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“Just this once,” he said sternly. “And I expect you to call in and reschedule today.”

“I will. Thank you.”

Winslow nodded at Ghost, then crossed the parking lot back to the building.

“I’ll follow you over,” Ghost offered.

“Thanks. What was that all about?”

“What?”

“You and him. Does he always walk you to your car?”

“He didn’t walk me to my—” He stopped and shook his head. “Let’s just go. It’s nothing for you to worry about.”

I thought about pushing, but it wouldn’t do any good. Ghost was the most close-lipped man I knew.

I went to my car and started it up. After making sure Ghost had pulled out and was ready to follow, I drove over to Dakota’s house. She answered her front door a few minutes after I rang the doorbell.

“Hey. Here.” She held up a key fob. “Thanks so much for coming.” She glanced past my shoulder to Ghost. “Thank you, Mr.…”

“Just call me Elias.”

“Elias.” She nodded. “Thank you.”

He took the key fob from my hand. “I’ll check your connections. If we’re lucky, it won’t be anything too serious. Joey, you stay and catch up with Dakota. You’ll just be in my way.”

He jogged down the steps.

“Ouch,” I said. “I’d like to argue, but he’s probably right. I don’t know much about fixing cars.”

Dakota chuckled. “It’s fine. You want to come in for a coffee?”

“Uh, sure. If you’re comfortable with that. I can just wait on the porch if⁠—”

“Get your cute butt in here.”

She rolled her chair backwards, giving me space to enter. A happy golden retriever instantly stuck his nose into the gap, panting hot doggy breaths over my hand.

“Can I pet him?” I asked as I edged over the threshold.

“He’ll be very sad if you don’t.”

I ruffled his fur and patted his side. He accepted the attention happily but turned to trot after Dakota when she left the room. Yeah, he was a mama’s boy, through and through.

I followed the trail of clicking toenails into the kitchen, where Dakota was pouring coffee into a mug.

“I don’t drink much coffee, but Kit makes a pot every morning. He’s addicted.” She set the carafe back and turned to place the mug on the breakfast bar. “Sit.”

I perched on a stool, suddenly aware that this wasn’t just Dakota’s house, but Kit’s, too. Maybe I shouldn’t have come in. I’d rather be here because he’d invited me.

As if that would ever happen.

Dakota wheeled up to the other side of the breakfast bar. The height was perfect for her. I took a second look around the kitchen.

“Did you use New Horizons to do all this?” I asked. “It looks great.”

“It’s how I first got involved with them,” she said with a small nod. “It took forever to get it done because of funding and volunteer shortfalls.”