“The one that was stuck like—”

“Aye.” His color rose, amusing her. “On that one.”

“You’d better clean it up.” It was her turn to be embarrassed by the way she’d clamped on to his hand. She let it drop.

“I’ll get to it.” Watching her, he took a bandanna out of his back pocket to staunch the flow. “I was wondering when you’d come by. You’ve been avoiding me.”

“No, I’ve been busy. I did mean to get this back to you before.”

He took the jacket she handed him, tossed it onto the hood of the car. “It’s no problem. I have another.” With a half smile on his face he leaned against the car and took out a cigarette. “Sure and looking lovely today, Shannon Bodine. And safe you are as well, since I’m too filthy to bother you. Did you dream of me?”

“Don’t start that, Murphy.”

“You did.” He lighted a match, cupping his hand over the tip of the cigarette. “I had dreams of you from now, and from before. They’d be comforting if you were in the bed beside me.”

“Then you’re going to be uncomfortable, because that’s not going to happen.”

He only tugged on his ear and smiled at her. “I saw you a few days ago, walking across the fields with Maggie. You looked more easy with her.”

“We were just going over to her shop. I wanted to see it.”

His brow shot up. “And she showed you?”

“That’s right. We made a paperweight.”

“We.” Now his mouth fell open. “You touched her tools and your fingers aren’t broken? I see how it was,” he decided. “You overpowered her and tied her up first.”

Feeling a bit smug, Shannon plucked at her sleeve. “It wasn’t necessary to resort to violence.”

“Must be those fairy eyes of yours.” He angled his head. “There’s not as much sorrow in them now. You’re healing.”

“I think about her every day. My mother. I was away from her and Dad so much the last few years.”

“It’s the nature of things, Shannon, for children to grow and move out on their own.”

“I keep thinking I should have called more often, made more time to go out there. Especially after my father died. I knew how short life could be after that, but I still didn’t make the time.”

She turned away to look at the flowers that were blooming riotously in the softness of spring. “I lost them both within a year, and I thought I’d never get over the misery of that. But you do. The hurt dulls, even when you don’t want it to.”

“Neither of them would want you to mourn too long. Those who love us want to be remembered, but with joy.”

She looked over her shoulder. “Why is it so easy to talk to you about this? It shouldn’t be.” Turning to face him, she shook her head. “I was going to dump that jacket off, figuring you’d be off somewhere. And I was going to stay away from you.”