Kate hesitated. The thought was undeniably appealing, but selling her apartment felt radical, risky. “The lake house sounds wonderful, but the apartment is my safety net. What if something goes wrong?”

Mark frowned, a look of wounded sincerity on his face. “Why are you such a pessimist? Everything will be perfect. We’re a family. Would I ever let you down? Besides,” he added, his voice full of excitement, “the money from your apartment would be the