Page 210 of As They Are
“I have no idea.” I shrugged. “Today, I’ll probably catch up with a few people. See if Mollie needs help with anything. But other than that, I have nothing. It’s ... weird. But I’m sure there’s something out there.”
“There’re all those old storefronts,” Kelsey said. “Maybe they could be something.”
“Wait a second,” Henry said. “I think Theo had something for you.”
I blinked. “Who’s Theo?”
“A guy who lives here,” Henry replied. “He’s been here longer than me, but he’s not from here, as far as I know. Now that I think about it, there’s not much I know about him at all.”
“But he has a project?” I asked.
“I don’t know anything about it. He’s pretty tight-lipped about things.”
“Mom!” Kelsey called. “Come here a sec!”
Tammy had just finished up with Hugh and was next to Kelsey in a heartbeat.
“I was coming back over here anyway. What do you need?”
“It’s not for me,” Kelsey said. “What do you know about Theo?”
“Quiet guy. Mid-thirties. Tattoos. He came in here once and got pancakes.”
“He apparently might have a project for me,” I added. “Do you know his number?”
“I know how to contact him. Everyone does. He works on a lot of odd jobs for the town. Plumbing. Yard work. Whatever. He fixed a tile here once.”
“In theory,” I began, “I could lure him out with a job and then get to know him, ask him about the project?—”
“Or you could step outside.” Tammy pointed at the window. “He’s right there.”
I turned. True to her word, there was a tall man with tattoos walking down the sidewalk.
“I’m catching him now!” I turned to Henry. “Can you get me a?—”
“I know your whole order, buttercup. Go talk to Theo.”
“Thanks. Love you.”
“Love you too,” he said as I nearly ran out the door.
“Good luck!” Kelsey called.
“Hey,” I said as I stepped into Theo’s line of sight. “Theo, right?”
“Uh, yeah. Wren, right?”
I nodded. “Henry told me you asked if I was staying, and I am. And that you might have something for me to work on.”
“Oh,” he said. “Yeah, I might have something. It’ll take me a few months to get everything sorted, but it would be here on the square.”
“In one of the super dusty abandoned shops, right?”
“Yeah. Hopefully it’s not a problem.”
I laughed. “Oh no. Trust me, I love old things. And if I get to stay in the town I love? It’s even better. Why don’t we go into the diner and you can tell me all about it?”
“I have a job to get to. Something about installing a lock on the supply closet in the bar. Can I talk to you after?”
