“I’m back,” Aiden called from the front. “Sorry it took me so long. They were out of the—” He appeared in the doorway, going still at the sight of Dad.

Her dad’s back went stiff. “What are you doing here?”

“Helping Sophie.” Aiden looked at her, then back to Dad.

Her dad raked his gaze up and down Aiden. “Is that so?”

“Daddy. He’s been helping me all week. And he’s the only reason my dreams aren’t swirling down the drain right now.”

Dad fixed Aiden with a long glare before he checked his watch and smiled at Sophie. “It’s time for me to get back on the road, honey. Sorry I can’t stay and help out more.”

“I’ll walk you out.” Eager to separate the men, she grabbed her purse and slung it over her shoulder. She could use a coffee.

They’d barely cleared the front door before her dad said, “You were always too good for that boy.”

“Said every father on the planet. He’s only a friend, and it was kind of him to stay once I sprained my ankle.”

He harrumphed.

They walked side by side until he reached his blue Ford truck.

She faced him. “I can write you a check, Daddy. I can divert three thousand from my store for now, but that’s all I have to give.”

“That’s all I need.” He embraced her, holding her tight. “Honey, you don’t know what this means to me.”

She softened at his gratitude. “Of course.”

“I’ll pay you back. It shouldn’t take too long now that I got a raise.”

When he let go of her she reached into her purse and pulled out her checkbook. After she wrote the check she handed it over, swallowing back a surge of apprehension. With no money to fall back on, she’d better hope and pray nothing else went wrong.

chapter twenty-four

While Aiden ripped the carpet from the tack strips, Sophie held her breath. On hands and knees she rolled the carpet and padding away from the walls, slowly revealing the wood floor beneath it.

Please let it be in good condition.

She’d pulled up a few corners weeks ago, delighted to find the original planking under the carpet. The caramel-colored wood had seemed like it only needed a little TLC, the minor scuffs and scrapes simply adding character. She hoped there were no ghastly water stains that would require sanding and restaining. She didn’t have time for that.

Sophie surveyed the exposed flooring. “So far so good.”

“It looks great. Nothing a coat of polyurethane won’t cure, I think.”

They’d finished painting yesterday. They had only to remove the painter’s tape but decided to pull the carpet first thing this morning and see what they had to work with.