by Kathi Daley
“I like that. Is it okay if I use it?”
“Absolutely.”
I slid my hands into the front pockets of my denim jeans as I walked around the large, empty space. “So, the first floor would feature the kitchen, a large dining area for the guests, the main living area, which can be used as a common room, and I assume a guest bath, or at least a half bath, and a suite for the live-in cook and manager.”
Lonnie nodded. “In addition, you have that room at the front of the house that I think was initially a parlor. When I was working up my own plans for the house, I was going to use it as a game room. It’d be a perfect place to while away a cold winter’s day.”
I glanced into the room I’d passed but hadn’t explored. “I like that idea as well. The second and third floors would each have two suites, one on either side of the staircase. That would provide my guests with a lot of privacy, which I’m sure would be considered an added bonus.”
“Correct. Additionally, each floor has a large room in the center. The one on the second floor has floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, so I assume it was originally used as a library. It has an old stone fireplace you can play with to create a warm, cozy reading area for your guests.”
“Sounds wonderful. And the common room on the third floor?”
“It’s smaller and empty at this point. You can do whatever you want with it. Maybe an additional seating area? There’s a finished attic at the top of the stairs that’s packed with boxes and furniture Bodine moved out of the main part of the house when he was preparing to renovate but didn’t want to toss in the trash, like he did most of the old furniture that came with the house. It’ll take some work to go through all of it, but eventually that space will be usable as well.”
“A project for another day.”
Lonnie nodded, then looked around. “So, what do you think?”
I smiled. “I like it. Let’s go upstairs and take a look.”
By the time we completed our walk-through, it had begun to grow dark. Lonnie promised to work up a bid and get it to me in a couple of days. In the meantime, he volunteered to have the gas, electricity, and water turned on the following day, and to have a couple of his subcontractors come by to check everything out at my convenience. Having gas, water, and electricity would make life a whole lot easier, so I happily agreed to provide him with a key and to cover any cost incurred during the start-up.
“Thank you so much for coming by so quickly,” I said as we headed back down to the first floor. “I love your ideas. Between us, I think we’ll come up with something really special.”
“I agree. And I’m very grateful for the opportunity to bid on the project.”
I bent down and pet Sadie on the top of the head, which reminded me of my stowaway. “Before you go, there’s a cat that seems to have crept in and hidden away somewhere in the house. I don’t suppose you’d know how to get rid of him.”
Lonnie looked around. “We’ve been in every room and I haven’t seen a cat. Maybe it already left.”
“Maybe. I hope so.”
“If it shows up again and you need help moving it out, call me and I’ll come right over.”
“Thank you. I appreciate that. I’m not much of a cat person. In fact, I’ve never had a pet. Animals sort of freak me out.”
Lonnie glanced at Sadie. “I can leave her home next time.”
I glanced down at the dog, who was sitting at my feet quietly and politely. “No. Bring her along. Now that I’m living in the country, I need to get used to animals. Sadie here is so sweet. I think she’ll be a good dog to start with.” I patted her again. “I’ll look forward to seeing your bid.”
“Should have it in a couple of days.”
“Wonderful. I’ll walk you out.”
After Lonnie left, I made myself a sandwich, poured a glass of wine, and settled into my cozy little cottage to work on some design ideas I’d been playing with since Lonnie started me down the path of choosing colors, materials, and flow patterns. I couldn’t remember the last time I was this excited about anything. I looked around my little cottage and decided I definitely wanted to bring the feel of the sea inside, which meant a color pallet of shades of blue, gray, white, and maybe a touch of black for contrast. I closed my eyes and pictured gray walls trimmed in white. Maybe some white wainscoting in a few of the rooms, with black cabinets for contrast. The place was going to be amazing. And the main house…well, it had so much potential, I wasn’t sure where to start. I hoped my adequate but finite savings could take the hit. I’d used an inheritance from my grandmother to pay cash for the house and the land it sat on, so at least I didn’t have to worry about mortgage payments. I hadn’t published anything new since the accident, but the royalties I received from the books I’d written before my world had imploded were enough to get by, and I had the large payout from Ben’s life insurance. I’d be fine, I convinced myself, as I wandered over to the window and took in the amazing view of the moon mirroring the water. Simply breathtaking.
It was early still, and I couldn’t help but feel antsy. I’d bought a can of medium gray paint I thought I’d use in the master bedroom and bath. I found I had energy to burn, and the walls were in good shape, so they wouldn’t need to be sanded and stripped. I headed out to my SUV and grabbed the primer, ladder, and paint brush I’d purchased earlier in the day.
