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“Yeah, thanks!” Clay MacAdam claiming that his name was a bit of a draw had to be the understatement of the year. Xander grinned at him. “That’s good of you. That’ll put us on the map.”
Clay shrugged. “It’s the least I can do.” He smiled at Tori. “If I can’t have you on my label, I’m glad to at least have you as a neighbor – and neighbors help each other out.” He patted the hood of the truck again. “You’ve helped me out with this, I’m happy to return the favor. Just give me a bit of notice – let me know when you decide the date.”
“We will, and thank you again,” said Tori.
After they’d said their goodbyes, Xander climbed into the driver’s seat of the new truck that they’d bought. Tori hauled herself up into the passenger seat and made a face at him as she fastened her seatbelt.
“Don’t get me wrong, I like this thing.” She patted the dashboard. “But I am going to miss that bench seat.”
Xander chuckled. “Me too.” He’d enjoyed having her sit right beside him in the old truck, especially since they’d arrived here at the lake. Driving the quiet back roads with his arm around her had made him feel as though they’d stepped back in time somehow.
“Anyway,” said Tori. “We’re making good progress on our to-do list. Clay has his truck. We have our new truck. Everything’s set up with Rachel. We have the meeting with Nate on Monday. What else is there?”
He grinned at her. “Well, there is one thing I was thinking about.”
“What’s that?” she asked him as they headed away from Clay’s place.
Xander didn’t say anything as he drove the short distance into town and parked in the square at the resort.
When he cut the engine, she gave him a puzzled look. “What? Are you going to tell me?”
“Want to do some window shopping?” he asked.
“Sure. We can. You know I enjoy it. But will you? And is it the best use of our time?”
He smiled. “I think so.” He looked at the truck and took her hand as they headed toward Main Street.
“Come on, tell me!”
He shook his head. “Let’s walk up and down Main Street. I have an idea, and if you feel the way that I think you do, you’ll know what I’m talking about before we get back here.”
“Okay. I have no idea what you mean, but I trust you.”
That was all he needed. As long as she trusted him, he was happy. He had a feeling that as soon as they walked past the storefront he was thinking of, she’d know exactly what he had in mind. He didn’t want to bring it up though; he wanted to see if she would.
They walked slowly along the sidewalk, with Tori peeking in the windows, pointing out trinkets that Xander never would have noticed.
She gave him a puzzled look as they passed the bakery. “Were you thinking that I might want cookies? You know I’ll never say no to cookies.”
He chuckled and held the door open for her. “It’s not what I was thinking, but you know I won’t turn cookies down either.”
As they made their way back outside with a dozen assorted cookies in a bag, she looked up at him again.
“I’m glad we got them, but if the cookies aren’t it, then what?”
“Let’s keep walking.”
She peered in through the windows of the gym as they passed. “I know we’re not here to see Russ – he told us that he doesn’t work weekends.”
“Nope. I wasn’t thinking of coming to see him.” They walked a little farther until there were no more stores. Then, they crossed the road and started back toward the resort.
Just as he’d expected, Tori stopped outside the realtor’s office.
“Oh, look! There’s the listing for the Flanagan place.”
Xander didn’t say anything, he just waited.
“Who would ever have thought that there’s a house with a turret up in those hills?”
