paperwork today, at least?”
“Right.”
Anne drifted in through the front door, gray eyes distant like she was floating through another world.
“Are you just getting back now?” Dawn asked.
“Yeah. I had breakfast in town. With Noah.” She met Halia’s eyes, looking a bit dazed and out of focus. “It almost felt like a date.”
Halia grinned, but Dawn looked aghast.
“Noah?OurNoah?”
“Mother, he lived here for a few months.” She walked out of the kitchen, done with the conversation, but threw over her shoulder: “He’s not my brother.”
Dawn watched her go with a sour look on her face.
“You’re surprised?” Halia asked. “They’ve got history.”
“Ancient history,” Dawn grumbled.
“Mom, they have a child together.”
Dawn fixed her with a sharp blue gaze. “Zoe’smydaughter.”
Halia paused with her mouth open, caught off guard both by the claim and the quiet ferocity with which she said it.
“Anne had her chance,” Dawn said. “More than one.”
“She has another one now.”
Dawn shook her head and moved away. “I’m going to take a shower. That coffee will be done in a minute.”
Anne came back into the kitchen as soon as their mom was gone, and Halia grinned at her.
“Noah, huh?”
“Noah,” Anne said, and blushed. “Is that crazy?”
“No, I don’t think so. He’s a good man.”
Anne looked like she was about to say more, but she paused when Zoe walked into the kitchen.
“Do you have any more of that green tea?” Zoe asked.
Anne nodded. “There’s a bottle in the door of the fridge.”
“Okay if I have it?”
“Of course. You don’t have to ask.” When Zoe didn’t say anything more, Anne asked, “Do you have to work today?”
“Yeah,” Zoe said shortly. “Coconut trees.” She grabbed the bottle from the fridge and practically ran out the front door.
Anne looked like she might cry. She turned to Halia with a pitiful expression.
