a thousand-watt grin on Adrian. “Didn’t know you were coming by tonight. I’d’ve worn my good hat.”
Paul, she remembered, and smiled back at him. “I thought that was your good hat.”
“This old thing?”
“Paul, how about you help the ladies take all this out to their cars.”
“Glad to do it. It sure is a pleasure helping bring this old place back to life.” He swaggered a bit as he hauled out the boards. “Sure am looking forward to some real spring weather if it ever gets here. I see you out running with your dog now and then. You two make a picture.”
“Sadie loves her runs. Me, too.” She opened the door so Sadie could jump in. “Just the top board in this car, Paul, thanks.”
“Mason’s going to start cleaning and repointing the brick next week, if rain holds off.” He leaned against her car for a minute. “You’ll see a real difference once he does. And once we get the siding on the second floor.”
He rubbed his chin. “Give us a couple good weeks, and she’ll shine out here.”
“I’m looking forward to it. Thanks again.”
“Anytime at all. I was going to stop in Rizzo’s tonight for a beer and a couple slices. I’d be happy to buy you the same anytime you want to talk the work over.”
“Thanks. If not, I’ll see you here in a few days.”
He tapped the bill of his cap. “You take care now.” And swaggered back into the building.
“He was totally flirting on you.”
“Yeah, I got that.”
“He’s really cute, and built. Barry used to date his sister. Paul’s okay. He used to be kind of wild—Barry says—but he’s okay.”
“Yeah, well …” Adrian made a noncommittal sound.
“No sparkage?”
“I guess not. He is built. Something to think about. I’m going to make a final decision on the rest tonight. Or tomorrow. I know we have to talk about furnishings before your break’s over.”
“I’ve got some ideas.”
“I count on it. See you soon.”
No sparkage, Adrian thought as she drove away. No click. Then again, she hadn’t given it much of a chance. She could always try that casual beer at Rizzo’s, and just … see.
“Just can’t seem to work up the energy for it, Sadie. Maybe after this production’s finished, and the center project’s done. Something to think about.”
She detoured to Teesha’s, hoping to show her the selections she’d yet to decide on.
No family car in the drive, which meant said family had gone off somewhere to do some family thing.
But she saw Raylan’s car in his, pulled in behind it.
She’d yet to find the time or opportunity to talk to him since the memorial. Interrupting his workday, she thought as she let Sadie out again. But she could keep it short.
Bounding ahead, Sadie started her happy, full-body wag.
“I haven’t brought you to see your boyfriend for a while. My fault.”
Adrian knocked, then patted Sadie’s head. “You ought to play it down a little, you know, make him work for it before you—”
Raylan, his phone at his ear, opened the door. The dogs, one on either side of the doorway, charged each other to end in a rolling, delirious pile of love over the living room floor.
“Or not,” Adrian murmured.
Raylan signaled her in.
He had on gray sweatpants, a No One–themed sweatshirt, obviously hadn’t shaved in a day or two, and looked, she thought, strangely adorable.
“Yeah, it’s my dog’s girlfriend. Yeah, my dog has a girlfriend.” Raylan sidestepped to avoid the canine trip-pile. “Funny. No, that’ll be great, seriously. My mom’ll watch them, and we’ll make a night of it. Yeah, way too long. Sure, see you in a couple weeks.”
He clicked off, stuck the phone in his pocket. “Hi.”
“Hi. Sorry to interrupt.”
“No worries.” He glanced at the dogs busy licking each other’s faces. “We’ve kept the lovers apart.”
“Clearly, we have to do better there.”
“How about I put them in the backyard, give them more privacy?”
“Sure, but I don’t want to keep you. You’re probably working.”
“I’ll get back to it. Let’s go, lovebirds.”
He led the way out and through the back door, where the dogs bulleted to race around the lawn.
“Want a drink? Coke, water, juice box?”
“I’m good, thanks.”
The kitchen looked like family, she thought. The calendar on the fridge with the month’s schedule, the corkboard where he’d pinned kid art, some business cards, the almost-depleted bowl of fruit on the counter.
“I haven’t seen you since the memorial,” she began, “and there were a couple of things I wanted to talk to you about.”
“How are you doing?”
“Okay. Okay, really.