Like Cats and Dogs. Alexis Stanton

as the late-afternoon sunlight gleamed on the water.

      If the water’s bright hue reminded her of the cat owner’s blue eyes, she would just chalk it up to watching too many old movies starring a young, idealistic Henry Fonda.

      Frank planted his front feet on the window, just as entranced by the town as his owner.

      She pulled her cell from her pocket and dialed. Within a few rings, a familiar voice answered.

      “Laura?” Rose Chang exclaimed.

      “I’m here! Heading toward my rental.” She glanced out the window. “This place is so beautiful. No wonder you love living here.”

      “I can’t wait to see you,” Rose gushed. “How long has it been?”

      “Since your wedding, right?” Laura shook her head in disbelief. Where had the time gone? She’d been sleepwalking her way through life since graduation.

      “A whole year?” Rose asked in disbelief. “That’s crazy. We’ve got a lot of catching up to do.”

      Laura almost bounced with eagerness. She and Rose had been through all of college’s craziness together, and maybe when they saw each other, they might be able to rekindle some of that fire and excitement her current existence lacked.

      “Just let me get settled in at the house,” she said, “and we’ll go out. First margarita’s on me.”

      There was a tiny pause. “Uh…about that,” Rose said.

      “What?” Laura laughed. “Come on. Don’t tell me you’ve changed that much since college.”

      “Like I said,” Rose said slowly, “we’ve got a lot of catching up to do. I’ll see you later.”

      Laura frowned in puzzlement. It wasn’t like Rose to be evasive. She’d been so outspoken when they’d been in school, always the first onstage at the karaoke bar, dragging Laura up with her. They’d belted out “Que Sera, Sera” and “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” more times than Laura could count.

      “Okay,” she finally said. “I’ll see you later.”

      She ended the call and sat in pensive silence for the rest of the taxi ride while stroking Frank’s sleek fur. Yet again, she had the feeling that everyone she’d known was moving forward, making progress, while she continued to sleep in her childhood bedroom, surrounded by tacked-up movie posters, and spinning her wheels.

      But she wasn’t here in South Haven to brood. She was here to get inspiration, relax, and spend time with Rose. Even though Rose was married to Kenny now—a really terrific guy—it could be like old times again, when the future didn’t matter.

      She asked the cab driver to stop briefly at the local market, where she bought a few groceries, including a nice bottle of white wine. It was a financial indulgence, but what the heck. She was on vacation.

      Her mood lightened further when the cab pulled up outside the most gorgeous house she’d ever seen. It was a modern home of stone, fronting the lake, with a wide curving driveway leading up to its sizeable front doors. The best part about the two-story structure was that it was all hers. She could turn her music up and sing along without her father grousing about the volume. She could take long, luxurious showers, using tons of towels, and wouldn’t have to face her mother’s baleful looks of reproach.

      “Wow…” she said as the taxi driver got out to grab her bags.

      She opened the cab’s door and stepped out, careful to keep a grip on Frank’s leash. Once she’d paid and tipped the driver, she walked quickly to the front door and let herself in. Frank trotted ahead of her, just as eager to explore.

      “Do you believe this, Frank?” she asked, even though she knew the dog couldn’t answer beyond a well-intentioned bark. “This whole place is ours, just us, for two whole weeks.”

      She bit back a gasp as she took in the interior of the house. She remembered from all the home improvement shows her mom watched that the floor plan here was called “open concept.” A vaulted entryway led into a spacious living room, which melded seamlessly into a bright kitchen and dining area. Glass doors opened to a patio with Adirondack chairs and a fire pit.

      “This is amazing, Frank.” She set her groceries down in the kitchen, pulling the bottle of wine out and placing it on the counter. “Do you see this?”

      What truly took her breath away was the view. The lake shimmered just outside, with elegant homes ringing the shore.

      “Oh my gosh,” she whispered.

      Her fingers itched for her camera, wanting to capture the landscape.

      A wall of photographs snared her attention. In every one, different happy couples beamed at the camera.

      “Huh.” She wouldn’t have expected any family photographs in a rental house.

      She turned away from the pictures to gaze in wonderment at the lake. Oh, yes, she definitely felt inspired. “Oh, wow. Look at this view. Didn’t look this big on the website.”

      Frank, in typical dog fashion, didn’t seem all that interested in the scenery. He scurried off, eager to take in all the details of their new temporary home. He made straight for the stairs that led from the foyer to the second floor.

      “Frank,” Laura called after him. “Come here, Frank.”

      He didn’t listen, most likely too keen to take in all the new smells, and trotted up the stairs.

      Carrying her bags, she followed him up to the second story. As she climbed the stairs, she noticed more photos of more couples, all of them looking blissfully happy. They must have a big family.

      Finally reaching the landing, she trailed after Frank as he poked his nose into a bedroom. Like the rest of the house, it was tastefully furnished, though it lacked a view of the lake.

      “Oh, this is nice.” She could see herself here, away from her bedroom at home and its childishly yellow-and-pink walls. Yes, she could lie in bed here until late in the morning, letting her mind spin with how she would fill up the hours of her vacation.

      Her dog was less impressed, quickly turning and leaving the bedroom.

      “What?” she asked, curious about whatever had distracted him.

      She followed Frank into another bedroom. Her mouth fell open. It was huge, with a big gorgeous bed where her dog already perched, and—even better—the lake glimmered just outside.

      “Oh, wow,” she said softly to Frank. “Now this is more like it, huh?” With a happy sigh, she sat down on the bed and stroked Frank’s silky neck. “Yeah. I think it’s exactly what we need.”

      She couldn’t wait to head outside and start taking pictures. At least when she was behind the camera, she didn’t feel so adrift.

      Fortunately, the car company was able to accommodate Spencer’s requests, and the electric vehicle hummed approvingly as he drove to the rental house. He made certain to follow the GPS, sticking to the recommended routes and avoiding any detours. After stopping at a local health food store for some supplies, he got back in the car to hurry to his destination.

      Though South Haven had a definite small-town charm, he didn’t have time to spend seeing the sights or admiring views. He had to write his dissertation—in only two weeks.

      His hands tightened on the wheel as he drove down a tree-lined street. What had he been thinking, putting off writing the most important work of his life? Oh, he’d been assembling a mountain of notecards, all of them covered with his tidy, precise handwriting, but when it came to actually writing the dissertation itself…he’d made no progress. And the defense was just fourteen days away.

      Susan had been the one to suggest he try getting out of town. “Maybe