She told me that integrity was less about promising to be a different man than about setting up rules that made dishonesty harder, including for me.

I admired how little she cared about flattering an Ashford.

At home, the boys were interested in none of this.

They wanted me to know whether I could drive to the soccer field on Sunday, whether the dog we’d discussed was finally happening, and whether I would come to Henry’s art show.

On the afternoon I told them we’d adopted an elderly rescue dog named Pepper, Wyatt announced that the dog should be chief financial officer because he already understood the value of food.

Theo objected that Pepper lacked relevant qualifications.