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I nearly reached for him, only stopping when it became clear he wasn’t going to fall.“Sorry.Intrusive.”

“No…I just wondered how…?”

“Well, possibly because I know everyone on Hummingbird Lane and no one mentioned moving.Nofor salesigns recently.No scuttlebutt around the neighborhood.”

“Scuttlebutt?”

“Sorry.My grandfather was in the navy.He had a huge influence on me, and sometimes I use odd expressions.”I shrugged.“People look at me funny, but it keeps him alive for me, right?He was a veteran of the Second World War.Married my grandmother later in his life.She was older too, and they only had my mom.I didn’t have a ton of time with him, but I used to sit on his knee and listen to all his stories.”I laughed.“And learned hissaltylanguage—much to my mother’s horror.My father just chuckles.He grew up in the hippie days.Well, his impressionable years, as he likes to refer to them.”

“Uh, wow.”

Phillip’s color appeared a little less hectic.I hadn’t noticed how red he’d gotten until it improved.“Right.And here I am rambling on.So what I’m trying to say is that I hadn’t heard about anyone leaving.But the house next to me always has people moving in and out.I know the owner, James Reynolds.Nicest guy.Lovely husband, fantastic dog.”

“Uh…” He frowned.

“Widget.I just adore her.Almost enough to make me want to get a Frenchie of my own, but they’re so much work.So many health problems.I would never buy one.Well, I’d never buy any dog.Did you get Wally from the shelter?”

“Yeah.”

“Right.So you met Arthur?He’s James’s best friend.I met them both just after James moved in.Then James met Colin and moved out.Another nice man and his two kids moved in.Rob.With Hallie and Thomas.Oh my God, the cutest kids.And they stayed until they moved into James and Colin’s old house over in… Oh God, I’m doing it again.”

We left the park and stepped onto Fern Avenue.

“Doing what?”Phillip wiped his brow.

“Talking.You don’t need to know who all has lived in the house.”

“I don’t mind.”

Wally glanced back at us, panting hard.

I slowed another little bit.“Well, that’s good of you.Rob started dating Danny, James’s younger brother and, like I said, moved into James and Colin’s old place when they moved to Marina Park.”

“The expensive place.”

“Yeah, that’s right.Colin has money.Rob works at the vet clinic, and Danny’s in school.I think, studying to be a psychologist…?That’s so cool.They have a dog, too.A husky.Named Trouble.”

Phillip chuckled.

“Right?I think the dog has a different real name, but everyone knows her as Trouble.I see her on the boardwalk sometimes.With Rob, Danny, and the kids.I’ve run into James, Colin, and Widget as well.”As we neared Hummingbird Lane, I picked up the pace of my rambling.“So then a nice young woman moved in, and she stayed a bit.Then a woman and her teenage daughter.Come to think of it, I haven’t seen them for a bit.I suppose they moved out.”

“Yeah?”

“As far as I know, James still owns the house.”I slapped my forehead with the palm of my hand.“And you must know that.Oh, unless you bought the house.”

Phillip snickered.

The sound almost didn’t register because it didn’t fit the little I knew of him.Right, like you’ve somehow got the measure of the guy…you’ve done all the talking.

“I can’t afford to buy anything.”He scratched his nose.“Well, I can afford all the stuff Wally needs.”

No missing the defensiveness in his voice.As if his situation would lead me to judge whether or not he could take care of his dog.I had no doubt he could.Anyone who rescued a dog had a good heart, as far as I was concerned.Clearly he had Wally’s health in mind as well.

We turned onto Hummingbird, keeping to the nice wide sidewalk.

Only one house to pass, and then we’d be at my place.The lane only had eighteen houses.Phillip’s was the smallest.Mine was the biggest.I probably didn’t need three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a massive kitchen, and a decked-out finished basement.I’d chosen the house thinking I might eventually have someone to share it with.Ten years on, and that hadn’t happened.

“Do you want to come in?For a glass of water?I can put out a bowl for Wally.”I added as much cheer in my voice as I could manage without making it saccharine.