things…got in the way. This is the first time we’ve attended. It seems like a nice church.”
“It is.” Her choppy, slightly breathless small talk suggested she didn’t know how to broach the subject she wanted to discuss. So he threw out an opening. “How’s the project coming?”
“It’s not.”
Bingo.
“Haven’t you been able to find anyone to finish it up for you?”
“I hired one guy. It didn’t work out.”
“He smoked a lot and played loud music and wasn’t friendly,” Zach piped up. “He didn’t do very good work, either.”
Catherine’s lips twisted into a mirthless smile. “That about sums it up. I let him go Friday.”
“Mom tried to do some work herself yesterday, but she almost fell off the ladder,” Zach added.
Nathan frowned. “You were climbing on a ladder? With broken toes?”
A soft flush suffused her cheeks. “I thought I might be able to do the work myself. But my toes didn’t appreciate my efforts. And hiking boots weren’t designed for ladders.”
Silence fell between them, softened a bit by the muted conversation and laughter behind them.
Assuming Catherine was trying to think of a diplomatic way to ask him to come back, he saved her the trouble.
“I’d be happy to help out again if you’re willing to have me back.”
“That would be awesome!” Zach’s eyes lit up.
“I thought you might have another job by now.” Relief smoothed some of the tension from Catherine’s face.
“I do. Several. But they’re all smaller. I can work them in around yours if you don’t mind stretching your project out an extra week or two. I can still have it done well before your deadline.”
“That would be great. For everyone involved.” She dipped her head slightly toward Zach. “A certain trauma, followed by the disappearance of a friend, has led to some setbacks.”
Nathan got the message. “Maybe my helping out will take care of two birds with one stone.”
“That’s what I’m hoping.”
“Why are you guys talking about birds?” Zach gave the adults a puzzled look.
“It’s just an old expression, champ.” Nathan grinned at him. “Are you going to be ready to paint next week?”
“Yeah!”
“How about if I come by tomorrow afternoon?” He checked with Catherine.
“That would be perfect.” She took Zach’s hand, and there was warmth—and apology—in her eyes. “Thank you.”
He smiled. “It’s my pleasure.”
“See you tomorrow, Nathan!” Zach waved over his shoulder as Catherine led him toward the street.
Nathan waved back, watching until a privet hedge hid them from view.
“That seemed cozy.”
At the comment, Nathan redirected his attention to his sister, who was strolling toward him.
“She wants me to come back.”
“And…?”
“I’m going to.”
Marci looked toward the spot where Catherine and Zach had disappeared, her expression speculative. “Cute little boy.”
“Yeah.”
“Pretty mother, too.”
A subtle inflection in his sister’s tone raised Nathan’s antennas. “It’s a job, Marci. Nothing more.”
“I didn’t say it was.” She glanced to her right and tipped her head. “Hmm. That’s interesting.”
Checking out her line of sight, Nathan noticed Edith standing in a small cluster of people a dozen yards away. Watching them. When she realized they’d spotted her, she grinned and flapped a hand in their direction.
“What’s interesting?” Nathan didn’t have a clue what Marci’s last comment meant.
“Edith has that look.”
“What look?”
“Her matchmaker mode look.”
He’d heard all about Edith’s penchant for matchmaking from his siblings. But they’d had a lot more contact with her than he had.
“She hardly knows me, Marci. I’m away from the cottage most days at jobs. In my free time, I schlep my painting supplies all over the island and work on new pieces. When I am at the cottage, I keep to myself. And I doubt she knows Catherine at all.”
“That’s never stopped
“It is.” Her choppy, slightly breathless small talk suggested she didn’t know how to broach the subject she wanted to discuss. So he threw out an opening. “How’s the project coming?”
“It’s not.”
Bingo.
“Haven’t you been able to find anyone to finish it up for you?”
“I hired one guy. It didn’t work out.”
“He smoked a lot and played loud music and wasn’t friendly,” Zach piped up. “He didn’t do very good work, either.”
Catherine’s lips twisted into a mirthless smile. “That about sums it up. I let him go Friday.”
“Mom tried to do some work herself yesterday, but she almost fell off the ladder,” Zach added.
Nathan frowned. “You were climbing on a ladder? With broken toes?”
A soft flush suffused her cheeks. “I thought I might be able to do the work myself. But my toes didn’t appreciate my efforts. And hiking boots weren’t designed for ladders.”
Silence fell between them, softened a bit by the muted conversation and laughter behind them.
Assuming Catherine was trying to think of a diplomatic way to ask him to come back, he saved her the trouble.
“I’d be happy to help out again if you’re willing to have me back.”
“That would be awesome!” Zach’s eyes lit up.
“I thought you might have another job by now.” Relief smoothed some of the tension from Catherine’s face.
“I do. Several. But they’re all smaller. I can work them in around yours if you don’t mind stretching your project out an extra week or two. I can still have it done well before your deadline.”
“That would be great. For everyone involved.” She dipped her head slightly toward Zach. “A certain trauma, followed by the disappearance of a friend, has led to some setbacks.”
Nathan got the message. “Maybe my helping out will take care of two birds with one stone.”
“That’s what I’m hoping.”
“Why are you guys talking about birds?” Zach gave the adults a puzzled look.
“It’s just an old expression, champ.” Nathan grinned at him. “Are you going to be ready to paint next week?”
“Yeah!”
“How about if I come by tomorrow afternoon?” He checked with Catherine.
“That would be perfect.” She took Zach’s hand, and there was warmth—and apology—in her eyes. “Thank you.”
He smiled. “It’s my pleasure.”
“See you tomorrow, Nathan!” Zach waved over his shoulder as Catherine led him toward the street.
Nathan waved back, watching until a privet hedge hid them from view.
“That seemed cozy.”
At the comment, Nathan redirected his attention to his sister, who was strolling toward him.
“She wants me to come back.”
“And…?”
“I’m going to.”
Marci looked toward the spot where Catherine and Zach had disappeared, her expression speculative. “Cute little boy.”
“Yeah.”
“Pretty mother, too.”
A subtle inflection in his sister’s tone raised Nathan’s antennas. “It’s a job, Marci. Nothing more.”
“I didn’t say it was.” She glanced to her right and tipped her head. “Hmm. That’s interesting.”
Checking out her line of sight, Nathan noticed Edith standing in a small cluster of people a dozen yards away. Watching them. When she realized they’d spotted her, she grinned and flapped a hand in their direction.
“What’s interesting?” Nathan didn’t have a clue what Marci’s last comment meant.
“Edith has that look.”
“What look?”
“Her matchmaker mode look.”
He’d heard all about Edith’s penchant for matchmaking from his siblings. But they’d had a lot more contact with her than he had.
“She hardly knows me, Marci. I’m away from the cottage most days at jobs. In my free time, I schlep my painting supplies all over the island and work on new pieces. When I am at the cottage, I keep to myself. And I doubt she knows Catherine at all.”
“That’s never stopped
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