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He took her hand, then looked around the room. “How about two neon signs and…”
“Milo.”
They headed for the door. “I do need a stained-glass lamp over the table, though.”
“That you can have.”
“A poster of dogs playing poker?”
“No.”
“Frenchie would really like it.”
“No, Milo.”
He checked the doors and turned off the lights while Wilda made sure Caleb was sleeping soundly. They went upstairs and down the hall to his room.
“I’m very glad that one of the few pieces of furniture you have is this very nice bed.”
“A good night’s sleep is important.”
“Definitely.”
“Tonight, however, we don’t need to get up early for school, so…”
“Will you make Mickey Mouse pancakes in the morning?”
“I will make you anything you want.”
Chapter twenty-six
“Priorities.”
Mathias texted Wilda when he was getting close, so she was waiting on the porch for him to arrive. Her heart beat faster when she saw his truck and travel trailer turn onto the private road, and she went down the steps to wait on the driveway.
He pulled up, then rolled down his window. “Where should I park this thing?”
“Over by the carriage house.”
He gave her a thumbs-up, then drove to the old building that had once housed carriages. The attached corral had long since collapsed, but the metal watering trough still stood where the fence line had been.
Mathias got out of his truck, and Wilda ran to him. She hugged him, and he rubbed her back.
“I missed you so much.”
He took a step back. “I missed you too, sis. Where’s that nephew of mine?”
“He’s out back with Milo on the tire swing.”
“Tire swing? Is that new?”
“Milo and his dad put it up. Caleb loves it.” She took his arm. “Come take a look.”
When Caleb spotted Mathias, he tried to climb out of the swing while it was still moving. Wilda gasped and started toward the swing as Milo stepped behind Caleb, grabbed the swing, and brought it to a stop.
“Whoa, kid. No getting off until the ride comes to a full stop.” Milo lifted Caleb to the ground, and the boy ran to Mathias.
Mathias picked him up. “Are you okay?”
