“Small towns,” Brody said. “Big noses.”

“She’s a looker.” Jerry wandered closer, watched Brody finesse the angle of the cabinet. “You ever seen a real ballet?”

“Nope.”

“I did. My little sister—you remember Tiffany? She took ballet for a few years when we were kids. Did the Nutcracker. My parents dragged me along. It had some moments,” Jerry remembered. “Giant mice, sword fights, big-ass Christmas tree. The rest was just people jumping and twirling, if you ask me. Takes all kinds.”

“Guess so.”

“Anyway, Tiffany just came back home. She’s been down in Kentucky the last couple of years. Finally divorced the jerk she married. Going to stay with the folks until she gets her feet back under her.”

“Uh-huh.” Brody laid his level across the top of the two cabinets, nodded.

“So, I was thinking maybe, since you’re back in the dating swing, you could take her out sometime. Cheer her up a little. A movie, maybe dinner.”

“Mmm.” Brody moved the next cabinet to his mark where it would sit under the breakfast bar.

“That’d be great. She’s had a tough time of it, you know? Be nice if she could spend some time with a guy who’d treat her decent.”

“Yeah.”

“She had a little crush on you when we were kids. So, you’ll give her a call in the next couple of days?”

“Sure. What?” Surfacing, Brody glanced back. “Give who a call?”

“Jeez, Brody, Tiff. My sister. You’re going to give her a call and ask her out.”

“I am?”

“O’Connell, you just said—”

“Wait a minute. Just a minute.” Brody set down the drill and tried to catch up. “Look, I don’t think I can do that. I’m sort of seeing Kate.”

“You’re not married to her or living with her or anything. What’s the big deal?”

He was pretty sure there was one. Being out of the stream for a few years didn’t mean he didn’t remember how it was supposed to work. Moreover, he didn’t want to ask Tiffany, or anyone else out.

But he didn’t think Jerry would appreciate him saying that. “The thing is, Jerry, I’m not into the dating scene.”

“You’re dating the ballerina.”

“No, I’m not. That is… We’re just—”

Perhaps it was best all around that while he was fumbling for an excuse, he looked away from Jerry. And saw Kate in the doorway.

“Ah. Kate. Hi.”

“Hello.” Her voice was cool; her eyes hot. “Sorry to interrupt.”

Recognizing a potentially sticky situation, Jerry flashed his smile and prepared to desert his old friend on the battlefield. “Hey there, Kate. Good to see you again. Gosh, look at the time. I have to run. I’ll get back to you on that, Brody. See you later.”

He made tracks.

Brody picked up his drill again, passed it from hand to hand. “That was Jerry.”

“Yes, I’m aware that was Jerry.”

“Setting your cabinets today. I think you made the right choice with the natural cherry. We should have the bedroom closet framed in, and the drywall set with the first coat of mud by the end of the day.”