He had to buy a house, move into it, and cut that lawn.

“Why didn’t you tell me to shut up?” he asked the dog. “Before I ended up back in the mowing business?”

He reached the next corner and Mountain Laurel Lane, and stopped dead.

It wasn’t the house—obviously not the one he’d come to see, as a woman with a visible baby bump stood in the open front door.

It wasn’t the woman in the door that stopped him, but the one with her back to him.

She had a cloud of midnight hair curling like corkscrews past her shoulders. She stood, long and lean in snug leggings—blue with gold snaking up them like flames. A blue top—tank?—snug, that showed off long, tanned arms. Blue shoes, with flames on the sides.

He couldn’t see her face—didn’t need to, not yet.

Cobalt Flame, he thought, demi-demon. Caught in Grievous’s web, tormented by him. Her battle with his Angel would be freaking epic. And in the end, they’d become allies.

The story line just spewed out of him—lava from a volcano.

Because that’s where she’d become, that’s where she’d gained her powers.

The inspiration, back still to him, took a step down from the porch. And a mountain of black fur walked from the far corner of the porch to join her.

At his feet, Jasper made a sound. Not a growl, not a warning bark, but if possible, a canine gasp. Then he trembled. As Raylan looked down, started to soothe him, Jasper leaped forward.

The lurch had Raylan stumbling forward. “Hey!”

The shout, the onslaught of man and dog, had the woman turning.

She tipped down sunglasses, laughed. “Raylan? Raylan Wells!”

Adrian Rizzo, he thought as he fought to control his dog. Yeah, the face would work. She’d always been a looker. “Adrian, hi, sorry. I don’t know what’s gotten into him. He doesn’t bite.”

Jasper flopped down at the base of the porch, then began to crawl up toward the black mountain.

“Neither does she.” Angling her head, Adrian watched Jasper prostrate himself at Sadie’s feet. “What’s he doing?”

“I don’t know.”

“I think he’s proposing.” The other woman stepped out on the porch. She had long braids tied back at her nape and a boy of about four with one arm around her leg and a plastic hammer in his hand.

Sadie put one massive paw on Jasper’s head, sent Adrian a sidelong glance.

“I think she’s telling him to get a grip. They haven’t even been introduced. This is Sadie.”

“Jasper. Knock it off. You’re humiliating yourself.”

“I’m pretty sure I see stars in his eyes. Welcome home, Raylan.”

“Thanks. Sorry to interrupt.”

“You’re not. I was out for a quick run and stopped by. This is Teesha Kirk and Phineas Grant. Teesha, Phineas, Raylan Wells.”

“It’s nice to meet you.” Teesha offered him a smile. “I know Maya and Jan are happy you’re back.”

“So are we. I’m actually about to look at the house next door.”

“Oh, it’s a beauty!” Teesha looked over as Phineas sat and began to bang invisible nails.

The boy said, emphatically, “I have to get this work done.”

“I’ve had a lot of peeks,” Teesha continued. “Mark does really good work. You’ve got a couple of kids, don’t you?”

“Yeah, seven and five. Well, nearly eight and six.”

“It’d be great to have kids next door.”

Phineas stopped banging. He said: “Gotta poop,” and marched into the house.

“Sorry, gotta poop.” Teesha rushed in after him.

“Well, since there’s that.” Laughing, Adrian came down the steps. “I’ve got to get home, but my grandfather would really love to see you, and your kids, and your love-addled dog.”

“He’s never done anything like this. But she’s very impressive.”

“Sexy Sadie. Teesha’s right about the house—I’ve been through it, too. It’s a good one. And as neighbors go?” She gestured toward Teesha’s house, where he heard music—a piano—flowing out. “They’re the best.”

“So Maya told me. You look good, Adrian. I mean, it’s good to see you.”

“The same.” She bent down, gave Jasper a stroke before she clipped a leash on the dog mountain. “I’m sure we’ll meet again, Jasper. Love can’t be denied. Let’s go, Sadie!”

Sadie simply stepped over the dazzled Jasper, gathered herself, then matched her pace to Adrian’s long, ground-eating stride.

“Impressive.” He looked back at his now-forlorn dog. “She may be too much woman for you, pal, but the heart has its own agenda. Let’s go see a house.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

After the house tour, after some very strange high school reminiscing with the former rough customer, after talking to his contractor brother as they and a couple of others finished what they called punch-out work, Raylan needed to think.

He made arrangements to come back in an hour or so with his kids, something Mark Wicker approved of.

He stopped by Mrs. Pinsky’s and used her ancient excuse for a lawn mower to trim her grass. He had to admit, the lawn had seemed worlds bigger when he’d been fifteen, so it didn’t take long.

Still, he worked up a sweat, gratefully took the tall glass of iced tea she’d sweetened enough to make his teeth sting.

She told him he was a good boy, had done a fair job, and again complimented his mother for his good manners.

He walked the dog home, let Jasper’s lovelorn heart brood in the backyard while he jumped into the car and drove the short distance to Rizzo’s.

The early lunch crowd spread out at the tables and booths while his mother worked at the stove and Dom tossed dough.

He looked thinner, older than when Raylan had seen him briefly over the Christmas holidays, but he hadn’t lost his knack in the dough-tossing department.

Mariah, with a coloring book and crayons at her counter seat, watched him in absolute delight.

“Do another, Popi! Do another!”

As he spread the dough in a perfect circle on the board, he winked at her. “I have to get this one going first. People want their pies.”

“Will you make me one? Nana said we can have pizza when Bradley finishes his game in the back.”

“I’ll make you a very special one, just your size, and fit for a princess.”

She gasped, much as Jasper had at his first sight of Sadie, then spotted her father. “Daddy! Did you hear? Mr. Rizzo’s gonna make me a princess pizza.”

“Amazing. How are you, Dom?”

“Can’t complain, so won’t. Welcome home.”

“Thanks. I wonder if you could hold the princess pizza for just a bit. Mo, I want to go get Bradley and take you guys to see this house. We’ll do that, then we’ll all come back for pizza.”

“But I get the special princess pizza.”

“Absolutely. I saw your granddaughter for a minute, and the mastodon she calls a dog.”

“She mentioned it.” Dom added peppers, mushrooms, black olives to the pie. “It’s a good, solid house with good, solid neighbors. I’m glad you’re taking a look.”