“How would I know?” he asked a bit more peevishly than he intended. Leigh had always been able to imply that everyone should be able to keep up with her thoughts. I guess I thought we talked about that, and I didn’t mean to take it for granted that you already knew when you didn’t. But he didn’t want to get into all that again now. “What I mean is, we do a little work for Jess now and then, but she hasn’t mentioned you… Not once. In fact, I’m sure she just mentioned your children for the first time when I took out a tree to her. Congratulations. I know children were one of the things you wanted.”

“That’s impossible, her not mentioning the boys. She never shuts up about them. You must not have noticed.”

“I would have noticed!”

“Uh-oh,” she nervously replied.

“So, you’re back to help Jess and learn a new kind of lifestyle,” he said, the edge to his words unmistakable. “Haven’t you already done that one?”

“Look, John, my mom wants some work done in the yard. And she wants it to be you who does the work. She obviously doesn’t know how testy you can get, or she’d hire someone more agreeable.” Leigh reached into her purse and pulled out a piece of paper that had a long list of items on it. “The job would mean you and I would run into each other quite a bit, since I happen to live there now. If you’d rather not, say so and I’ll just get someone else.” She stared him down. Maybe she didn’t seem older, but she had gotten tougher somehow. Tougher underneath. More sure of herself. “So?”

After some long and serious eye contact he churlishly snapped the list out of her hand. He concentrated on it for a second. Brick gazebo, barbecue, flagstone walks, a birdbath with a fountain. He whistled. “A few things,” he muttered. These people, it seemed, never ran out of big ideas, brains or money. It could get downright irritating.

“Yes, well, I realize it’s quite a lot. My mom is so spontaneous. When she gets an idea like this, she wants it, and she wants it fast.”

“For what? She isn’t selling, is she?”

“No, no. She plans for me to have that house one day. She says she wants to throw a big summer party and invite half the town. She has two reasons. Reason one—because I have returned to live in Durango with the boys. Reason two—which I do not much like—she isn’t sure how good she’ll feel next summer. What do you know about this heart condition of hers?”

“How would I know anything?” he asked, walking to the countertop that he used as a desk. “I’m the handyman, Leigh, not her priest.”