“How do you know I didn’t already buy weights?”

“I asked Jan.”

“Betrayed by my own mother.”

It took half an hour, after which Raylan deemed he’d thoroughly worked out for the day. By the time he’d carted in the last set—thirty-five freaking pounds each—she’d put together the two-tiered rack, and had it filled but for the last two slots.

His ready-to-finish basement now looked a little terrifying.

“You really need a bench.”

“Stop.”

“You’ll see.” She waved a hand. “It’s good it’s already got hardwood flooring, and the light’s not bad at all. The space is more than adequate.”

She stood on long, long legs in black running shorts with bright blue piping. To match, he assumed, the bright blue tank that showed off long, toned arms.

The running shoes matched, too. That same blue with the discreet NG—New Generation—logo in black.

Mariah, he thought, would approve.

“You won’t like it much at first,” Adrian said as she wandered that space. “But by the end of the second week, you’ll see benefits. You’ll sleep better, feel better. And by the third week, it’ll be a habit. You’ll come down here to work out just like you take a shower, brush your teeth. Just part of your day.”

“So you say.”

“Yes, I do. Just remember, if something hurts, back off. If it’s uncomfortable, push through. But pain means stop.”

“It already hurts.”

“Man up, Wells.” She poked a finger in his chest, then turned to go up the stairs.

He paid attention because he needed that back view for the art.

“Oh, do you have a blender?”

He was a little afraid to answer. “Yes.”

“Great. There’s a sample of our superfood smoothie in the bag, and some suggestions for other homemade health drinks.”

“Get out of my house.”

“I’m going, and I’m taking your dog’s girlfriend with me.”

When she stepped out, she saw Sadie lying on the grass with Jasper’s many offerings in front of her. Sticks, two balls, a half-chewed rawhide bone, a ragged tug rope, and a stuffed kitten.

“God, that’s so damn sweet. She’s going to cave,” Adrian predicted. “How can she resist all that love? You know, you could drop him off with me sometime. Let them hang together while you work.”

“You work, too.”

“Yeah, but big yard, big house, and Popi would love it.”

“All right, sure.”

“Great. Come on, Sadie. Tell the kids I said hi.”

“I will.”

She rubbed the now dejected Jasper as she started for the gate.

“I’m going to say thanks for the stuff, but I don’t actually mean it.”

She tossed all that hair again. “You will.”

To avoid any more howling, Raylan bribed Jasper with a Milk-Bone. He got him back into the house, stood there, shaking his head.

“I get you having all this for that big, beautiful girl. But it doesn’t feel right, not really, for me to have this—this thing starting up with the tall, gorgeous fitness queen. And I don’t know what the hell to do with it.”

Since he didn’t, he ate a leftover chicken finger for lunch, then went back to work.

Summer beat hot fists against oncoming fall straight through September. Backyard pools stayed open, gardens burgeoned, and air conditioners continued to hum. Floaters brought their tubes and rafts and kayaks to Traveler’s Creek to cool off on lazy rides under the shade of arching trees that stayed stubbornly green.

In October, like a fingersnap, summer sizzled out. Fall blew in on brisk breezes, painting the trees with vivid, striking colors that drew the hikers and bikers and sent the Canadian geese honking their way north.

Adrian pulled into Rizzo’s parking lot on what she considered a perfect fall day with madly colored trees against a wildly blue sky. The crisp autumn breeze sent some of those bright leaves tumbling and scuttling and swirling like miniature gymnasts.

After she and Dom got out of either side, she opened the back to clip the leash on Sadie.

“Don’t work too hard, Popi.”

“You either. Barry’s going to drive me home before dinnertime. How about I bring home some manicotti?”

“Who’d say no to that?” She kissed his cheek, and loitered an extra minute until he’d gone in the back door.

It would be his first full day back at the shop after a late summer cold had laid him low for a few days. Probably, she thought as she walked Sadie toward the post office, because he—they, she corrected—had run around so much meeting with the architect, the engineer, the contractor, the town planner.

Worth it, now that he was back to a hundred percent, she thought, and if all went as planned, work would begin on the youth center.

She started to tie Sadie’s leash to the bike rack outside the post office when she heard the desperate howl.

“Uh-oh, sounds like your boyfriend’s around. Just let me get the mail, and we’ll go give him a quick thrill.”

Sadie sat, always obedient, but she cast her pretty eyes toward the howls. And Adrian saw longing in them.

She had, as predicted, caved.

“Five minutes,” Adrian promised, and stepped into the lobby.

She saw Raylan, with a huge box on the counter, talking to the postmistress. She gave him the once-over, nodded. Trim, slim, but no longer too thin. He looked, to her critical eye, well on the way to being fit in his jeans and hoodie.

Summer, as she’d noted before, had combed sun-kissed fingers through his hair.

She felt a little of Sadie’s longing, pushed it back, then poked her head in the door. “Hi, Ms. Grimes. Hey, Raylan, I heard Jasper singing the song of love when I leashed Sadie outside.”

“I better get out there before he eats his way through the car door.”

“If you’ve got any time, we could walk them down to the park, along the creek.” Where she’d planned to take a run with Sadie anyway.

“Sure. We could do that. Thanks, Ms. Grimes.”

“Oh, not to worry. We’ll get this up to New York for you. And don’t you look pretty today, Adrian.”

“Thanks. I’m trying out our new style of running tights.”

“My granddaughter loves your brand. She wears them every day for training. Cross-country,” she told Raylan. “Varsity. We’re going to take States again this year. Mark my word.”

“What size is she?” Adrian asked.

“Slim as a wand, long of leg—like you. She wears a size two. I couldn’t get my left leg in a two, even at her age.”

“Favorite color?”

“She’s fond of purple.”

“I’m going to bring her in a pair in the new brand, see how she likes them.”

“Oh, now, Adrian, you don’t have to do that.”

“Good running for her, good marketing for me.”

“She’ll be just thrilled.”

“I want her honest opinion. I’m just getting the mail from my box.”

“You have a good day now, both of you. And those sweet dogs.”

Raylan stepped out as Adrian pulled her post office box key out of one of her snug side pockets.