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“Good to know.” She waved to the room. “We work at the tables. Feel free to set up wherever you’d like.”

He nodded and took a chair to a corner of the room. The parents who had been hovering walked closer.

“Is that . . . I mean, it can’t be, but he looks just like . . .” Brittany, mom of one of Harrison’s classmates, verbally stuttered to a stop. “Is that Micah Ruiz?”

“It is. He’s friends with my sister and offered to help with the project. I was joking when I pointed out having him entertain us would be a lot more fun than having him knit a hat. So here he is.”

Brittany, a pretty thirtysomething with three kids, looked at him. “He’s so sexy, I can’t stand it.”

The two dads standing nearby grimaced, but Reggie didn’t care. Sexy was a good word when it came to Micah.

She introduced the adults to him, then got back to unloading supplies. She’d just started on the last tote when she heard a familiar voice.

“You should have waited for me,” Toby said, coming up beside her. “I would have helped.”

And just like that, Micah’s bright, shining star dimmed to nothing special. She turned and saw Toby smiling at her. Her lips curved up, and the rest of the world faded away until it was just them and what had happened the previous night.

“It’s not hard work,” she said, resisting the need to step into his embrace and have him kiss her again. Something that wasn’t going to happen—at least not during their craft session.

As if to prove her point, a dozen kids streamed into the room. She greeted them by name and helped them get settled. When next she could spare Toby a glance, he was sitting by Harrison, chatting with the boys at his table and knitting away.

Micah was a big hit. He played and sang, taking a few requests and making the time speed by. Reggie knew she wasn’t the only one trying to integrate the fact that Micah Ruiz was giving them a private concert. When the session was finished, a few of the parents crowded around him, asking questions and wanting selfies. Reggie made her way over, wondering if she should intervene, but when Micah caught her attention, he smiled and shook his head.

“I’ve got this.”

“You probably have experience.”

“A little.”

Toby retrieved the open box of completed hats from the storage closet, and together they added the finished ones.

“I’m keeping a count,” she told him, liking how aware she was of him. The hum of sexual interest was kind of nice. Kissing would be better, but in a crowd, she would take what she could get.

By the time she’d completed her inventory, Micah had dealt with all his fans. He walked over and introduced himself to Toby.

“I heard you were staying at the B and B,” Toby told him. “Dena does a good job there. My son and I stayed there when we first moved to Wishing Tree.”

“You’re a new resident?” Micah asked, putting away his guitar.

Toby grinned. “Yes and no. I grew up here but took off when I was eighteen. Harrison and I relocated here last year.”

“Couldn’t stay away?” Micah asked.

“Something like that.”

“I get the appeal.” Micah chuckled. “It’s quirky.” He turned to Reggie. “Thanks for letting me hang out.”

“Are you kidding? We had a private concert. It was fantastic.”

“Anytime.”

He waved and left. Reggie watched him go, wishing she could have figured out a way to ask him about Dena. She had a good idea of her sister’s feelings, but was less certain if Micah’s heart was headed in the same direction. He seemed perfectly normal—if she didn’t know about his late wife, she would have no idea he was still in mourning. So was he mostly healed and ready to give love another try, or was he, as Dena believed, happy having experienced his one true love and not interested in anyone else?

“Not going to get an answer to that question anytime soon,” she murmured.

Toby looked at her, but before he could ask what she was talking about, Harrison held up a bag of yarn.

“We didn’t put this away,” he said. “I’ll go put it in the right tote.”