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She followed him to the far corner of the barn. He’d cleared out enough space to set up a few large saws and a couple of work benches. Two well-used tool chests stood at the end of one bench. “Wow. Did you find all of this here? This is amazing.”

He nodded. “The table and miter saws are mine, but the benches and tables were here. At least one person had decent carpentry skills over the decades. Probably a bunch of people. Some of the hand tools look to be as old as the land.”

She heard the reverence in his voice and smiled. “Fox would definitely have approved of this. I feel like Jay would have as well.”

Ford nodded. “From everything I’ve heard, I agree. Those two would have appreciated good craftsmanship.”

“And that you’re wanting to use them, not to toss them and use new.”

Ford grinned. “More economical this way. And more fun. Okay, let’s pull up the plans of what we need for the Quack Mobile.”

Jolie laughed. “The Quack Mobile? That’s a fabulous name for the coop.”

He grinned and pulled up the plans on his phone. She set out the notebook they’d used the previous day with its notes and sketches.

Ford led the way through the barn, searching for plywood, boards, and paint. Soon they had everything they thought they’d need back at his workstation.

“What’s first?”

He pointed at the boards. “I think we should make a frame for the bottom first. That way we’ve got something sturdy to put the sides on and we can build up from there.”

She frowned, trying to visualize it. “The bottom has to be slanted, right? So that it’s easier to move.”

He pointed to the sketch he’d made the night before. “We’ll make the bottom frame level so it’s flat on the ground. We don’t want anything inside except the ducks and their water dish. Cutting the plywood on an angle will make it work with a slanted roof. And we’ll add the wheels in a way they don’t mess up the flat bottom.”

She nodded. “I guess with snow, it’s always better to have a roof with a slant.”

He nodded. “Definitely. Plus, if it was flat, it would be a good place for predators to spend time trying to get at the birds.”

She hadn’t thought of that aspect. Ford was worried about her birds. Another reason to fall for this man.

For the next while, they measured, measured again, cut, and drilled pieces together. Conversation flowed easily, and she found they had more interests in common than she’d expected. A wide range of musical interests, mystery books, no horror.

Ford shook his head. “I’ve seen enough bad shit for a lifetime. No need to add more nightmares to my psyche. But I love a good mystery. It’s always fun to seewho done it.”

“I don’t usually solve them before the detectives, but it’s fun to try.”

His eyes warmed. “Are you an Agatha Christie fan? We can pull up some movies based on her books.”

Snuggling on the couch, sharing a bowl of popcorn. Maybe a few kisses? “That sounds amazing.”

His eyes heated, and she wondered if some of her thoughts showed on her face. She realized she didn’t care if they did. They faced the same obstacles if things didn’t work out. But those obstacles no longer seemed big enough to matter.

The connection between them would be strong enough to conquer them. She hoped.

But she couldn’t bring herself to make the first move. Her history with men wasn’t great, and the thought of making a mistake with Ford was devastating.

“What is it? What’s wrong?”

His gruff voice caused shivers to roam her skin. It also caused her feet to step closer and her heart to melt. She might as well be honest. “I have a history of screwed up relationships.”

Ford’s eyes darkened, and he stepped closer as well. “Maybe you just haven’t found the right man.”

She smiled. “That part is definitely true. Liars and cheaters.”

This time, his eyes flared with anger. “Assholes.”

She nodded. “I know you’re not one of them.”