Description

A leaking roof is the least of Molly Freytag's problems — until it becomes the trigger that brings everything she's buried to the surface. Haunted by wounds from Kandahar and sleepless nights that should be private, Molly's plans to stay solitary unravel when Harry, the town's taciturn guardian, shows up with a stack of second‑hand iron and an offer she can't refuse. As they strip rusty iron, fight an approaching southerly, and repair a compromised rafter, the physical labour becomes a crucible: muscle, sweat, and old stories hammered together into something stronger.

Every drilled bolt tightens more than timber. Past bombs, lost comrades, and an absent lover converge beneath the tin — forcing Molly to choose whether to defend the walls she's built or risk them for the uncertain shelter of another person. When the real storm hits, will she stay guarding her ghosts or open the door to the fragile, dangerous warmth of being seen?