Mari was carrying a hammer, screw gun, and a small bucket with her when Dane pulled in at ten o’clock. He watched her for a few moments, enjoying the sway of her jeans and the jaunty bounce of her winter hat, caused by the dancing steps she took. Looks like last night’s discussion went well after I left. When she turned to look at him, Dane was delighted to see her smile spread from cheek to cheek.
“Hey, city boy!” she yelled to him when he stepped from the car, pulling his gloves on. “Better shake a leg. We’ve got some work to do before people can be Racing Through the Snow.”
The closer he got, the better her laughter sounded, transporting him back two decades. “Good morning, Mari. You appear to be in a fine mood this morning.”
“This morning? I’m in a good mood every morning.” Her laughter was hidden for a moment as she bent over to pick up an aged railing that had fallen.
“Well, I’m not challenging you. You’re happy right at this moment and I like it.” Dane pulled a few screws from the small bucket and handed them and the gun to Mari. “I thought about replacing any of the broken rails, except we don’t have time or the weather conditions to paint new lumber. What do you think?”
“I agree. Anywhere we can, we’ll screw them back in. We’ll figure out how to fix the others later.” Dane began walking down the fence to the next section that needed work. When Mari stopped at his side, he turned to face her. “What has that beautiful smile on your face this morning?”
“Oh, just a great conversation with my parents at break‐ fast.” She shrugged her shoulder like there was nothing to question so Dane let it go.
Does it matter? She’s happy. And you love seeing that smile. “Does this mean you worked out your idea for the Festival with your father?”
“Yes, it does. And I’m going to fill you in on all the details while we work. But after you answer a question.” She paused, giving him a solid stare. “Why are you here helping?”
“Because I said I would, and I keep my word.” Dane wiggled his eyebrows at her.
Mari drooped her shoulders and rolled her eyes before responding. “Really, you weirdo.”
“Made you laugh.”
“Wow, have we turned into a pair of forty-year-old juveniles?” She shook her head and laughed again. “What I meant was, why have you been helping my parents for the last few weeks?”
“Oh, that’s easy. I came to Dickens to get away from Manhattan. The place has been totally changed by the pandemic. And, so have I. I wanted to be somewhere that reduced my overall stress and made me happy. That place is Dickens.”
“Why were you so stressed? I thought you had a successful company.” Mari tipped her head at him, squinting her eyes at the morning sun.
“My company is doing quite well—practically runs itself. My marriage, not so much.”
Her eyes flew open. “I didn’t know you were married.”
“I’m not. Now.” Dane watched her face to see if she appeared to believe him. “We discovered during twenty-four-hour lockdown that we weren’t as compatible as we thought and as soon as the restrictions were lifted, she walked.”
“Wow. I’m so sorry. I had no idea. But I know what it’s like to be left behind."
“Hey, city boy!” she yelled to him when he stepped from the car, pulling his gloves on. “Better shake a leg. We’ve got some work to do before people can be Racing Through the Snow.”
The closer he got, the better her laughter sounded, transporting him back two decades. “Good morning, Mari. You appear to be in a fine mood this morning.”
“This morning? I’m in a good mood every morning.” Her laughter was hidden for a moment as she bent over to pick up an aged railing that had fallen.
“Well, I’m not challenging you. You’re happy right at this moment and I like it.” Dane pulled a few screws from the small bucket and handed them and the gun to Mari. “I thought about replacing any of the broken rails, except we don’t have time or the weather conditions to paint new lumber. What do you think?”
“I agree. Anywhere we can, we’ll screw them back in. We’ll figure out how to fix the others later.” Dane began walking down the fence to the next section that needed work. When Mari stopped at his side, he turned to face her. “What has that beautiful smile on your face this morning?”
“Oh, just a great conversation with my parents at break‐ fast.” She shrugged her shoulder like there was nothing to question so Dane let it go.
Does it matter? She’s happy. And you love seeing that smile. “Does this mean you worked out your idea for the Festival with your father?”
“Yes, it does. And I’m going to fill you in on all the details while we work. But after you answer a question.” She paused, giving him a solid stare. “Why are you here helping?”
“Because I said I would, and I keep my word.” Dane wiggled his eyebrows at her.
Mari drooped her shoulders and rolled her eyes before responding. “Really, you weirdo.”
“Made you laugh.”
“Wow, have we turned into a pair of forty-year-old juveniles?” She shook her head and laughed again. “What I meant was, why have you been helping my parents for the last few weeks?”
“Oh, that’s easy. I came to Dickens to get away from Manhattan. The place has been totally changed by the pandemic. And, so have I. I wanted to be somewhere that reduced my overall stress and made me happy. That place is Dickens.”
“Why were you so stressed? I thought you had a successful company.” Mari tipped her head at him, squinting her eyes at the morning sun.
“My company is doing quite well—practically runs itself. My marriage, not so much.”
Her eyes flew open. “I didn’t know you were married.”
“I’m not. Now.” Dane watched her face to see if she appeared to believe him. “We discovered during twenty-four-hour lockdown that we weren’t as compatible as we thought and as soon as the restrictions were lifted, she walked.”
“Wow. I’m so sorry. I had no idea. But I know what it’s like to be left behind."