"The board is so excited to have you create another video in September, Shelby," Luna says, as we're demolishing the delicious piece of cherry pie we're splitting at the farm stand late on a Thursday afternoon in mid-August.

I wonder if Isabel, the farmer who owns Four Corners, will share her pie crust recipe with me. A perfect pie crust like this is something I've never mastered. It must be the butter. The crust tastes almost like a shortbread cookie.

"There's just one challenge," Luna says in a tone that tells me she wishes she didn't have to tell me.

"Oh?" I ask feeling a bubble of dread.

"Amy would prefer Jack not be on the project this time," Luna sits back and takes another sip of her iced tea, "She knows it wouldn't be cool to officially make the request, but she called last night and asked if I would talk to you about it."

"But why would she want that? Jack did such an amazing job," I say mystified, though secretly I'm a bit relieved.

"He hasn't been in touch?" Luna asks, her dark eyes curious as she pushes the plate closer to me, indicating she's finished with the pie. No problem. Cherry pie is one of my favorite things ever.

"No, thank God," I say and mean it, taking another bite.

"He and Amy broke up," Luna tells me, "He up and left suddenly, telling her he had to get back to Seattle to prepare for the fall semester."

"Wow, I had no idea," I say. A month ago, I'd have been excited about this prospect; now, I feel almost nothing except a little dread. Interesting.

"He left her in a lurch, scrambling to find a photographer for an event," Luna tells me, "I'm surprised he hasn't reached out to tell you his side of the story. Shelby, it probably wasn't my place, but I admitted to Amy that you and Jack were dating when he took up with her."

"Oh, boy," I wince, the sense of dread growing as the tsunami from my dream flashes in my mind.

"She sounded completely mortified," Luna says, "swore she had no idea."

"You don't believe her?" I ask, wondering at the tentative look on Luna's face.

"I want to," Luna sighs, fiddling with the end of her long braid, "the last thing I want is to be suspicious of someone on our board, especially someone who's so gifted at raising money from her rich friends," she smiles wryly.

"I can understand that," I say, drinking the last of my tea, "Anyway, I don't think it's a problem to have Rune fill in. He's been clear he wants to work on it with me." Which means he'll be hanging out at my house in September. Yay.

"Perfect. I thought so, but I wanted to double-check," Luna says, "Amy loved the photos Rune took of the kids here for our last email newsletter. She hopes you'll bring him to a party she's hosting next weekend when she returns."

"He won't be back in town yet," I tell her, feeling relieved, "He's now in Victorica to work with his production team on a screenplay."

"No rest for the wicked," Luna smiles and scoots her chair back, "Maybe that's better."

"Maybe it is," I echo as we walk out of the crowded outdoor dining to our cars.

I'm happy that Four Corners is becoming popular, but I hate that Amy could put Rune in her sights next. I'm still getting used to the idea of Daphne, whoever she is.

I've had my head down working on projects for clients and *Horse Girls* for the past two weeks while our little neighborhood has been almost deserted. Even Marguerite has been gone most of the time. I've been trying to understand the ins and outs of successful crowdsourcing campaigns. Rune connected me with Liz on his production team, but she's been less than forthcoming with the helpful advice he told me she'd give and I don't want to complain to him.

Today's the first time I've gone out to do more than grocery shop since everyone else took off. Syd and Nils will be here in a couple of weeks to stay before moving to Seattle, and we'll be throwing Rune's birthday party at the end of the month.

Since we have the new roof paid for, I decided to splurge a little on the house. Before meeting up with Luna for a late lunch, I went shopping. After weeks of bright blue skies, the weather's turning. A severe storm's coming in with rain for days, so I thought I'd get my errands done while the sun's still shining.

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**

I'm out on the porch with Butterscotch, working on freshening up the two long wooden planter boxes, listening to Doja Cat in my earbuds, trying to distract myself with dance music and color.

Unfortunately, I'm feeling as gray as the clouds rolling in as I add new potting soil into the boxes. When I got home, I made the mistake of looking at Rune's Instagram. I finally posted the short video of him working with Marguerite this morning. I wanted to see how it was doing in views and likes. It's doing really well; of course, people love video. That's not the problem.

The problem is Julia Endo. Julia posted an image tagging Rune's account, so of course, like an idiot, I looked. I wish I hadn't. It's two images with the text reading only, "It feels like old times," with a heart emoji.

In the first image, taken last night, Julia, Rune, their production partner Liz, and her husband are dining out at a charming-looking restaurant and having a merry time. In the next photo, from several years ago, Julia and Rune are at the same restaurant, their arms wrapped around each other, making kissy faces to the camera, and sitting so close that she might as well be on his lap.

In last night's photo, Julia's so close to Rune that their cheeks are almost touching. I keep pulling the image up, hoping I can get to a place where an awful stab of jealousy doesn't poke me when I glance at it. Nope. It's like a sore tooth you keep worrying with your tongue. Ouch. Ouch. Ouch.

I try to focus on the striking colors in the plants I selected. They're a stunning array of variegated coleus, and petunias. I decided on a theme of hot pinks and greens, inspired by a few brightly colored hand-made Scandinavian folk-art pillows I bought. I've been drooling over this local artist's work for months and bought three of them today.

