by Aurora Rey
“You do realize that makes no sense. And on top of that, Graham is an adult.”
There was little Nora hated more than feeling irrational. “Well, what’s done is done and I’m going to get some rooms painted in the process. Can we get back to the show now?”
Heidi nodded, but Martha gave her a serious stare. “I think you should focus less on how you think things should be and more on how they are. Or even how they could be.”
Nora returned the intense look with a bland one. “That’s very profound, Martha. Thank you.”
Martha smiled smugly. “You’re welcome.”
Heidi led the way and they filed back into the living room. After the sixth episode, they decided to order Chinese. By the time Nora headed home, she felt stuffed, lazy, and content. Even if her mind kept wandering back to Will and what it would be like having her in the house for days at a time.
* * *
Will hefted what felt like the millionth box and carried it down the ramp of the moving truck. She passed Darcy on the short path into the house and smiled. “Just the mattress left.”
“Hurray.” Darcy lifted her arms and waved them feebly.
Will carried the box into the house and set it in the corner of the living room. Emerson jogged down the stairs and the two of them walked out to the truck. They found Darcy wrestling with a queen sized mattress. “Not a one person job,” Emerson called to her.
“I know.” She’d managed to pull it forward and against her, which muffled the sound of her voice.
Will and Emerson climbed into the truck and went to either end of the mattress. “Why don’t you go check on Liam and your parents?”
“Excellent idea.” Darcy stepped back. “Are you two sure you have it?”
“We’re fine.” Will was beat, but with the end in sight, she had a surge of energy. “Home stretch.”
She and Emerson maneuvered the mattress down the ramp and into the house. The stairs proved trickier, as they had to fold it over slightly to round the corner. Still, they got it into the master bedroom and set it on the box spring that had been brought up earlier. Emerson took a deep breath. “Thanks. I thought we might not make it for a second.”
Will laughed. “Right?”
Darcy came in, followed by Liam. Darcy’s parents stood in the doorway. Darcy eyed the bed. “Is that it?”
Emerson nodded and Will swept a hand around the room. “Congratulations, you guys. You’re officially moved in.”
“Yes!” Liam ran the rest of the way into the room and flung himself onto the unmade bed. He flopped onto his back and spread his arms wide. “I’m exhausted.”
“Who wants pizza?” Darcy asked.
Liam, who’d done his fair share of carrying things after getting out of school, popped up without a second of hesitation. “I do.”
Emerson turned to Darcy. “If you call it in, Will and I will return the truck and pick it up.”
Darcy leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. “Deal.”
Will and Emerson put the truck back together and piled into the front seat. Emerson started the engine and Will let out a big sigh. “I wish I had Liam’s energy.”
Emerson laughed. “You and me both. I can’t thank you enough for helping today.”
“You say that like there’s a chance I wouldn’t.”
“You know what I mean.”
Will propped an elbow against the window and looked at Emerson. “I do, but one of my favorite things about moving here is stuff like this. Holidays and family dinners are nice, but I’m really in it for—”
“The manual labor?” Emerson turned onto Route 6 toward Truro.
“Being there for each other. That really feels like family to me.”
“See, that’s really nice. I’m sorry I teased you.”
They drove the short distance to the service station that doubled as a U-Haul rental and traded it for Emerson’s car. Then they stopped by the pizza place Liam insisted was the best. By the time they got back to the house, Darcy’s parents were gone and Liam lay flopped on the sofa.
“They were going to stay for dinner, but I could tell they were toast. As much as they love our company—”
“And pizza,” Liam interjected.
“And pizza. I offered them the chance to call it a day and they jumped on it.”
Emerson turned to Will. “I’m sorry. I should have said the same to you.”
Will shook her head. “You won’t get rid of me that easy. I’m starved.”
Liam hefted himself from the couch and darted over to give her a high five. “I like the way you think.”
They ate pizza on paper towels with cans of soda. Will had to laugh because Liam was clearly in hog heaven. She thought back to the days when life was that simple. After two slices, Liam began to fade. His eyes got droopy and he kept jerking himself awake.
“How about we call it an early night?” Darcy asked.
Liam nodded. “Yeah.”
“I could put your sleeping bag on your bed instead of sheets. It’ll be like camping, and you can wait until tomorrow for a bath.”
“Yes!”
Emerson smiled at them. “If you do that, I’ll clean up here and unearth the coffee pot for the morning.”
Darcy smiled. “You have the best ideas.”
Emerson stood and Will followed her into the kitchen. “Let me help you unpack some essentials. There’s nothing worse than rifling in boxes when you’re trying to put a meal together.”
“I’m no dummy. I’m not going to refuse the help.” They started with Darcy’s boxes. First, because she had all the makings of a functional kitchen. Second, because all of her boxes were neatly labeled KITCHEN. “Remember how I said I could float you some money if things got tight over the winter?”
“Yeah.” Will had no intention of taking her up on it, but she still appreciated the offer.
“I’d like to amend that. I might have a couple of odd jobs around here you could help me with and I’d insist on paying you for your time.”
“I’m always happy to help. Free of charge. You’re my sister and you’ve helped me more times than I can count.”
