LITMIR.BIZ

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a family responsibility. That meant her. “They’re overbooked and short-staffed. They can’t offer much more than once-a-week service. I’m going to have to find someone who isn’t part of the home-health system to come and help.”

      “Did they have names of qualified people?” While they talked, she and Steve unburied the mower.

      “A few. I recognized a few names from school, so I’ll start there, I guess. They also gave me a list of men who could do the renovations.”

      Steve moved a cast-iron birdbath. “You won’t need that list. I’d be insulted if you don’t let me do the work for you.” Tori set aside a box of old clay pots, along with the special memories they held, choosing to overlook Steve’s comment for the moment. It was almost tradition for households to include several generations in the valley. And surprisingly, that crossed all cultures and social classes. Even the Remingtons, with all of their money, kept family on the ranch. She looked at Steve with an unusual jealousy. While he’d left the circle of his own parents, he’d still come back to family for solace. Her family broke every cultural boundary for the times.

      Steve pulled the mower into the yard where they could take a better look. He yanked on the cord and nothing happened. “Sounds pretty dead.” Rubbing his chin, he stood and moved the mower closer to his toolbox.

      Tori forced her unruly emotions to the back of her mind, focusing on the present. “Steve, you’re going to ruin your clothes. This doesn’t have to be done today.”

      “I don’t suppose you have those scrubs around, do you?” His eyes twinkled, and she was convinced that he wanted to say something more.

      “I returned those to the hospital,” she said, reading way too much into his gaze. “I’m sure I could find something, though it wouldn’t look nearly as cute on you.” Why did she suspect that they would be having a much different conversation without the kids here?

      He laughed. “I think I have my basketball clothes in the truck. Probably wouldn’t be a bad idea to change. I’d hate to have you indebted to me again.”

      Tori rolled her eyes. “Oh, really? Maybe I should ask for a written estimate before you start the renovations. Not sure I can afford your help.”

      “It shouldn’t be a problem.”

      She didn’t want charity, but she would save that argument for another time. “Help yourself to the house. I’ll see how the kids are doing.”

      Steve lowered his already deep voice, imitating Arnold Schwarzenegger. “I’ll be back.”

      Kelsey tossed a twig at Steve. “You’re such a dork, Dad.”

      “King Dork to you, princess.” He turned and disappeared.

      Tori found herself studying the closeness between Steve and his kids, pleased to discover what a good relationship he’d developed with them. She admired a parent with determination to keep in touch with their children. Not in a monthly letter way like Tori had experienced. Times were different, she tried to tell herself. In her parents’ thinking, they’d done nothing wrong. Leaving grandparents to raise the kids was perfectly acceptable in their world, yet Tori had wanted more. And she still longed for the kind of closeness Steve was creating with his son and daughter.

      “Tori, which one is a crescent wrench?” Kelsey asked quietly, tugging her from her trance.

      Tori dug through the toolbox. “This one,” she whispered.

      Kelsey handed the wrench to her younger brother and smiled back to Tori.

      “Hey, how’d you know which one I needed?” Kyle studied it a minute and smiled. “Thanks, sis.” Kyle worked on one side of the toolbox, Steve on the other. An hour later the kids were enjoying the same swing set that Tori had used as a kid, and Steve had the mower cutting grass. She went inside and cleaned until she heard the mower stop.

      “Could I fix dinner for your help?”

      “Thanks, but I think Aunt Elaine is expecting us for supper at six-thirty.”

      “Would an ice pop ruin their appetites?” Tori raised her eyebrows and waited for Steve to protest.

      He surprised her by accepting the treat. “Since it’s a half-hour drive, I think we’ll be fine. I’m sure they’ve worked up an appetite since snacks at Mrs. Niccolo’s.”

      “Bette is watching kids? We were best friends growing up, but I haven’t talked to her in a few years. I thought she got a teaching degree.”

      “She did. She likes child care better, and it lets her stay home with her family. She’s the only licensed provider in the valley, and the kids love her.” Steve called the kids. Kyle came dragging the toolbox back to the truck. “Here, let me put that away, Kyle.”

      “Thanks for letting us play on the swing set, Tori. It’s awesome. We can swing really high on it.” Kelsey hugged Tori, surprising her once again.

      “Come on in and wash.” Tori waited in the kitchen, glad that she had thought of buying refreshments for them. “I have a treat to thank you for your hard work.”

      “Tori, while Dad works on the ramp tomorrow, could we paint the swing set?”

      She was caught off guard. “Tomorrow?”

      Steve swallowed a chunk of the frozen confection. “Tomorrow, as in the day after today. You will be here, won’t you?”

      She nodded blankly. “Sure. I’ll see if I can find—”

      “We have some leftover paint out at the ranch. If you don’t mind multicolors, I think we’d have it taken care of and use up some scraps while we’re at it.”

      She smiled, trying to recall the original color. “That sounds great.” She hadn’t planned to fix that up, but it would be nice to have the bright colors in the yard again.

      The kids devoured the red, white and blue ice pop and begged their dad to let them have another.

      “We need to save one for tomorrow. Let’s get going before Aunt Elaine scalps us for being late.” Steve looked into Tori’s eyes. “We’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

      Steve and the kids arrived the next morning and started working without even ringing the doorbell to announce their arrival. Tori stepped over the piles of magazines she’d sorted through and went outside to greet them. “Morning.”

      He studied her a moment before saying anything. “I hope we didn’t wake you.”

      She must have looked as bad as she felt. “I fell asleep drawing diagrams of the rooms. I’m trying to rearrange on paper so it’s less work. Then I woke at three and couldn’t sleep anymore, so I finally just started moving things around. If you have a minute to spare I could use help moving a few pieces into the shed.”

      He glanced past her into the living room. “You sure that’s all you need moved?”

      She was getting comfortable with the sound of his voice, a deep baritone that seemed to ease her tension and make everything okay. “Now that you mention it, the curio would work better on the other wall.”

      Tori expected his smile, almost welcomed it, realizing that, now she was thirty-four, his age mattered less to her than it would have ten years ago. The smile didn’t disappoint, but this time, he added a wink as he walked past her.

      He inhaled deeply, noting a sweet and spicy scent pervaded the room. “I think you’re right,” he said. He pulled out his measuring tape and compared the numbers with the space Tori had saved for it. He shoved the chair a few inches to one side then helped her move the antique cabinet. “There you go. You can put the knickknacks back inside.”

      She had washed all of the contents and polished the silver frame of her grandparents’wedding portrait. Steve picked up a smaller frame with Tori’s first grade school photo inside. “No question who this adorable little girl is.”

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