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Leisha made. “You did pretty well for a long spar like that. It’s good to see you’ve built up your endurance.”
    Samantha knew Leisha was complimenting her, but with Nik there, it felt condescending. “Thanks,” she murmured, not looking anyone in the eyes.
    “Yes,” Nik said. “I’m impressed with how much progress you’ve made over the last few years.”
    Forcing a smile, Samantha nodded in his direction. Trying to look casual, she left the room and went upstairs to shower and change. She already had a bag packed that she could grab in emergencies, but decided to pack another one and include the gifts she’d bought for Leisha and Liam. I will not feel bad that I don’t have a gift for Nik. Hopefully, he won’t even be around next week. But she had a sneaking suspicion that she was giving herself false hope.

Chapter 4

    A fter showering and dressing, Leisha decided the best course would be for them to move. She was headed toward the stairs to talk to Samantha about it when the doorbell rang. It was their neighbor, Katie. She could detect the overpowering scent of her coconut shampoo before she even got close to opening the door.
    Sighing at the inconvenience, she plastered a welcoming smile on her face and opened the door. The older-looking woman was holding a plate of treats. “These are Scotcharoos,” she said by way of salutation. “I made a double batch so I could bring some over to my favorite friends on the street!”
    “That’s too generous,” Leisha said in an Australian accent. She fought the urge to roll her eyes. Whenever Katie came over bearing gifts, it meant she wanted to sit and gossip for a while. Leisha usually indulged her to be a nice neighbor and not draw any negative attention, but she tolerated these little visits at best. “I don’t have much time right now for socializing. I’m helping my son with his homework, and then we need to pack for a holiday.”
    Katie walked past Leisha and went into the kitchen. “Oh, a holiday? How fun! Where are you going?”
    As the woman helped herself to some coffee sitting in a pot on the stove, Leisha walked over to Liam, who was sitting on the floor. The boy had obviously heard her because he had text books open and was writing in his notebook.
    Leisha joined him on the floor and scanned the chapter he was taking notes on. “I thought you already learned everything about Greek mythology.”
    Glancing up at her, he replied, “I did. But I just finished Roman, Egyptian, and Celtic mythology. Now I want to compare them.”
    Katie came into the room then. “Liam, I don’t know if I’ve ever met a boy as smart as you. Shouldn’t mythology be taught when you’re a bit older?”
    The boy shrugged. “That’s why I’m homeschooled.”
    Sitting on the sofa, Katie took a sip of her coffee. “You should really think about putting him in school, Rebecca. He would be such a hit with all the girls.”
    “What can I say?” Leisha rubbed Liam’s back. “Guess I want to keep him to myself for just a little bit longer.”
    “You’re such a doting mother.” Katie put her mug on the coffee table. “I did come over to talk to you about something specific. Would you mind if we had a little bit of privacy?” She turned her eyes toward Liam.
    Biting back her annoyance, Leisha asked her son to go get a snack from the kitchen. Not that it would really make a difference, but Katie didn’t know that. “So what did you want to talk about?”
    Katie’s expression turned sly. “Well, I met this man who is very successful, cute, and intelligent.”
    Leisha wished she could sleep through the conversation. “Really? How nice for you. Have you two gone out yet?”
    “Oh, no.” She tittered. “Not for me. He’s perfect for you !”
    Leisha’s eyes widened in surprise and she placed a hand at her breast. “Me? Oh, uh, that’s okay, Katie. I’m not really into dating right now.”
    Katie opened her mouth to say more when Liam came bursting out of