“Eureka.” Emerson pulled out the coffee pot and set it on the counter. “We’ve helped each other.”
Will angled her head to one side. “Let’s be honest, you’re generally much more together than I am.”
“Maybe, but you’ve always been better with your hands.”
Will wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. “So I’ve heard.”
Emerson rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean.”
“I do.” For all Emerson’s talent as an artist, she did not do well with other tools or media. She’d once attempted to assemble an IKEA desk on her own and it was so mangled, Will had to take it all apart and start over. “What kinds of projects?”
“Every room will have to be painted and Darcy has convinced me we can reface the kitchen cabinets and replace the counters ourselves.”
“She’s probably right. I led a workshop on refacing cabinets at the store once.”
“You did?”
“The regular guy was sick. I had his notes. It’s really minimal carpentry. Take off old doors, paint or refinish the frames, put on new doors.”
Emerson chuckled. “You make it sound easy.”
“It’s way easier than replacing them.” Will looked around. The cabinets looked tired, but sturdy. “We can totally handle it.”
“How do you feel about making a loft bed? Liam wants his to be raised so he can have a giant desk underneath.”
“Of course he does.” The more she got to know Liam, the more he reminded her of Emerson as a kid. “If we find a good set of plans, I’m sure we can handle it.”
“Okay, see, now I’m getting excited. Please let me pay you so you’ll have enough time to help me with these things. I can work around your job at the inn and any others you take on.”
The idea of spending much of the winter with Emerson, and the rest of it with N
ora and Graham, had major appeal. “Modest payment. Maybe. Just so I can eat well. Do you have tools?”
Emerson cringed. “Not really. I know I’ll have to buy a few. I’m also thinking I can borrow some from Darcy’s dad.”
“Perfect. Well, my weekends are free.” She tapped a knuckle on one of the cabinet doors. “How about I come over next week and take a closer look at these guys?”
“That would be great.”
“And we can take some measurements in Liam’s room. That way, I can start doing some research into possible plans.”
Emerson smiled. “You do that and I’ll make lunch.”
“And by make, do you mean warm up something delicious that Darcy brought home from work?”
Emerson nodded without hesitation or shame. “Yes. Yes, I do.”
“Then I’m in.”
“Excellent.”
“You do own a tape measure, right?”
“In one of these boxes?” Emerson smiled sheepishly. “I’m pretty sure there’s one in Darcy’s tool box.”
Will narrowed her eyes. “It’s pink, isn’t it?”
Emerson shrugged. “I plead the fifth.”
“So, we’ll also do an inventory of tools and make a list of what you need. Then you can decide what to buy and what to borrow.”
“You’re so efficient.”
Will chuckled at the descriptor. It wasn’t one Emerson usually used for her. “I have my moments.”
When she got home, Will took a shower and climbed into bed with her computer. Although the kitchen was probably the priority, she started looking at plans for building loft beds. As long as Liam didn’t want any fussy detail work, they could build some really cool setups. She bookmarked a few she liked, including a couple of different desk and shelf configurations underneath.
She wasn’t opposed to painting, but she hoped Nora had something similar in mind. Not a loft bed, obviously, but something special that would let Will show off her skills. At this point, she’d take pretty much anything that would make Nora think highly of her.
Chapter Six
The night before her first day at Nora’s, Will set her alarm to go off extra early, but still woke before it went off. She dressed quickly, had a cup of coffee and a package of Pop-Tarts. Then she paced back and forth between the kitchen and living room, not wanting to be awkwardly early. Why was she nervous?
She rolled her eyes, knowing exactly why she was nervous. She was about to spend the entire day with Nora. Okay, that was probably a bit of an overstatement. She was going to spend the day with Graham, working at Nora’s house. But she was certain to spend more time with Nora today than she had previously. Add to that, she’d be doing work for Nora. Even though Nora had agreed to hire her, Will got the feeling she’d done so under duress, or at least nudging from Graham.
She didn’t want to be some hapless seasonal worker relying on the generosity of others to be able to support herself. And she most definitely didn’t want one of those others to be Nora. Will hadn’t figured out why, but she had a suspicion that Nora didn’t like her. An extra degree of coolness in her eyes when Nora looked at her, maybe, or the reserved way she spoke.
Not that the coolness or reservation on Nora’s part made Will any less attracted to her. If anything, it heightened it. It probably wasn’t healthy if the attraction stemmed from the fact that Nora didn’t seem too keen on her. Will shook her head. No, she’d found Nora striking the moment she laid eyes on her. Sure, the aloofness might have made her even more appealing, but at least it wasn’t the cause.
God, how pathetic. Will had never been skilled at picking relationships. She had a penchant for older women, women who seemed sophisticated and confident. Not that there was anything wrong with that, but those same women never seemed to see her as an equal. That left her either admiring from afar or always scrambling to keep up. Or, in the case of Kai, letting herself get pushed around. And now here she was, obsessing over a woman at least ten—maybe more like fifteen—years older than her who was the aunt of her good friend. She wondered vaguely what was wrong with her.
