MAX RETURNED WILLA’S SMILE. “HOW IS IT THAT OF ALL THE PLACES YOU MIGHT HAVE ENDED UP, YOU LIVE IN PLEASANT VALLEY, WITH THE HOFMANS?”

“You should smile more, Max. You’re quite handsome when you do.”

Then she focused on something behind him. Based on the sudden change in her mood, it must be Dan.

“You’d better get back, before his head explodes.” She turned, but only halfway. “I hope we’ll run into one another again ... so that I can answer the rest of your questions, of course.”

Of course? Max didn’t know how to interpret that, but he watched until she turned from the jobsite’s gravel drive onto the road.

“Oh, we will run into one another again, Willa Reynolds. You can count on it.”