Page 126 of Hidden Nature

Sometime in May, June latest, he promised himself, he’d stand on that deck.

He’d estimated a year, and maybe longer, to complete his plans for the house. Half that if the business stagnated or just crept along.

So far the business was steady enough, so the year seemed right.

No rush on it.

He walked to the French doors that led, for now, to nowhere. After dumping about ten inches, the snow had stopped. Now everything spread still and white. From this height he could see a section of the lake and where someone had built a snowman.

And that, just that, struck him as one more reason he’d made this drastic move and at the perfect time.

He wanted to look out at the still, the quiet, and see a snowman on a frozen lake.

He walked down to Theo’s room, gave the door a couple of fist-pounds over the music. Eilish had given way to Imagine Dragons.

“We should get going.”

“Right there!” Theo shouted, and Nash went down to get the wine and his coat.

And got a lift when he walked back to scan the kitchen cabinets. Cabinets he and Theo and Robo had set themselves—with some unexpected assistance from Dean Cooper.

Lofting the ceiling and leaving those exposed beams, the bigger, better window, absolutely the right call. Since he rarely cooked, he’d nearly ditched the pot filler, but it looked good. It all looked good.

And tomorrow, they’d install the countertops, maybe even get a start on the backsplash before they’d shift to a client. Another week maybe for the new lights, the new appliances, to finish up the coffee bar, the pantry.

But standing there now he knew whatever talent he had for finance, that work had never given him this visceral sense of pride and accomplishment.

He’d designed this, he and Theo had made it real. This belonged to them as nothing else ever had.

He glanced around as Theo came in—Tic wagging at his heels—gave him a long study.

“I’m clear. Hundred percent over it. I swear to God.”

“You better be. Let’s go. You’re actually taking the dog?”

“They said to bring him. He and Mop are friends.”

“That dog would think Jack the Ripper was a friend.”

As if he agreed, Tic pranced outside.

“Feels good to go out, with people, I mean. You didn’t worry too much when I ran the snowblower this morning while you plowed the drive.”

“You weren’t sitting beside me in the truck with the windows closed.”

“You hardly ever get sick.”

“Because I avoid people who are.”

Theo gave him an elbow nudge. “You brought me food on trays. Dosed me with the Quils.”

“I held my breath. And pushing the NyQuil stopped you from hacking half the night and keeping me up.”

Theo just kept smiling. “You brought me Skittles and changed my sheets when I got them sweaty.”

“I was doing laundry anyway. What’s the deal here? You’ve been to dinner at the Coopers’, so what’s the deal?”

“Easy, friendly, and Elsie can cook. It’s nothing like, you know. Nothing like that.”

---