I pulled into a parking lot across the street and sat a minute longer than I meant to.

I could remember the oil on his sleeves and the half-eaten sandwiches he brought home.

He used to save broken toy cars for Harper, fix their wheels, and insist she was his toughest customer.

Paige laughed at that.

Their house was never fancy, but love seemed to move easily through it.

The first time Ryan told me Paige’s father disliked him, he tried to make a joke of it.

“Apparently I need to be a doctor or a banker to qualify,” he said, reaching into the refrigerator for water.