“What’s this?” She brushed a cobweb from his hair. “Getting a jump start on spring cleaning? You’re making great progress.”
“Thank Quinn. Spending the afternoon doing chores was his idea. Completely messed up my napping schedule. I was about to camp out on the couch when he came in from school. He noticed the chore list I’d been putting together. I’d left it on the kitchen table.”
The teen despised feeling like a charity case. Rae wished he’d accept their help with less fuss.
“How long is the list?” she asked.
“Two pages. I’d hoped we’d begin soon, maybe by the weekend. I didn’t expect him to get moving this fast.” Rubbing his back, Connor added, “The kid’s worried about paying us back. Or he wants to prove he can pull his own weight and isn’t looking for a free ride. Either way, he hasn’t stopped moving since he got home.”
“Dad, he’s our guest, not an indentured servant. Don’t let him go overboard. If he’s exhausted, how will he finish his homework tonight?” Rae peered through the gloom. “Where is he?”
“In one of the storage rooms. We were finishing up, and he decided to look around.” Leaning close, her father lowered his voice. “Lately the boy’s edgy. Have you noticed?”
“Not really. You see him more than I do. I haven’t spent much time with Quinn since we sprang his dog from prison.” Between work and duties for Night on the Square, her days were full. “At the moment, I’m more concerned about Yuna.”
“What’s wrong with Yuna?”
“She insists she’s fine. I don’t believe her.”
“What are you saying? Yuna’s dealing with a health issue she refuses to discuss?”
“I sure get that impression. If my best friend has a major health concern, would she hide it from me?” Rae didn’t want to entertain the notion. Yuna wasn’t just a friend. They were as tight as sisters—the inseparable kind. “There’s something going on, some reason she’s putting me on a guilt trip.”
“Don’t let your imagination run away with you. Who takes better care of herself than Yuna? I’ve never seen her eat so much as one potato chip. She’s got a real love affair with fresh fruits and vegetables. She’ll outlive the rest of us.” Her father eyed her closely. “What’s the guilt trip about?”
“Night on the Square. She wants me at the committee meetings, helping to make the weekly decisions and playing the role of her sidekick. A big ask. I’m totally not interested.”
“Your cowardly lion routine is getting old.” Connor lifted his shoulders. “No offense.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Stop wandering alone in the wilderness. I know you miss Lark—I miss her too. Which is beside the point. The grieving is hard, I get it. But you can’t stop living. Lark wouldn’t want that.”
“Probably not.”
“You’re in your prime, kiddo. Do you have any idea how fast middle age comes? Like a bullet train roaring down the tracks.” Her father sized her up in a manner indicating he found her lacking. A lost cause because she wasn’t having enough fun.
His silvered brows lowered. “Rae, I want to ask you something.”
A funny feeling warned her where this was going. “Oh, I wish you wouldn’t.”
“Get ready, because I’m asking.” He paused for effect. “When was the last time you enjoyed the pleasures of romance?”
She opened her mouth, then closed it again. Too long.
With ill-concealed pity, her father shook his head. “It’ll do you good, to get out more. What’s the harm in trying?”
“Gosh, I don’t know. Because I wouldn’t know where to begin?”
“Fair enough.” The admission that she’d even consider his advice put merriment on his features. “What about a dating site? Fill out your profile and see what happens. If you’re nervous about dipping your toe in the water, keep me posted. I’ll help by throwing you into the deep end. Yuna will help too.”
“I’m not ready for the deep end. With or without a life preserver.”
“Yes, you are. Which is why Yuna’s guilt-tripping you. It’s easier than kicking you in the keister. Although I’m sure she’d like to do that too.”
Insult and amusement vied for prominence in Rae’s heart. An improvement over the months of sadness, she decided.