She didn’t wonder for long. A glance at the clock on the microwave told her that she’d paced and processed for close to twenty minutes and now ran the risk of being late. She grabbed her things and headed out.
On the walk to Failte, the wind gusted, causing dead leaves to swirl on the street. It might be sunny, but the warmth of early fall had vanished. Will zipped her jacket and stuffed her hands in her pockets, wishing she’d poured the last of the coffee into a travel mug. Maybe Nora would have some and share.
Will reached the front gate, thinking of the first time she’d been there. It felt longer ago than the few weeks that had actually passed. Even with most of the bushes and vines hibernating until spring, it looked inviting and well-tended. The crushed shell path crunched under her boots. At the front door, she hesitated again. Since guests of the inn came and went freely, it seemed weird to knock. Of course, strolling in unannounced did, too.
Before she could settle on one or the other, the large wooden door swung open. Graham smiled at her from the other side. “Hi.”
“Hi.”
“I thought it was you coming up the walk. Come on in.”
Will followed her into the foyer. “Are you ready to get to work?”
“Can’t we have a cup of coffee first?” Graham’s tone was playful.
Will breathed in the aroma. Yes, she definitely wanted a cup. “I think it’s considered better to work first and earn a coffee break.”
Graham shook her head. “Who knew you’d be such a task master?”
“I know she’s your aunt, but I’m still trying to make a good impression.” Will didn’t add that she wanted Nora to think of her as more than just Graham’s friend.
Graham angled her head and gave Will a puzzled look, as though such a thought had never occurred to her. “Yeah, okay. Sure.”
Great. Now she was the killjoy. “I just mean—”
“I appreciate your diligence.” Nora appeared from the dining room.
Will cleared her throat, feeling even more awkward at having been overheard. “Good morning.”
Nora dried her hands on a towel and offered a smile that was, if not warm, kind. “Good morning. I promise that I will judge you on the quality of your work, not how many cups of coffee you drink.”
Will blushed. Yep, awkward. “Thanks.”
“In fact, why don’t I pour three cups that we can take upstairs while we discuss the work to be done?”
Graham leaned over and kissed Nora on the cheek. “You’re the best.”
Will, though tempted to do the same, refrained. “I really do appreciate the sentiment, and the coffee.”
Nora looked her up and down and nodded before turning around and heading back to the kitchen. Will couldn’t be sure, but it felt like she might have just passed a test. She took a deep breath and stuck her hands in her pockets.
“Relax. She’s sweet.”
Will nodded. Not the word she would use. Not that Nora couldn’t have a sweet side, but that’s not what Will saw when she looked at her. Or wanted to see, really. She liked Nora’s perfect posture and reserved air. Almost as much as she liked to think about what might be simmering below the surface. And what it would be like to tap into that, to have it directed at her. For the second time, Will cleared her throat.
“Do you need some water or something?”
Will laughed. Fortunately, Graham didn’t have a window into her thoughts. “I’m okay, thanks.”
Graham rolled her eyes. “You need to relax.”
Ha. If only it was that simple. “Yes, ma’am.”
Graham opened her mouth, probably to protest being called ma’am, but was interrupted by Nora calling to them from the kitchen. “Will, how do you take it?”
Will sighed. In another life, she might turn the question into playful banter or, even better, open flirtation. Another life. “Black is fine for me. Thanks.”
&
nbsp; Graham crinkled her nose. “You and Aunt Nora are two peas in a pod.”
Nora emerged with three cups and handed one to each of them. Will peered into Graham’s cup, its contents light enough to be tea. “Is that even half coffee?”
“Shut up.” Graham nudged her in the ribs.
Nora led the way upstairs and into a bedroom. All of the furniture appeared to be antique and lovingly cared for. The decor was elegant, if dated. It would appeal, perhaps, to an older traveler, but could stand a good freshening up. Of course, that might be Nora’s style. “So, what are you thinking?”
Nora walked to the center of the room. “The floors are in decent enough shape that I’m not going to do anything with them. The furniture is as well. But I haven’t redecorated since I opened ten years ago, so I’m going for a full update.”
“Nice,” Graham said. Will nodded.
“I’ve already picked out new bedding and rugs. Window treatments. Your job will be to move the furniture to the center of the room, remove wallpaper, and paint.”
Nora had said as much when she offered Will the job. Even if part of her had hoped for something more involved, the other part was relieved. Simple projects were harder to mess up. And as much as she liked Graham, Will had the feeling she hadn’t done much in the way of DIY. “Do you have the paint already?”
Nora looked around the room. “I’ve got the color picked, but I’m waiting to see the condition of the walls before I buy. I’m hoping we can do paint and primer in one.”
“Good call.”
“The thing is that the room is booked for this coming weekend. I need to know if you can do all the work in three days.”
Will glanced at Graham, who looked nervous all of a sudden. Will smiled. She could do it alone in that amount of time. As long as Graham was even minimally helpful, they’d be fine. “Not a problem. We’ll get the walls stripped and prepped today. Can you get the paint by tomorrow morning? Or give me the specifics and I can pick it up?”
Nora waved a hand. “I’ll go out this afternoon once you decide on the state of things.”
