“I’ll see how it goes, but thanks.”

“And how’s the sweetest girl in Ryker Falls?” Fin kissed Piper’s cheek, then bent to kiss Grace.

“Good. I just showed Dylan the house, Fin. He said it was sound.”

“Yeah. You know about that kind of thing?”

“Thing?” Dylan questioned.

“Building thing.”

“Oh that thing, sure I know a bit.”

“Well, if you’ve got time I have this shelving unit that needs work.”

“What kind of work?”

“Lots of it. Can you take a look?”

“Ahh, sure. I guess.”

“Excellent. Beer and pizza for payment.” Fin slapped him on the back and then walked away.

“He really meant that.”

“About you fixing his mistakes? Yup. Fin’s not practical, although he likes to think he is.” Piper looked up at him.

“Not that. I meant about him helping if I needed it.”

“Of course he did. That’s the deal in small towns, we usually don’t say what we don’t mean.”

“Yeah, I’d forgotten that happens.”

“You really going to look at his shelves?”

“I guess so.” Dylan looked confused, and Piper had to look away so he didn’t see her smile. The man was coming undone. He’d lived life his way in New York, but here people tended to have a hand in whatever you did and how you progressed. Dylan was no exception, seeing as he was a local.

Basil Automotive was situated off the main street. Outside were two old gasoline pumps that Bas had picked up somewhere, and people said he loved almost as much as his three kids.

“I’m just talking to him, Piper. We’re not accusing anyone of anything, or getting into it with him.”

“Sure, it’s just a ‘hey you’ visit. Got it.”

“What?”

“Hey you, what’s up. How’s it hanging? That kind of thing.”

“Trainers.” Dylan shook his head. “You’re all crazy.”

“Oh, now I object,” Piper said, poking him in the side. He stepped away. “Ticklish?”

“No.” His eyes told her he was lying.

She was enjoying just being with him. One friend spending time with another. Okay, there was no denying the chemistry between them, they both felt that, but for now that was on hold… possibly indefinitely.

“Hey, Bas.”

A big grizzly bear of a man with no hair, Bas was everyone’s go-to man. He ran a plow in winter and hired out chains to those in need, and two years ago played the lead in the winter pageant. He had a wonderful voice.

“Zander about?” Piper said, pushing Grace up to the door of the garage.

“Sure. Hey, I heard about Ava and your folks, Dylan, hope they’re improving?”

“Yes, they’re doing better, thanks,” Dylan lied.