The back door to the salon was wide open, and Nick stood with his back to her, his feet wide apart, a tool belt slung low across his hips. Hed pulled on a pair of leather work gloves, and the drill lay silent just inside the salon. A circular hole had been cut in the door, and he was in the process of removing the old handle. He looked up as she approached, his gray eyes touching her everywhere.

“I brought you coffee, she said and held a mug toward him.

He bit the middle finger of the glove and pulled his hand out. He shoved the glove in the pocket of his jacket and reached for the coffee. “Thanks. He blew into the mug and looked at her over the steam. “Its only October, what are you going to do in December when the snows up around your little butt? he asked, then took a drink.

“Freeze to death. She set the thermos by the door. “But I suppose thats good news for you.

“Hows that?

“Then you inherit my share of Henrys estate. She straightened and wrapped her hands around her mug. “Unless of course Im buried here in Truly without ever leaving town. Then things might get a little dicey. But if you want, you can throw my body outside the city limits. She thought for a moment, then added a stipulation, “Just dont let any animals chew on my face. Id really hate that.

One corner of his mouth lifted. “I dont want your share.

“Yeah, right, she scoffed. How could any sane person not want part of an estate worth serious cash? “You were pretty ticked off the day Henrys will was read.

“So were you.

“Only because he was manipulating me.

“You havent a clue.

She sipped her coffee. “What do you mean?

“Never mind. He set his mug next to the thermos and shoved his hand back inside his glove. “Lets just say I got exactly what I wanted out of Henry. I got property any builder would cough up a gonad to own, and I got it free and clear. He fished around in the pouch of his tool belt for a screwdriver.

Not quite free and clear, she thought. Not yet anyway. He had to wait a year just like she did. “So you werent angry that you only got two pieces of property, and I got his businesses and money?

“No. He removed a screw and tossed it in the box to his right. “You and your mother are welcome to the headache.

She didnt know if she believed him. “What does your mother think of Henrys will?

His gaze cut to hers then returned to the door handle. “My mother? Why do you care what my mother thinks? he asked as he removed both knobs and threw them in the box.

“I dont really, but she looks at me like I mutilated her cat. Sort of furious and disdainful at the same time.

“She doesnt have a cat.

“You know what I mean.

He used the screwdriver to pry out the latch bolt. “I guess I know what you mean. He reached for the new part and removed it from its packaging. “What do you expect her to think? Im her son, and youre the neska izugarri .

“What does neska iz — izu , whatever mean?

He laughed silently. “Dont take it personal, but it means youre a horrible girl.

“Oh. She took a drink of coffee and looked at her feet. She guessed being called a “horrible girl wasnt too bad. “Ive been called worse, of course usually in English. She glanced back at Nick and watched him screw the shiny new knobs in place. “I always wanted to be bilingual so I could swear and my mother wouldnt know it. Youre lucky.

“Im not bilingual.

A chilly breeze picked up the ends of Delaneys hair and she burrowed deeper inside her coat. “You speak Basque.

“No I dont. I understand a few words. Thats about it.

“Well, Louie does.

“He knows as much as I do. Nick bent down and picked up a dead bolt. “We understand a little because my mother speaks Basque with her relatives. She tried to teach us Euskara and Spanish, but we really werent interested. Mostly Louie and I know swear words and body parts because we looked them up in her dictionary. He glanced at Delaney, then shoved the dead bolt through the hole hed drilled in the door. “The really important stuff, he added.

“Louie calls Lisa his sweetheart in Basque.

Nick shrugged. “Then maybe he knows more than I thought he did.

“He calls her something like alu gozo .

Nick chuckled deep in his chest and shook his head. “Then hes not calling her sweetheart .

Delaney leaned forward and asked, “So, what is he really calling her then?

“No way am I telling you. He dug in the pouch of his tool belt for screws then clamped two between his lips.

She fought an urge to punch him. “Come on. You cant leave me hanging.

“Youd tell Lisa, he muttered around the screws, “and get me in trouble with Louie.

“I wont tell—pleeaase, she wheedled.

A chirping from the vicinity of Nicks chest stopped her pleas. He spit out the screws and bit the middle finger of his glove again. Then he reached inside his jacket and pulled out a slim cell phone. “Yeah, its Nick, he answered and shoved his glove into his pocket. He listened for a minute, then rolled his eyes skyward. “So when can he get out there? He wedged the phone between his shoulder and ear and continued securing the dead bolt. “Thats too damn late. If he doesnt want to sub with us, he needs to say so, otherwise he better get his ass, and his PVC, on the job no later than Thursday. Weve been lucky so far with the weather, and I dont want to push it. He talked of square feet and board feet and Delaney didnt understand any of it. He fastened the strike plate to the door frame then shoved the screwdriver into his tool belt one last time. “Call Ann Marie, and shell give you the numbers on that. It was either eighty or eighty-five thousand, Im not sure. He pressed the off button on the cell phone, then slipped it back beneath his jacket. He dug around in the front pocket of his jeans, then handed her a set of keys. “Try it, he ordered as he stepped into the salon and slid the latch bolts into place.

When she did as he requested, both locks opened easily. She retrieved Nicks coffee mug and the thermos from the ground and entered the back of the shop. With her hands full, she kicked the door shut and walked into the storage room. Nicks tool belt and jacket sat on the counter next to the microwave. His drill lay on the floor still plugged into the socket, but he was nowhere to be seen.

From behind the closed bathroom door, she heard the toilet flush as she shucked out of her coat and gloves. She hung them on the coat rack by the door, then grabbed a fresh cup of coffee for herself and hurried to the front of the salon. For some weird reason, standing across the hall while Nick used her bathroom made her feel like a voyeur, like the time shed hidden behind a display of sunglasses at the Value Rite and watched him buy a box of a dozen—large, ribbed for her pleasure— condoms. Hed been about seventeen.

Delaney opened her appointment book and stared at the blank page. Shed had her share of boyfriends, and theyd certainly used her bathroom. But for a reason she couldnt explain to herself, it was different with Nick. More personal.. . almost intimate. As if he were her lover instead of the guy whod provoked her most of her life, then used her to get back at Henry.

She heard the door to the bathroom open, and she took a long sip of coffee.

“Did you try the front door? he asked, the heels of his boots thudding on her linoleum as he walked toward her.

“Not yet. She glanced over her shoulder at him and watched his approach. “Thanks for the new locks. How much do I owe you?

“It works. I already checked it for you, he said instead of answering her question. He stopped beside her, then leaned his hip into the counter next to her right elbow. “That was on the floor when I changed the front lock, he said and pointed to an envelope lying on the top of the cash register. “Someone must have slipped it beneath your door.