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“Perfect.”
“What do you think of red accents in here?”
“Red? Hmm. I think with the green felt on the pool table and the poker table, it might look like Christmas year-round.”
Wilda laughed. “I guess you’re right. We’ll figure it out.”
He moved closer to her. “Wilda, you are…” He sighed. “You’re pulling this place together for me. Thank you.”
“One room down, so many more to go.”
Frenchie ran into the room with Caleb right behind him. Milo took a step back. “Hey, you two. Keep it under seventy.”
Caleb ran up to Wilda, and Frenchie ran around them barking.
Milo pointed at him. “Frenchie, shush.”
The dog stopped running but kept barking. Caleb pointed at him and said, “Shush.”
Wilda looked at Milo, and he held up a hand, then whispered, “Be cool.”
She took a breath, then watched Frenchie lie down next to Caleb. He sat on the floor and began petting Frenchie, then leaned down and whispered something in the dog’s ear.
Chapter seven
“You’re the best friend ever.”
Wilda was anxious to get home and tell Mathias about the progress Caleb had made, so she left soon after Caleb spoke to Frenchie. Milo walked them to the door.
“The less of a big deal you make it, the better.”
“I know. It’s so hard not to…” She glanced at Caleb. “I’ll stay strong.”
“Are you going to take the weekend off?”
“Actually, if you don’t mind, I’d like to come tomorrow. Mathias is going to White City tomorrow and taking Caleb with him.”
“Sure. What time?”
“Early.”
He smiled. “Come through the kitchen door. I sleep in on the weekend.”
“No problem. I’ll just be painting, so it won’t be noisy.”
“Cool. I can’t hear much from up there, so no worries. Make some coffee if you want. Make yourself at home.”
“Thank you.” She went onto the porch and opened her umbrella. “Maybe it’ll stop raining by then.”
“Don’t count on it. It’s supposed to rain all weekend.”
“Better than snow, I guess.”
She and Caleb ran for the car, and Milo waved as they drove away. He went back inside, and the house felt empty and too quiet. “Frenchie?”
The dog came out of the kitchen and ran up to him. “Are you ready for some dinner?”
Frenchie barked twice.
