cloud, and his shadow grew long
and covered her.Funny how she felt so comfortable inside it.
“Sorry I got angry.”
He shrugged. “I shouldn’t have assumed. You hired me to help, not take over.” His relaxed posture and the crooked grin on
his handsome face spoke forgiveness.
She returned his smile, friendship taking root in her heart. Perhaps he was right. There were treasures all around her—she
just needed to keep her eyes open.
4
Joe sat in the round attic windowsill, a book open in his lap, watching Mona dig a trench for flowers along the front walk.
She was hard at it, had been all day.Looking beyond her, he noticed the low red sun turning Lake Superior into copper. Weariness
seeped through his bones. Mona’s little dream pushed his abilities to the edge, although he’d patched roofs, reworked plumbing,
and built homes all over the world.
Joe forked a hand through his stubby hair and closed the journal he’d been writing in. He took solace in recording his daily
activities, as if penning them onto paper gave his thoughts and travels coherency. Purpose. Sometimes they even offered hints
at solutions for the trouble that dogged him. But today he found no peace in scribing his jumbled thoughts. Rip sprawled in
a streak of sunlight on the wood floor, sides heaving in largo rhythm. “Tired from all the squirrel chasing today, huh?”
The dog’s ears perked, but his eyes remained shut.
Joe tossed the journal on top of the refrigerator, then plopped down on the orange-and-black sofa he’d picked up earlier at
the local Goodwill. He’d been mildly surprised to find one in a town this small, but he’d chosen the least lumpy sofa, paid
twenty bucks, and hauled it home in the pickup. Remembering Mona’s horrified expression when he lugged it home, he laughed.
She would be a tough one to win over. He saw it in the way she quickly hooded her feelings, snatching them in whenever they
wandered. She didn’t trust easily and depended only on herself. She had a story to tell, evident from the haunted look that
flickered in her eyes every time she stared at the house. Something would reach out and entwine itself around her, and she
had to forcibly shake herself free. In the residue of her gaze, pain prowled so vividly he knew she’d lived with it a long,
desperate season.
Yes, God’s hand had surely directed him to this ramshackle Victorian. The place met his needs. He could stay in shape, pay
up on the debt he owed, and be honest when he told his brother he had a job in town. And maybe he could help Mona and her
roommate in the bargain. Joe chuckled, remembering the spark that lit between the two ladies. Obviously they had a tightly
knotted friendship, but he’d walked into a powder keg today, judging by Mona’s face.
He couldn’t help but admire Mona for putting action to her dreams, even if her feisty independence did ignite all his protective
instincts, something he’d have to learn to douse. She reminded him of a lady he’d met not so long ago, someone whose sassy
demeanor lit a spark in his masculine heart. He’d have to keep on his toes if he was going to dodge the grip of her delightful
zeal. He would stay just long enough to make amends with Gabe and a dent in their repairs. Then he’d mosey on down the road.
Gabe. He couldn’t escape it. It was time to see his brother. Now that he had something to occupy his time, he could honestly
say he was just dropping in. No strings, no pressure to stay the night, the weekend, the month, forever. Just a quick, painless
brotherly visit. He’d get it over with, and then maybe God would ease up on the guilt.
“Ready?” Joe asked the sleeping mutt.
Rip moaned in his dreams.
“I know how you feel.” He headed for the shower, dreading the next few hours.
Nearly two miles separated the Garden from the main road. Joe followed the map imprinted on the back of a brochure Gabe had
sent him a few years back
and covered her.Funny how she felt so comfortable inside it.
“Sorry I got angry.”
He shrugged. “I shouldn’t have assumed. You hired me to help, not take over.” His relaxed posture and the crooked grin on
his handsome face spoke forgiveness.
She returned his smile, friendship taking root in her heart. Perhaps he was right. There were treasures all around her—she
just needed to keep her eyes open.
4
Joe sat in the round attic windowsill, a book open in his lap, watching Mona dig a trench for flowers along the front walk.
She was hard at it, had been all day.Looking beyond her, he noticed the low red sun turning Lake Superior into copper. Weariness
seeped through his bones. Mona’s little dream pushed his abilities to the edge, although he’d patched roofs, reworked plumbing,
and built homes all over the world.
Joe forked a hand through his stubby hair and closed the journal he’d been writing in. He took solace in recording his daily
activities, as if penning them onto paper gave his thoughts and travels coherency. Purpose. Sometimes they even offered hints
at solutions for the trouble that dogged him. But today he found no peace in scribing his jumbled thoughts. Rip sprawled in
a streak of sunlight on the wood floor, sides heaving in largo rhythm. “Tired from all the squirrel chasing today, huh?”
The dog’s ears perked, but his eyes remained shut.
Joe tossed the journal on top of the refrigerator, then plopped down on the orange-and-black sofa he’d picked up earlier at
the local Goodwill. He’d been mildly surprised to find one in a town this small, but he’d chosen the least lumpy sofa, paid
twenty bucks, and hauled it home in the pickup. Remembering Mona’s horrified expression when he lugged it home, he laughed.
She would be a tough one to win over. He saw it in the way she quickly hooded her feelings, snatching them in whenever they
wandered. She didn’t trust easily and depended only on herself. She had a story to tell, evident from the haunted look that
flickered in her eyes every time she stared at the house. Something would reach out and entwine itself around her, and she
had to forcibly shake herself free. In the residue of her gaze, pain prowled so vividly he knew she’d lived with it a long,
desperate season.
Yes, God’s hand had surely directed him to this ramshackle Victorian. The place met his needs. He could stay in shape, pay
up on the debt he owed, and be honest when he told his brother he had a job in town. And maybe he could help Mona and her
roommate in the bargain. Joe chuckled, remembering the spark that lit between the two ladies. Obviously they had a tightly
knotted friendship, but he’d walked into a powder keg today, judging by Mona’s face.
He couldn’t help but admire Mona for putting action to her dreams, even if her feisty independence did ignite all his protective
instincts, something he’d have to learn to douse. She reminded him of a lady he’d met not so long ago, someone whose sassy
demeanor lit a spark in his masculine heart. He’d have to keep on his toes if he was going to dodge the grip of her delightful
zeal. He would stay just long enough to make amends with Gabe and a dent in their repairs. Then he’d mosey on down the road.
Gabe. He couldn’t escape it. It was time to see his brother. Now that he had something to occupy his time, he could honestly
say he was just dropping in. No strings, no pressure to stay the night, the weekend, the month, forever. Just a quick, painless
brotherly visit. He’d get it over with, and then maybe God would ease up on the guilt.
“Ready?” Joe asked the sleeping mutt.
Rip moaned in his dreams.
“I know how you feel.” He headed for the shower, dreading the next few hours.
Nearly two miles separated the Garden from the main road. Joe followed the map imprinted on the back of a brochure Gabe had
sent him a few years back
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