Mind Games

“We’ll clear this up, honeypot, and work up an appetite for the peach cobbler I brought along.”

“If you’re staying more than a couple months, or thinking about selling, the place could use a few things.”

Ty nodded at Rem. “I’ve noticed.”

“I was going to do a little painting for her this spring, just to help her out, but who you really want is Knobby.”

“I want Knobby?”

“Yeah, contractor. Good solid work. Come on down to Grammie’s sometime. I’ll show you the Foxes’ Den. Pretty sure that’s where Thea really dug in the roots toward game design and development. She slayed all comers.”

“Still does,” Lucy reminded him.

“Yeah, well, she’s a professional.”

Ty helped clear the table, earning some Lucy points, as he seemed to know what he was about in that area.

“Chickens are funny. They got names,” Bray added before he demolished a bowl of cobbler as if he hadn’t eaten all day. A minute later, he was off and running.

“You sit with Ty, Grammie. Rem’s on kitchen duty with me.”

“My lot in life.” But he followed Thea inside.

“If you don’t mind me saying, you and your son have a lovely rhythm between you. It’s not easy to raise a child on your own, but you’re doing a fine job of it.”

“Do you think?” A worry, a constant one, that he’d screw it all up dogged him.

“I know what I see, and I see a happy boy, a bright one, and a man who’s learned how to grow those eyes in the back of his head.”

“With Bray, I need them on the sides, too. He never stops.”

Lucy laughed. “I know how that goes. That was Waylon. That boy never stayed planted. Now, I know I’m biased on it, but this is a good place to raise children. I raised three of my own here, and then the two in the house when they lost their parents.”

“I didn’t realize they’d lost their parents.”

Watching the little boy play with the dog, Lucy sipped her tea.

“Thea twelve, Rem ten when it happened. Fifteen years ago next week. A blink of an eye, and forever.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Being together got us through. And they’ve built such good lives. They could’ve built those lives anywhere, but chose here. I’m grateful for that every day. You’re the same. You can build a good life, and help your boy build his anywhere. If it’s not here, you’ll find your place.”

She relaxed him, Ty thought, as if he’d known her for years.

“I guess that’s why we’re here, to see if this is our place. Pretty sure wherever it is, there’ll have to be chickens and a dog.”

Thea’s laugh floated out the open doors, had him glancing back.

Lucy just sipped her tea. “It’s good you’re taking the summer to find out.”

“That’s the plan. So … Knobby? I’ll add him to the list.”

He waited until Thea came out again to rise.

“I’ve got to get Bray home. Thanks for letting us crash your family dinner.”

“It’s not crashing when you’re invited. I’m glad you could stay.”