Once I had my supplies, I refilled my wineglass, put on some music, and began rolling on the primer. By the time the walls were ready for paint, I was more than ready for bed, so I decided to finish the next day. I felt content, something I hadn’t experienced for a very long time, even though it was the end of a long day that had come at the end of a very long year.
Chapter 3
For a brief moment, before I woke fully, I imagined the weight on my chest to be Ben’s arm as he cuddled next to me for a few minutes of intimacy before we went our separate ways. I smiled in my state of drowsiness before I opened my eyes and saw a pair of dark green eyes framed by an orange furry face staring back at me. Oh God. I closed my eyes, fighting off the devastation I knew would only cripple me. I should have been prepared for the lingering sorrow, but somehow I wasn’t. It was always the worst early in the morning, when a state of half wakefulness allowed me to forget for a brief moment that my entire life had been shattered in the instant it took for a car to swerve into oncoming traffic, killing both Ben and our infant son instantly. It was such a random occurrence, and yet it had forever changed not only my life but that of my husband, who was much too young to die, my son, who had never been given the chance to live, and that of those who knew and loved the funny man I had fallen in love with and married.
“How did you get in here?” I asked the huge cat after opening my eyes once again.
“Meow.”
“I see.” I looked around the smaller bedroom, where I’d set up my air mattress while I painted the master. “It seems you’re quite resourceful, but it’s time to get up, which means you have to move.”
The cat, who had to weigh at least twenty-five pounds, began to purr but didn’t seem inclined to climb off my chest as I’d requested.
“I’m sure you’re comfy, and I guess I don’t blame you for not wanting to get up given the fact that it’s freezing in here, but I have a ton of work to get done today, starting with figuring out where you came from and who you belong to.”
The cat nudged his head under my chin as he began to purr even louder.
“It’s not going to work. I don’t like cats. We’re unmixy, like oil and water. Ask anyone.”
The cat rolled over onto his back, as if inviting me to give his belly a scratch.
“Sorry, but I don’t do belly rubs. Now, move on over so I can climb out of this sleeping bag.”
You’d think a sleeping bag tossed over an air mattress would provide a fairly comfortable alternative to a bed, but as it turned out, they didn’t quite provide the good night’s sleep you’d hope it would. In fact, I felt as if I’d slept on a pile of
rocks. Once I managed to free myself from the confines of the sleeping bag, I pushed my fingers into my lower back, pulled on a sweatshirt, then made my way into the bathroom, where I used bottled water to wash my face and brush my teeth. That accomplished, I realized the most important thing I needed to do next was to find coffee. I pulled on a pair of jeans, stuffed my feet into a pair of Nikes, pulled a brush through my hair, and made my way out of the little cottage to my SUV. I glanced back at the cat, who was sitting on the front porch where I’d left him. I felt a twinge of guilt at leaving him behind, but it wasn’t like he was a dog and would enjoy a ride in the car. Cats hated cars. Didn’t they?
Grumbling under my breath, I climbed out of the SUV and opened the back door. “If you want to come, hop in.”
To say I was shocked when the cat trotted across the dirt drive and got into the back seat was putting it mildly. Maybe the creature was some sort of a cat/dog hybrid. It would certainly explain his size.
Thankfully, I didn’t have to search too hard for the life-sustaining black liquid that kicked my motor into Drive each morning. The second small business on the left-hand side of the road after pulling onto Christmas Avenue from Halloween Drive was a welcoming coffee shop that advertised “the best biscuits and gravy in town.” I pulled over and parked on the street. “You’re going to need to wait here. I’m going in to grab some breakfast. I doubt they allow cats. If you’re good and don’t pee on my floor or shred my seats with those huge claws of yours, I’ll bring you something. Do you like sausage?”
“Meow.”
“Okay, sausage it is. Now remember, this car needs to be in the same shape it is now when I come back. If it isn’t, you won’t get the sausage.”
The cat jumped onto the front seat, curled into a ball, and settled in for a nap. Maybe he’d behave himself and I hadn’t made a huge mistake by bringing him along.
“Have a seat anywhere,” the only waitress, a tall woman with gray hair, instructed.
“Do you have a ladies’ room?”
“Second door down the hallway at the back of the building.”
I headed down the hallway. I was definitely going to need to get my water turned on today, if nothing else. The urge to take a sponge bath was strong, but I settled on washing my hands and splashing water onto my face. I returned to the front and took a seat near the window, where I could keep an eye on my car and the cat I had left inside it.
