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screen and rolled her chair back as she hit the button for the slide show. The photographs began—luscious blue skies, golden sand, palm trees and sugarcane plants. So many lovely photos slid past while she longed to be somewhere beneath that glinting sunshine, but not alone. Her mind replaced the faces in the photos. All the pictures of Lexie and Ethan grinning at the camera at dinner, walking the beach, sitting in an aerial tram surrounded by jungle became Ross and her. Kelsey released a shuddered breath and jerked her wayward thoughts back. “What I wouldn’t give for a trip like that.”
    Ross rose and moved beside her, closer to the monitor. “It does make me envious.” He motioned to the lovely landscape photo. “Look at that sunlight. Now look out the window.” He crouched beside her, resting his hand on the chair arm and leaning closer to the photos.
    Though she knew the view out the window, her gaze was drawn to the snow-covered shrubs and tree limbs in Lexie’s backyard. When she looked back, their eyes met. Blood pounded through her veins, a ridiculous reaction to looking at photos. She struggled to pull her gaze away and sought a new topic. “Are Lexie and Ethan going to stay in this house? I thought Ethan had a nice place, too.”
    “He does, but I heard they’re thinking of Cooper. He loves it here, and for now, I think they’re staying with what’s familiar for him.”
    “That’s really considerate.” And no surprise. That’s the kind of man Ethan was.
    Ross looked thoughtful. “I’d do that, too, I think.”
    Her stomach tightened. They both would, so where did that leave them? “We give a lot when our kids are sick.” She clicked off the photographs and leaned back in the chair.
    He gazed at her. “And it’s not always easy, is it?” He pushed himself up, hands against his thighs and stretched. “Before we join the others, I wanted to check with you about Peyton’s birthday.” He resettled on the love seat. “Did you talk with Lucy?”
    Something about his expression didn’t sit well with her. “She’s fine with it.” She guessed.
    Ross’s problem. “What about Peyton? What does she want? It’s her birthday.”
    He lowered his head and leaned forward, elbows on his knees, hands folded. “I did have to deal with a little attitude.”
    The change of plans she’d anticipated. A blend of relief and disappointment swirled through her.
    He raised his head, a slight grin on his lips. “But she ended the conversation by leaving it up to me.”
    A similar situation with Lucy plodded into her mind. She rose. “I think we should drop it. It’s Peyton’s birthday, and it should be her decision.”
    A frown conquered his faint grin. “No, please. Let me explain.” He patted the seat beside him.
    Kelsey eyed the empty cushion, weighing her emotions. She felt safer in the chair, but he looked forlorn. The moment called for listening. She rolled the chair back to the desk, and sat beside him.
    “Here’s the thing.” Ross caught her gaze. “Peyton often feels rejected by other kids. She’s missed a lot of school, and she doesn’t feel like part of her class most of the time. The kids aren’t mean or anything, but you know kids. The boysare boys at that age, and the girls have their little cliques. Peyton doesn’t seem to fit into any of them.”
    Her heart squeezed, remembering. “Lucy missed school, too, but she’s doing okay. It takes time, Ross. Encourage Peyton to be patient.”
    “I tell her that, but she’s not willing to wait. She wants things when she wants them, and when they don’t happen, she rejects them. I’m afraid that’s what she’s done with the kids at school. I asked her teacher, and she said Peyton is rather standoffish.”
    Kelsey pressed her lips together to hold back her comment. Her life revolved around helping people solve problems, and sometimes keeping her mouth closed was the best choice.
    “I think that having a friend would help her, and