Page 130 of Keeping the Score

She gazes back at me.

“Dog.”

Nope. She’s not going to say it. Smiling, I shake my head.

“She was upset that the boys wouldn’t let her play with the dog,” Elodie says.

I make a face at her, then look at Tilly. “You have to share the puppy.”

“Mine.” She’s developing a personality, including temper tantrums and mischievousness.

“Yes, she’s yours, but you have her all the time and Cain and Alec don’t.”

“Let’s get ice cream,” Elodie says to the boys. They bounce across the patio with her.

“You can pet Kiki.” I hold Kiki still.

“No.” She shakes her head and points across the patio where the boys went. “Eyes.”

“You want ice cream?”

“Yuh!”

“Of course you do.”

After the playoffs ended, we looked at a short list of homes I’d put together and loved this one—a five-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bath Colonial in Essex County that’s mostly been updated. It’s not too far from the arena and practice facility for Ford, and I can work anywhere. This house has a beautiful office with French doors separating it from the living room and big windows looking into the back yard.

I freaked out at the price, but Ford talked me down. Not that I’m broke, but he has more money than I’ve ever imagined having.

Tilly and I follow Elodie and we get the kids ice cream.

“Are you having fun?” I ask Elodie with a smirk.

“I do like kids, but holy shit, the energy. Oops.” She covers her mouth with her hand.

“I know, right?”

Ford joins us. “We’ll be ready to cook in a few minutes.”

“Okay. Let’s bring the food out.”

Elodie and Ford follow me inside, Holly keeping an eye on Tilly. The kitchen is bright and big, and I have hotdogs, hamburgers and chicken breasts ready to go on the grill. Ford picks up one tray and disappears outside again.

“How’s business going?” Elodie asks me.

“Ohhh, pretty good. I’m done with a couple of contracts now.”

“And you’re not going to look for new business.”

“Not right now.”

“I can’t believe how much you’ve cut back.” She shakes her head. “You, the workaholic.”

I wrinkle my nose. “I know.”

She opens her mouth but hesitates. “Okay, I’m going to ask you something. Does cutting back on your work have anything to do with your marriage ending?”

I blink at her.

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