Chapter 6

Tyler gently lifted Toby’s head up and slipped out from under him. He stood and walked over to the stone fireplace and ran his hands along the carved wooden mantel. “Nice,” he murmured.

“Thanks. That’s the first thing I replaced when I bought the house a few months back.”

Tyler turned to face him, his mouth open. “You madethis?”

This time it was Matthew’s turn to feel his face heat up. “Yes. I’m a carpenter by trade. I make custom furniture. Rocking chairs, tables, chairs, and also things like mantels, shelving…things like that.”

“Wow, that’s…that’s amazing. I’ve never been…what’s the word…crafty?”

“That’s a good description, I suppose. My degree is in education, and I do some part-time work for the high school each year teaching basic woodworking skills. But my passion is building things.”