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Soon Riley and Carter were on the swings beside the little boy, laughing with him as if they had all known each other for years.

“Your kids are adorable,” the woman said, coming to stand on the other side of the dog area. “They’re so sweet with my little Jamie.”

Riley gave the smaller boy an extra push, carefully judging his weight. Carter demonstrated how to pump his legs higher, talking nonstop.

Hannah opened her mouth to say they weren’t her kids, that there was a whole complicated story involving cancer and specialized treatment and a desperate mom hundreds of miles away, but it felt too big to share with a stranger at a gas station playground.

“Thanks,” she said instead.

“And was that your husband I saw you talking to before he went inside?” the woman asked, nodding toward the convenience store. “I watched him with his dog earlier and just about melted. He was so sweet with him.”

Heat pricked Hannah’s cheeks. Husband. The word felt strange. She had dreamed it once upon a time, when they were two completely different people.

“He’s a friend,” she said. Not a lie but not the whole truth either.

“Are you traveling north or south?” the woman asked, cheerfully oblivious to Hannah’s internal tumult.

“South,” Hannah answered. “We’re heading to Salt Lake City.”

“Oh, I just came from there,” the woman said. “We stopped overnight on our way up from Las Vegas. It’s beautiful.”

“It is,” Hannah agreed.

Salt Lake City was lovely, but it was hard to beat Shelter Springs. She pictured Lake Haven, deep and blue against the snowy mountains, and the way the town seemed to glow at night with Christmas lights. She loved it and had never wanted to live anywhere else.

“I’m heading to Boise for a new job,” the woman went on, obviously happy to have another adult to chat with. “I’m a respiratory therapist.”

“That’s exciting. Congratulations,” Hannah said. “Which hospital?”

The woman told her and grimaced. “I’m so nervous. It’s my first job out of school.”

“I’m sure you’ll be great,” Hannah said. “I did a six-month internship at that same hospital during my master’s program and then worked there for a while after I graduated. Everyone was really kind.”

The woman’s eyes widened. “Oh! Are you an RT too?”

“No,” Hannah said. “Music therapist.”

“That’s so cool.” The woman’s face brightened. “I have a friend who went into that. She works somewhere in Colorado now. I’m Tara, by the way. Tara Vicente.”

“Hannah Goodwin.” She hesitated, then added, “I still have a few friends working at the hospital. If you’re comfortable giving me your number, I can reach out and see if they’re okay with me sharing their contact info. It might help to have a few friendly faces your first week.”

Tara’s eyes suddenly looked suspiciously shiny. “You’d do that? Really? That’s so sweet. Thank you. Wow, I’m so glad I bumped into you.”

“You’re welcome,” Hannah said, meaning it. “You’re going to do great.”

They exchanged numbers, and before Hannah could stop her, Tara leaned in for a quick hug, just one mom on the road to another.

“Good luck in Boise,” Hannah called as Tara corralled Jamie off the swings and headed toward a nearby SUV piled high with boxes and duffel bags.

“You too!” Tara said. “Safe travels!”

Wes emerged from the building just as Tara drove away. He glanced from Hannah to the departing SUV, curiosity in his eyes.

“What was that all about?” he asked, coming to stand beside her.

“That’s my new friend Tara,” Hannah said. “She’s taking a job at the hospital in Boise where I used to work. She’s really nervous and it sounds like it’s just her and her son Jamie. I told her I would pass along a few contacts from my time there.”

He looked down at her, a strange light in his eyes. “I was only gone five minutes. How did you get all that? Maybe you ought to be a detective.”