Nora's Guy Next Door. Jo McNally

architect friend to help me.”

      Dan’s divorce had been tough, but he and his ex were working hard to keep things civil for their daughter’s sake. Dan bought a house right around the corner from her so Chloe could go back and forth easily and not miss her school or her friends.

      “I’m not an architect anymore.” That career, working for his former father-in-law’s firm, had evaporated at the same time his marriage did.

      “Uh-huh.” Dan sat up and put the empty soda bottle on the workbench. “Says the man building a house on the side of a mountain. Michael could probably use some help babyproofing his place.”

      Asher had driven by his son’s blue bungalow on Sunset Lane a few times recently. Nearly a hundred years old and in desperate need of a coat of paint, at least the little house was sturdy. Asher had helped him with a few projects before he’d learned about the girl.

      “Why? Have you heard about any problems with the place?”

      Dan laughed, sweeping his hand up and down in Asher’s direction. “Again, not looking like someone who isn’t interested. No, I haven’t heard of any issues with the house. Though I did hear old man McGregor told Michael he could pretty much do whatever he wanted to the place. They’ve been working on it...”

      More hammering from next door distracted Asher from Dan’s words. Cathy had told him Nora was planning on changing just about everything in the café, starting with paint and continuing with adding state-of-the-art equipment. Asher liked Cathy, despite her freewheeling approach to life. He didn’t like the idea of her place changing into some snooty, upscale coffeehouse. And he really didn’t like the idea of Nora Bradford owning it.

      “Earth to Asher. Are you listening to me at all?”

      He set the sanding block down. “Sorry. What?”

      “I said it looks like Michael and Becky are going to settle here in Gallant Lake for a while. He got a part-time job working for Judge Wilkes.” Dan stood up and adjusted his belt, getting his weapon settled on his hip. He started for the door but stopped at Asher’s next comment.

      “No.”

      “No?”

      “I’m trying to get Michael as far from Gallant Lake as possible.”

      “What? Why?”

      Wasn’t it obvious? Was he the only person who could see what had to happen here?

      “If I get him away from that girl, he’ll get focused on his career again. I’ve offered him a full ride at Stanford. I’ll pay tuition and all expenses if he goes out there alone. No way they’ll last long on opposite coasts.”

      Dan looked down at the floor and scratched his head, making his sandy hair stand on end. Asher knew his plan sounded devious. Maybe even cruel. But he had Michael’s best interests at heart. And those interests didn’t include raising a baby.

      “Okay...” Dan sighed heavily. “Let me see if I have this straight. You’re trying to bribe your son into abandoning his girlfriend and their unborn child? What the hell, Ash?”

      “He can still be responsible for the child financially.” His friend’s obvious disapproval made Asher’s temper rise, along with his voice. “He has no idea what he’s getting into, Dan. What parenthood means. I’m trying to protect him, damn it!”

      Dan stepped forward, and Asher recoiled. “Protect him? Ash, is this all because...” He shook his head. The two of them had shared a lot of late-night talks, but the loss of his youngest son was never up for discussion. “What does Michael’s fiancée think about your plan?”

      “Stop calling her that. And I have no idea.”

      “And Michael’s future mother-in-law?” Dan nodded his head toward the window, where they could see Nora Bradford standing next to Amanda Randall, head down, staring at her clipboard as if her life depended on it. She was wearing the same pink jacket she’d worn in November, and it highlighted the rosiness of her cheeks on this raw February day. She laughed at something Amanda said and looked up, her eyes meeting his through the glass.

      Her eyebrows rose in surprise, then she nodded her head at him in acknowledgment. Or dismissal. He wasn’t sure, since she went right back to her conversation with her cousin. But the cousin kept a close eye on him while Nora talked. She finally smirked and looked away, studying the front of the coffee shop. The Randalls were regular clients of his, and he liked them both. He bit back a sigh. It was going to be more than a little complicated having Nora for a neighbor.

      “She’s not going to be his mother-in-law.” Asher ignored Dan’s snort of laughter. “And if she has any sense, she’ll want them to avoid marriage as much as I do.”

      Dan headed off to finish his shift, while Asher purposefully stayed as far to the back of his studio as possible, working hard on fitting the dovetailed drawer to the table he was finishing for a client in Albany. Word of mouth was bringing new customers every month, and the work would be enough to keep him from thinking about his pretty...scratch that...his annoying neighbor.