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“Oh,” Morgan said, and the throat-clearing didn’t disguise the laugh. “I see.”
“Do you? Do you really?” On that, Miles walked across the yard, fetched the ball himself. He brought it back while she stood in her little black shorts and skinny white tank stroking Howl between the ears. He handed the ball to Morgan. “Throw it again.”
When she threw it, Howl ran after it, tail wagging, eyes gleaming. He pranced back to drop it in her outstretched hand.
“What a good boy!”
“My ass. That’s just insulting. Who feeds you?”
Howl leaned lovingly against Morgan’s legs, and Miles knew he didn’t imagine the smirk.
“Maybe he thinks your heart’s not in it. Want to try again?”
“No.”
She tossed the ball herself. “I thought since you have that family thing tomorrow, flowers would be nice. I can put them in a vase for you before I change for work.”
“Sure, fine.”
After praising Howl—and didn’t the dog just lap that up—she put the ball back in the shed. As they went inside, Miles started to close the door on the dog, but Howl looked so, well, smitten with Morgan he didn’t have the heart.
“Got a vase?” she asked while she washed her hands.
“Bottom of the dining room buffet. Take your pick. Want a beer?”
“No, thanks. Never got a real taste for them.”
“Coke?”
“That’ll work.” She crouched down, opened one of the doors on the lower buffet. “Wow. Quite a collection.”
“Grand took what she wanted when they moved. They’re mostly her collection.”
“This is beautiful.” She held up a vase of smooth wood. “Is it from Crafty Arts?”
“Yeah. A guy I know makes them. He had a show there last fall.”
“It’s perfect.” She brought it out, started on the flowers. “You must know a lot of people. The advantage of living in the same place, going to the same schools.”
“Not everybody stays.”
“No, of course not. But a lot do, don’t they? Most of my staff grew up here, or have lived here for years. Not necessarily in Westridge, but the general area.”
“Plenty of job opportunities.” He handed her a glass. “Good schools, low crime, a solid arts community. It’s scenic, offers an abundance of outdoor activities and interest, and it’s close to the national forest.”
“I don’t suppose the chamber of commerce could do anything about the length of winter.”
“You learn to embrace it.” Because he liked watching her, he leaned back on the counter with his beer. “Skiing, snowshoeing, ice-skating on the lake, pickup hockey games, ice fishing.”
“I don’t get why anyone wants a fish enough to drill a hole in the ice and sit in a shanty.”
“It’s not for everybody.”
She glanced over. “You?”
“Not in this lifetime. It’s freaking cold.” When she laughed, he shrugged. “But plenty go for it. It’s not just the fish, it’s the beer, the camaraderie. Liam likes it, but mostly he and our grandfather just like to sit there and hang out. Then he’ll go around to the shanties, bullshit awhile, go back, and tell Pop the news.”
“Liam’s got the social skills of a cruise director. But then, he sort of is.”
