“Yes.” Laurel tugged her gloves from her pockets. “There’s a nice old barn that used to hold tractors, and I think it’d make a great home if remodeled correctly. Even if I don’t stay in town, I could always use it as a rental for people who want to get away. It’s right up against a creek and quite lovely and secluded. You wouldn’t know a good architect, would you?”

“No,” Kate said.

Huck waited at the top of the stairs, looking odd against the cancan dancers cavorting on the wallpaper. “I have a guy. He did a good job on my shop a couple of years ago. His place is now called Greenfield Architecture and Landscaping. I think they also do snow removal.”

Kate perked up. “I need their contact info, too. For the snow removal. Are the rates okay?”

“Yeah. I’ll text you the info.”

Laurel walked down the stairs, her boots thudding softly. “My uncle plows our road and all of the driveways.” She should probably buy him something as a thank you. It had been a while since she’d knitted an adult’s hat. Perhaps she also could knit something blue and green for Huck in lieu of buying him coffee.

“Good luck with the mayor’s wife,” Kate called out. “She’s friends with my ex-husband’s bimbo and has snarled at me a couple of times.”

Laurel winced. “Does she know we work together?” She paused at the landing.

“Yep. She knows we’re friends,” Kate confirmed.

Laurel sighed. Stupendous.

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven

The mayor lived in a stately, red brick home on Royal Drive and had a phenomenal view of the mountains from the rear. Huck dutifully removed his coat and boots in the foyer as Laurel did the same, hoping he’d worn socks without holes in them today. A quick glance down confirmed that he had. Good.

He glanced at Laurel’s socks. Light pink with peacocks on them. They had to be her mother’s. He stifled a grin and followed Steve Bearing into a surprisingly comfortable living room, with Aeneas at his heels. “Are you sure you don’t mind the dog?”

“Just keep him off the furniture,” Steve said. While Huck and Laurel both wore jeans for this Saturday meeting, the eldest Bearing kid wore creased khaki pants and a blue polo shirt. It was surprising the guy hadn’t had his law firm name embroidered across his chest. He might as well have opened the door and declared himself an attorney.

“Please, have a seat. My parents will be in shortly.” Steve took a plush, flowered chair and gestured to the matching sofa. His thick blond hair was swept up with a generous amount of mousse, and round black glasses gave his blue eyes a studious look. “My mother is understandably upset.”

“How about you?” Huck asked.