They worked side-by-side in the kitchen again, him making the sandwiches while she heated up the soup and made a pitcher of iced tea, then sat on the back patio to eat.

Maisie had spent countless weekends, multiple pairs of gardening gloves, a little blood, a few tears, and lots of sweat creating the gorgeous space in her backyard. She’d built a small deck on the back of the house and strung twinkle lights across the top of it by connecting the cords to tall beams she’d secured in concrete in tall planters. Then she’d filled the tops of the planters with flowers.

She had laid paving stones to create paths to different areas—one path to her flower garden and one to a sitting area/reading nook she’d set up under the huge oak tree that took up the back part of the yard. The middle had a nice expanse of green lawnthat was watered by an irrigation system she’d also installed herself.

“Your yard looks amazing,” Dodge said around bites of grilled cheese sandwich.

“Thanks. I did it all myself,” she told him, beaming with pride.

His eyes widened. “Wait. You created this whole yard by yourself?”

“Yep.”

“You built this deck?”

She nodded.

“And those raised garden beds?”

She nodded again. “And I laid the paving stones and all the sod and installed the sprinkler system. All by myself.”

“I’m impressed.”

“I’m a little impressed with myself as well.”

“How did you know how to do all of this?”

“I didn’t. But I’m a librarian. So, I did research, and I took classes, and I learned. I’ll let you in on a little secret. A couple of times when I wasn’t completely sure or confident on how to do something, like the irrigation system and building the deck, I called some experts and asked them to come teach a class at the library for the whole community on whatever it was I needed to learn. Then I was helping others to acquire a new skill as well as learning something myself.”

“You’re pretty dang smart.”

“And resourceful.” She laughed then her smile faltered as she shrugged. “When you don’t have anyone else in your life to help you do these things, at some point, you just have to figure out how to do them on your own.”

“So, you don’t have anyone…special…in your life?”

“Oh, I do. But I think I’m the only one who realizes I think he’s special,” she muttered before taking a sip of her soup. She let out a sigh. “If you’re asking if I’m seeing anyone, then the answer is no. Not for a long time now.”

“Oh. Sorry.”

“Don’t be. He wasn’t the one for me. And neither was the one before that.” She blew out a breath. “How about you? Is there anyonespecialin your life?”

She was praying he would sayno, but her heart sank when he nodded.

“Oh yes. There’s someoneveryspecial. Someone with dark hair, who’s a great listener but who hogs the covers and takes up more than their share of the bed.Andis currently eating me out of house and home. He goes by Moose.”

Maisie laughed as the big black dog must have heard his name being used in an affectionate way, because he stood and walked over to look adoringly up at Dodge as he rested his head on his leg.

They talked easily about the projects she’d done in the yard and the things he’d accomplished at the ranch as they finished their lunch and cleaned up the kitchen together.

She refilled their glasses of iced tea, and they went back to their spots on the sofa to read. Maisie normally curled into one cornerof the couch, but today, every time she sat down, she tried to sit almost in the middle, hoping he would take the spot next to her. And so far, he had.

She still couldn’t believe he was here, in her house, sitting next to her on the couch. Her arm still hurt, and her body was sore, but he didn’t have to stay to take care of her. She was used to taking care of herself and would be fine on her own.

But she wasn’t about to tell him that.

If he wanted to stick around and watch out for her, she wasn’t going to stop him. In fact, she was going to relish every moment of it.

Like she might possibly have done the night before. After everything that had been said and the funny looks he’d had when she’d brought up anything about it, she was pretty sure shehadkissed him.