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“Okay.” She sniffled.

“Look, I was only sharing,” he insisted, his voice full of concern, though a teasing glimmer in his eyes remained. “I’m not sure I made that clear when you started showing up all those years ago, but sharingispart of the reason why we’re here.”

“Really? Not just to get smoked at Connect Four?”

“Well, there’s that too...”

Katherine laughed, blinking back tears as she pulled her hands away and reached for her cup. “What about thousand-piece puzzles of hot-air balloons or cute puppies?Orwhat about the chance to avoid all those random weirdos out in the dating world?”

Peter laughed, “God lovesallhis children, Katherine, even the weird ones.”

“Whew! Thank goodness for that,” she said. “Where would that leaveusif He didn’t?”

Laughing together, they finished their next cup of tea, got around to that slice of pie after all, and discussed Peter’s mission to find love again.

While she listened, Katherine realized that she admired his braveryandenthusiasm to return to the dating world. And for the briefest moment, she wondered if siccing her little buddy Cupid—aka Beth Ann—on him might help. No doubt, she’d have a field day with the pastor’s love life. Probably keep her so occupied she’d stay out of Katherine’s lack of one. And wouldn’tthatbe a blessing?

But she couldn’t do that to Peter. She understood needing to take things one step at a time. And most importantly, letting Peter go about this in his own way.

Though he may be ready, and that was fine, Katherine wasn’t. And she couldn’t let her mind and heart wander into the same territory as she did when she let herself entertain thoughts of Matthew Brandon.

Nope. The day they met was humiliating enough, even though he had no idea she had the temporary hots for him.

From now on, she’d let Peter be the brave one while she would do her best to be happy and supportive, hearing about it every Friday night.

** *

As Katherine turned her old two-toned pickup onto her street, she noticed the lights were on in the house next to hers. And a shiny, new black sedan was parked in the driveway next to a slightly older SUV.

“They’re baaaack!” she said as the chilling reality set in that Mr.andMrs. Brandon were officially her new neighbors.

Getting closer to home, she turned off the truck’s headlights before pulling into her driveway. She didn’t need any unwanted attention or, God forbid, another conversation with Matthew.

With any luck, she’d be able to avoid the Brandons for a long time.

Slipping out of the driver’s side door and gently closing it, Katherine noticed the lights in the front room being turned off just before hearing their front door open and shut.

Standing back, she peeked around the cab of her truck and watched as a tall, broad-chested figure walked across the front porch carrying a duffle bag over one shoulder, a diaper bag over the other, and a sleeping toddler in his arms.

Even with a few low-hanging branches obscuring her view, Katherine could see enough to know that it was Matthew carrying little Libby down the front steps and out to the SUV.

Watching as he tossed both bags onto the empty side of the back seat, then strapping his little girl into her car seat, Katherine felt a familiar knot inside her stomach twist even tighter. She wondered where Matthew was taking Libby and why they were leaving the house after dark.

When he walked around his vehicle to climb into the driver’s seat, Katherine ducked back, certain that he’d spotted her. Seconds felt like hours before she heard the driver’s side door open and shut and the motor of the SUV turn over.

“That was close,” Katherine breathed, holding her hand over her thundering heart. But as Matthew’s vehicle hit the end of his driveway, he turned, not in the direction of the police station, but in the direction that allowed him to drive past the front of her house.

Then panic set in as he slowed, lowered the passenger side window, and turned a flashlight on her. For a second, she was blinded by the light and didn’t know what to do.

“Hey there!” she called out with an awkward wave. “It’s just me!”

Matthew must’ve expected to find a criminal standing there because when he lowered the beam of light, she could see enough of his face by the light of the streetlamp to know he was surprised to find her standing there.

“Sorry about that!” he called out, moving the shifter on the steering column into park, before reaching for his seat belt.

“No problem!” Katherine hurried to shout before dashing up the stairs to her front door. “You have a good night!”

When Matthew raised the beam of light on her again, Katherine was grateful since she’d forgotten to leave the porch light on, and the darkness might’ve delayed her ability to get inside. Oh, how she wanted to be on the other side of that door.