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the house. Then the sight of the plastic covering the window in the living room gave me a pretty good idea where he was.
    I poked my head into the den to check on my mother. The sight of the bandage on her hand wasn’t what upset me most. She just sat there in a chair, staring at the trees. Pain was written in the tight lines around her mouth and eyes. Knowing she was on pain meds, I guessed it wasn’t something physical.
    I cleared my throat quietly, letting her know I was in the room. At first I didn’t think she’d look at me, but after several heartbeats she turned her head toward me. A tiny gasp escaped before I could cover my mouth with my palm. Her eyes were vacant and dull, but it didn’t mask her misery. I had never seen her so despondent.
    I made my way into the room and sat on the sofa across from her. She shifted her gaze back toward the window. I wished I knew what went on in her mind when she was like this. Maybe then I could help. Was she thinking about Liam? How would she react if she actually saw him again?
    The screen door creaked from the porch, and I heard my grandfather’s voice. And then Ethan’s…
    From where I sat I could see him walk in carrying a new window. He was dressed for work in his hunter green Magliaro Construction T-shirt. The muscles in his forearms were taut as he brought the window into the living room. The door slammed, and my grandfather followed.
    With a small sigh, I rose and tiptoed out of the den, leaving my mother still staring out into the woods. I grabbed my keys from the sideboard in the living room as Ethan measured the frame of the window with a tape measure, a pencil stuck between his lips. I smiled at how boyish he looked.
    “I’m off to work.” I walked over to the table in the kitchen and placed my hand gently on Gram’s back and kissed her hair.
    “Oh, honey. Did you get something to eat?” She pushed her papers away and looked up at me with a frown.
    “I’ll just grab something on my break.” I smiled to reassure her, even though I knew better.
    “Give me just one minute. I’ll pack you a lunch.”
    “If it will make you feel better, I’ll come home for lunch?” I met her gaze, wishing she wouldn’t worry about me so much.
    Gram’s frown smoothed. “That’d be good.”
    I shook my head and sighed, but I was still smiling in spite of myself. I turned to leave, and Ethan met my eyes, his expression unsure.
    “How’s your mom today?”
    I twisted the end of my ponytail, “She seems okay,” I said. “Thanks for helping with the window.”
    Ethan looked down at the floor. For a second I thought he might be embarrassed but when he looked up his roguish smile set my cheeks on fire.
    “My pleasure, Allison.”
    The look on his face spread the blush down my neck, and I hurried toward the front door. As I walked out, I could still feel Ethan watching me.

    “Which color would you go with, Allison?”
    I looked up from the ordering screen on the computer to see Gus Baker holding two strips of paint chips up for me, frown lines etched between his winged eyebrows. I took a deep breath before walking over to the counter where Gus stood waiting for me, his watery blue eyes watching me. From across the counter, I could smell the tang of dirty laundry and decaying teeth.
    I tried not to be annoyed at the little old man, but Gus was in here every day . I guess he was lonely, but he spent as much time in this store as I did. And he never bought anything.
    “I’d go with the eucalyptus green,” I said in my friendliest voice.
    “I just don’t know. There are so many of these colors! How does anyone choose?” Gus grumbled, his eyes intent on my face.
    I swallowed, forcing my smile to stay in place as I breathed through my mouth. I just wanted to get the big order that just came in all set for Pop, but Gus had been here for the past forty-five minutes comparing shades of green. I sighed inwardly. He needed to find a new hangout.
    The door jingled,