Cider Brook. Carla Neggers

a sixth sense about people. She typed her answer. Obsessing. There’s a difference. Where are you?

      Almost home. Stopped for gas.

      She debated asking him to turn around and come back to La Jolla, but there was nothing to keep her at home except work that could wait. He’d been asking her to come up there. If he understood she wasn’t ready to meet his family...

      She texted him back. Do you have wine?

      I collect wine. Noah would approve.

      Noah Kendrick, Dylan’s best friend and the billionaire founder of NAK, Inc., owned a winery on the central coast of California. He was there now with Phoebe O’Dunn, the Knights Bridge librarian. They would be returning to Massachusetts soon.

      Loretta felt abandoned, alone—she didn’t know what the hell was wrong with her.

      She responded to Julius. I’m on my way.

      His answer came within seconds. I’ll be waiting with the Chardonnay.