“Not really, but you paid for?—”
“Never mind that. Let’s go take a look.” Cold air and a brisk walk was a better plan than sitting in this dark corner drinking booze.
“Now?”
“Sure. The electricity’s hooked up. Even working parttime, Angie and her crew are making better progress than I expected. We’ll have our summer grand opening, no problem.”
“I’d love to see how it looks.”
He shoved back his chair. “Then let’s go.”
“Alrighty.” She stood, grabbed her coat and had it on in no time. Then she picked up her soft-sided briefcase.
The message was clear—she didn’t want him helping her with any of that. He hoped to God she wasn’t skittish around him now. Couldn’t blame her if she was.
Shoving his arms into the sleeves of his winter jacket, he picked up his hat and crammed it on his head. She needed to see that bookstore. His mom had been in there several times a week and Tracy would have been, too, under normal circumstances.
He gestured toward his family. “We need to let them know why we’re taking off.”
“What are you going to say?”
“You’ve been too busy to get over there and now’s a good time. You can chime in if you want.”
“I will, and it’s true. I have been busy.”
“Me, too.” But he’d never gone this long without at least meeting her for coffee. Tracy centered him in a way he’d never acknowledged before.
He led the way over to the group and stopped next to his mom’s chair. She wore her salt-and-pepper curls cut short these days, saying it was easier to take care of. He was all for making her life easier.
She glanced up. “Get everything discussed?”
“We did, and I also discovered Trace has been slammed with work and hasn’t made it over to see how the bookstore’s coming along.”
“Oh, no!” His mom switched her attention to Tracy. “I don’t know how you could stay away. I can’t.”
“I’ve been swamped. I think everybody made a New Year’s resolution to get legal advice. But I’m dying to check it out, so we’re heading over there now.”
“I hope you’re taking Adam’s truck,” Mila said. “It’s too cold to walk it.”
He hadn’t thought that far. “I suppose it is.”
“Nah, we can walk.” Tracy grinned. “If Auntie Kat can skinny-dip in the water hole this time of year we can walk to the bookstore.”
“There you go.” His auntie gave a nod of approval. “Young people are getting soft.”
“I vote for the truck,” said Carrie, Tracy’s mom.
“Take the truck,mijo.” His mom’s dark eyes, the same deep brown as Mila’s, were filled with questions. “We can’t afford to have either one of you come down with something.”
“Okay, Mom.” He’d loved the wordmijofrom the first time she’d called him that. Thanks to her, he knew quite a bit of Spanish.
She smiled. “By the way, good job tonight.”
“Yeah, bro,” his little brother Monty called out. Not so little anymore. “You did us proud, right, gang?”
“Except I wanted you to bang that gavel more.” Greta, the baby of the Bunch at twenty-two, sent him a teasing glance. “That’s my favorite part.”
“Next time I will, just for you.” His gaze swept the group. “Thanks for coming. It means a lot.”
