Page 9 of Earth-Bound

“Building.”

I shook my head. “I’m confused. Would who notice what building?”

“Would Randall notice building-work going on at the house from all the way over here?”

I peered at the house. They’d have to put scaffolding up. Fixing that broken-down roof would take weeks and they’d have to have all kinds of people coming and going with supplies and workers.

“Yeah, I think he would.”

Broadmire grunted. It had a displeased sound.

“You didn’t want him to know?”

“Thought he might like the surprise.”

“Could you keep him away for a few weeks?”

“No. He can go where he wants.”

I didn’t call him out on that. I’d seen the two of them, standing by the tree and Randall chatting away to it. Broadmire usually hung back and just listened. He wasn’t going to stop Randall.

“Are you planning on moving in there?”

“Yes.”

“With Randall?”

“If he wants.”

“Hmm, maybe you could still surprise him before all the work begins.”

Broadmire looked down at me and I wished he’d look back at the house. He was a strange mixture of features, one of thoseugly-pretty people whose face shouldn’t work but it does. Not to sound shallow but I was sure he was uglier now than when I’d first met him. Not that it mattered to me, I suppose. Randall was the one who was going out with him, not me. It was just that he had strangely intense eyes and I was never sure what was going on in his head, which was worrying because he’d tried to knock my block off the first time we’d met and I was never sure he wasn’t going to try again. Still, I didn’t want to be too suspicious. He was being perfectly civil now.

“What do you mean?”

“I was just thinking that you could surprise him by asking him to move in with you and then fix the place up together. That way he gets his surprise and you don’t need to try and hide all the construction work.”

“And that will still be a nice surprise, will it?”

I considered. “Was that a genuine question or some kind of veiled threat?”

Broadmire scowled, which made me think it had been a threat.

“No, it’s not a threat. I’m asking. I’m not great at surprises.”

Ok, it turned out I was quick to judge someone. That scowl was just the way Broadmire’s face was.

“Hmm, asking him to move in with you is a big deal. You could do something romantic and make it a moment he’ll never forget. I don’t see how else you could make it a surprise without keeping him away from the house while it’s fixed up.”

“And how would I make it romantic?” He paused. “That was also a serious question, not a threat. I don’t have much imagination.”

He sounded strained when he admitted that and I thought he was underselling himself there. “I’ve seen the sculptures you make. Anyone who can carve wood like thatdoeshave imagination.”

He shrugged. “That’s different. I just do what I want with the wood. I’ve got to do what Randall wants with this. No idea what that is.”

“Maybe ask him?”

“Then it won’t be a surprise.”

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