Murphy was as good as his word. The next day was dry and cold, and he started making preparations for the deck about the time I left for my daily walk. He didn’t pause to eat anything when I returned, but I made him a plate of eggs and potatoes and left that and a mug of coffee next to where he worked out back before I went to the bookstore.
Since it was Tuesday, the daycare kids down the block had a two-hour read and play time scheduled. Gregory Wang, who ran the place and was a local, accompanied the toddlers with a few of the daycare workers and kept an eye on them as they got settled.
Not five minutes later, Wheeler Ridley, the owner of our local gym, showed up in the store to hang out with his boyfriend. The whole town knew all about Wheeler and Gregory’s romance. I was happy things
