The reporter made some notes on a little pad.

“Blythe was always so clever about helping me find books,” the woman continued. “There’s one I heard described on NPR, but I didn’t catch the name of it. Or the name of the author.”

“What was it about?” asked Natalie. “Tell me a few details, and I’ll give it a shot.”

The customer launched into a rambling description of a book about a woman who was married and shared an illicit kiss with someone who was not her husband and had an email flirtation and got so freaked out about that it triggered a whole life reexamination.

“Okay, well.” Natalie tapped her chin with her finger. “Doesn’t sound familiar. Do you remember what program you heard it on?”

“Sorry, no. One of those podcasts, I guess. It just sounded like a good book, kind of funny and snarky but heartfelt at the same time.”

Natalie was clearly at a loss, which sucked for her, since Peach knew she wanted to look professional. She was in luck, though. He knew exactly what book the woman was referring to. His ex-wife had read that book. He could picture it on her nightstand. Even after all this time, he could still picture her nightstand. Stepping over to the memoir section, he found the book and tipped it slightly outward. Then he pretended to tap at something with his hammer.

Natalie glanced over at him, slightly annoyed. He pointed to the book, then headed back upstairs to work. “Do you think it could be this one?” he heard Natalie ask. “Love and Trouble by Claire Dederer?”

Peach whistled as he climbed the stairs for the dozenth time that day. He liked colluding with her.

At the end of the day, Peach took his time loading up. No rush to get home, since Dorothy was at her mom’s tonight. He planned to grab a pizza and spend some time on the internet learning more about structural engineering. With a work crew lined up, he wanted to make sure the attic beam was going in the right way.

“Thanks for your help today,” Natalie said, following him outside.

“No problem. I’ve got a crew coming tomorrow to hoist the beam into the attic.”

“Oh! Good. I meant about the book. Keeping me from looking ignorant in front of the customer.”

“You don’t have to know every book,” he pointed out.

“True. And yet you seem to.”

He laughed. “Nah. That one happened to be familiar.”

“Well, you’re familiar with a lot of things I don’t associate with a … is it insulting to call you a handyman?”

He grinned. “I’ve been called worse.”

She tilted her head to one side, like she wanted to hear more. “Did you do a lot of reading when you were in the Marines?”