The Mighty Quinns: Devin. Kate Hoffmann

apart,” he said.

      “It’s a noble goal,” she murmured.

      They sat silently after that, the swing creaking beneath them as they drank their coffee.

      He wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her, to find out if the attraction they’d acted upon last night was still as powerful in the morning light. But starting any kind of relationship would be complicated at best and dangerous at worst. Perhaps it was sensible to slow down and consider the consequences of a full-on affair with Elodie. Such as what she had to go back to.

      “What about you?” he asked. “You haven’t told me much about your life in New York.”

      “I managed an art gallery. I was involved with a sculptor. Very talented, but very...difficult.”

      “Involved?”

      “We lived together for the past three years. But five days ago I walked into our loft and found him in bed with someone other than me, so I packed my bags and came home. At least to the closest thing I still have to a home.”

      “Do you still love him?”

      Elodie smiled. “I’m not sure I ever did,” she murmured. “I’m actually happy it’s over. He was very high maintenance. Selfish.”

      “I’m glad you decided to come home,” he said.

      She sighed. “I don’t know what to do here. This house is just...overwhelming. There’s so much to fix and I can’t afford the maintenance. No one wants to buy it. I’m not sure the town will even take it if I try to give it to them.”

      “How would that work?”

      “I’d deed it to the town or the county. I’ve been trying to arrange that, but neither party seems interested.” She took another sip of her coffee. “I suppose I could always just set it on fire and collect the insurance.”

      Dev cleared his throat. “You do realize that you just admitted your intention to commit a felony to a law enforcement officer.”

      Elodie raised one brow and gave him a playful smile. “Are you going to arrest me? Put me in handcuffs and throw me into jail?”

      “Not unless you go through with your plan,” he said.

      “The truth is, I don’t want anything to happen to this house. I love this place. I’m just not sure I can keep it.”

      “There has to be something, some way for you to save it. We just have to find it.”

      “We?”

      “I’ll help you,” he offered. Dev didn’t want to seem too enthusiastic. Keeping her in town might be good for him, but if others like Jeb made more trouble, it would only hurt the town he loved.

      She nodded, then turned her attention to her coffee again. “I don’t want to take advantage of you,” she said. “I’ve only been here a day and you’ve been so generous. I have to start taking care of these things on my own.”

      “I’m sure you’re very capable,” he said. “But if you need help, you can always call me.”

      “Well, one last favor. Can you recommend someone to fix that window?” she asked.

      “Come on, let’s take a look. I may have just the person.”

      The screech of tires on the street caught their attention, and Dev watched as Jenna Baylor strode up the front walk, her damp hair pulled into a haphazard ponytail and her feet bare. Dev took a step toward her, but she held up her hand to ward him off.

      Dev wasn’t quite sure what she planned to do, but he could see the anger in her eyes. Would she attack Elodie or him? But in the end, she turned to her husband, crossing the veranda to stand in front of him.

      She kicked Jeb’s calf, and he jerked awake, rubbing his eyes against the early morning light. “What?” he mumbled.

      “Get up and get your sorry ass off this porch,” she said.

      “What? What are you doing here?”

      “I’m here to take you home. You threw a brick through a window. And now I’m going to have to work overtime to pay for your stupid behavior.” She kicked him again. “Stand up and get in that car. You need to spend more time looking for a job and less time drinkin’ away the day.”

      Jeb stumbled off the porch, rubbing his shin as he limped down the front walk. Jenna stopped in front of Dev. “I’m sorry about this. Of course, I’ll pay for the damage.”

      Elodie stepped out from behind Dev. “No,” she said. “It’s all right. There’s insurance on the house. I’ll just say one of the neighborhood kids did it. With a baseball.”

      Jenna took a deep breath, then nodded. “Thank you, Miss Winchester. I appreciate your generosity. And I’ll make sure he doesn’t turn up here again. You have my word on that.”

      “You can call me Elodie. And if he does show up again, I’ll call you directly.”

      Dev waited until the Baylors had driven off before he faced Elodie. “That was nice of you,” he said.

      “If I’m going to live here, I better try to repair some of the damage my father did before he left.”

      “Are you going to live here?” Dev asked.

      Elodie shrugged. “I don’t know. Not if people keep throwing bricks through my windows.”

      Dev slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her into a hug. But his radio interrupted his plans to steal a kiss.

      “Work calls,” she said.

      “I guess I better check in. But I’ll see you later. I should give you my number. Where’s your phone?” She handed him her cell and he entered his number into her phone book. “Call me if you have any more problems.”

      She took back her phone and gave him a wave as he walked out to the street. Dev paused at the cruiser and took a long look at her. Summer in Winchester had never appeared more beautiful, he mused.

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