I've finally settled on how I want to arrange the plants when Butterscotch woofs and scrambles off the porch. Jack's dusty SUV is pulling up the gravel drive slowly.

"Hey Alpine," he calls casually as he gets out, "need some help?" His beard's growing back. He looks terrific, but my dread level only increases.

"No, thanks," I tell him lightly as I stand, taking off my gloves and smacking them together to remove most of the dirt, "Are you coming from a hike?"

"I am," he says, stooping to pet the dog wiggling around his feet. "I thought I'd stop by and say hello and see how you're doing."

"I'm well," I smile, hoping it looks genuine, "I'm launching my *Horse Girl Heroes* crowdfunding in September."

"Are you going to invite me and regale me with how it's coming along?" he asks, his voice warm, continuing with the charm. He's almost as dusty as his truck, wearing his favorite hiking shorts and t-shirt.

"Sure," I say, feeling a tiny sense of pride. He's at least pretending he's interested as I move towards the front door, "Where's Amy?" I ask, playing dumb.

"A wedding in the Hamptons," he tells me flatly as he follows.

"Not your thing?" I ask as we head into the kitchen. I reach for a glass in the cupboard for iced tea and then remember our last encounter and his preference for coffee.

"Iced tea's great." He says, catching my hesitation, and adds, "It turns out I'm not well suited for life in the fast lane of the rich and famous or being micromanaged," he sighs as he says this, giving me a self-deprecating smile that would have made my heart leap with hope a few weeks ago.

"Oh?" I say as I put ice in both glasses.

"Alpine," he says, as I hand him his tea, "I just spent several days hiking alone. I gained a lot of clarity. I'm here to say I'm sorry. I got my head turned around by Amy's interest and wealth. You didn't deserve my behavior."

"Thank you," I say and mean it, as I lean my hip against the kitchen counter. "I appreciate that."

"Are you crazy busy right now?" He asks as I motion for him to follow me into the office.

"Why?" I ask, even though I have a sense of what might be coming.

"Why don't you come home with me to Edmonds for a long weekend. You can bring your work with you."

"Right now?" I ask, pulling out the two office chairs to show him the planner. Yes. I've let go of the idea of Rune as a lover (even though I'm still jealous, unfortunately), but I realize I'm genuinely not interested in picking back up with Jack.

"Yeah, why not? There's a big storm coming in," he says, sitting down and looking at the darkening clouds out the window. "Show me all you've got going on here, and then we'll catch a ferry before it gets super crowded. You hosted me here often enough; it's time for me to return the favor, don't you think?"

"That's kind of you," I say carefully, opening the manilla folder of my illustrations and stories.

"Oof," he winces, not sitting down, "You're damning me with faint praise. Why do I have the feeling a 'thank you but no thank' you is coming?"

"I would've given almost anything for this invite from you before the fundraiser," I admit frankly, glancing at him quickly and then back at my art, "But things have changed."

"You can't already be that serious about Asher Dillion, can you?" Jack asks, incredulous, "I'm impetuous, but you're not. That's not the life for you, Alpine. Christ, he's got a paparazzi hunting him outside your private drive right now."

"What? You're kidding!" I say, jumping up and jogging to the front door, and then I remember it won't do any good. You can't view the entrance to our drive from here; I'd need to be at Marguerite's house.

"Nope. I thought the guy's car was broken down," Jack tells me, following, "I stopped to check if he needed a lift or something, and he said no, he's just birdwatching. Next to him on the car seat is a very expensive camera with a gigantic telephoto lens."

"It probably is just a birdwatcher," I say, hoping this is true, but nonetheless, I'll text Rune about it, I think, taking my phone out of my pocket.

"I doubt Big Valley Road is a haven for birdwatching at this time of the year," Jack says dryly.

"You have a point," I wince, texting Rune, "Thanks for telling me."

My phone beeps, but it's not from Rune; it's from Lorelei. I stick my phone back in my shorts pocket, realizing I should finish this conversation with Jack before I open the latest photo she's sent me. She seems to be having a wonderful time.

"It's paparazzi, Alpine, trust me. He had that pasty doesn't get any exercise look. Bird watchers are a heartier sort," Jack says, "So I can't convince you to come back to Edmonds with me?"

"Thanks, but no, I've got to keep my focus on *Horse Girls* right now."

"So, are you dating Asher Dillion?" He presses.

"His name is Rune," I sigh, "and he's my dear friend, and we're starting some projects together. End of story."

I don't say anything about the new fundraising video. I'm not in the mood to get into it. And I want to confirm everything with Rune first just to be sure.

"Okay, so you're being smart." Jack squeezes my shoulder as he walks past me out the door.

So, if I'm not going with him to Edmonds, he's not interested in my project. I'm actually relieved. He pauses on the porch, "We're still friends, right Alpine?"

"Of course," I give him a more genuine smile this time because we are work friends, colleagues, that's it. And you know what? I'm going to let Amy tell him he's not on this project.

After I see Jack out, my phone beeps again with another text from Lorelei. Instead of photos, it's her second text message. She wants me to call her urgently.

"Are you okay?" I ask as she picks up immediately.

“No!” she exclaims, “Everything’s horrible! Can you come and get me? I can’t get a hold of Rune.”