“Coffee?” asked the woman, whose nametag read Velma. I realized the name of the café was Velma’s, so she must actually be the owner.
“Please,” I answered as I looked around the warm and cozy space, decorated with fall leaves, pumpkins, and corn stalks.
“We have a breakfast special that includes two eggs, hash browns, sausage, and toast for two ninety-nine, or you can order off the menu.”
“I’ll take the special,” I answered. I could save the sausage for the cat.
“Want me to leave a pot?” Velma, who wore a pink uniform that looked like it belonged in the sixties, nodded at the urn of coffee from which she’d poured my mug.
“Please.”
She set the urn down. “I’ll have your breakfast right out.”
Velma called into the kitchen for the special, then went over to the hostess station to answer the phone. I took several long sips of the surprisingly tasty coffee, then took out my phone. If I didn’t want to spend another uncomfortable night, I was going to need to accomplish a few things today. Number one was to confirm with Lonnie that he’d been able to get my power and water turned on. I assumed the power and water companies would need to speak to me personally, but Lonnie assured me that he “knew people” and would be able to handle everything with a couple of phone calls. I hoped he was right. Number two on my list was definitely going to be buying a bed. I doubted there was a furniture store in town, but I’d looked it up and it appeared there was a decent-size one less than an hour away. And then there was the cat. The cat I absolutely wasn’t going to keep, yet hated to kick out into the cold. If I wasn’t able to get him back to his rightful owner right off the bat, I’d need to buy him some food and a litter box.
“Excuse me,” I said to Velma as she walked by.
“You need something, sugar?”
I tucked a lock of my unruly brown hair behind my ear. “I recently purchased the old house on the bluff, and when I arrived yesterday, a huge orange cat walked right in and made himself at home. I don’t suppose you know who he belongs to?”
“Huge orange cat? About twenty-five pounds?”
I nodded. “That would be him. I’d like to get him back to his owner.”
“Can’t.”
I raised a brow. “I can’t? Why not?”
“He’s dead. Grange has been gone about a month now. I wondered what happened to Rufus. I’m glad to hear he’s okay.”
“Rufus is the name of the cat?”
The woman nodded. “I’ve been worried about him. I’m glad he found someone to watch out for him.”
“But I can’t keep him,” I asserted.
The woman crossed her arms over her ample chest. “Why not?”
Yeah, Abby, why not? “I’m not really much of a cat person. And I’ve just moved in. I don’t even have running water and electricity yet.”
“Rufus has been living in the woods for the past month. I don’t think he’s gonna care about running water or electricity.”
I supposed she had a point. “But what about the part about my not being a cat person?”
“Seems Rufus doesn’t care much about that either.” Velma glanced out at my car. “He with you?”
I nodded.
“Well, bring him in. I’ll fix him up something real nice for breakfast. He can eat in the mudroom and you can get him on your way out.”
“Are you sure?”
“I never say anything I’m not sure of. Now, run on out and get him. I’ll scramble him up some eggs. They’re his favorite.”
Who would have figured that of all the things I hoped to find in Holiday Bay, a car-riding, egg-eating cat would be the first thing to turn up? Although, technically, I guess he’d found me.
Chapter 4
When we left the diner, Rufus and I headed toward the nearby town, where I hoped the furniture store I’d looked up had a bed in stock and was willing to deliver it, hopefully today. That might be a long shot, especially given the fact that I lived almost an hour away, but it couldn’t hurt to ask. I turned the radio to a rock station and turned up the volume. It was a lovely winter day, cold but sunny, and I was enjoying the drive down the coast.
This part of the coastline, with its rugged, rocky appeal, must be lovely in the summer. I could almost picture large sailboats with white sails gliding smoothly over the bright blue water as the sun shone down, creating little sparkles on the surface. One of the things I’d loved most about living in San Francisco was being close to the ocean. Of course, we lived several miles off the actual coast, so the time I’d spent enjoying the beach and the water was significantly less than it was going to be in my new home. I wondered where the nearest beach would be. Maybe I’d ask someone along the way. Winter was just getting underway, so it wasn’t as if I was going to make use of a beach right away.
As I neared the town, both small shops and big-lot stores began to appear. I made a mental note of where some of the big-lot stores I’d need when I opened the inn were located. I slowed a bit and looked for the sign for the furniture store I’d been told would announce its presence. I turned on my turn signal and slowed even more as the sign came into view.
I glanced at Rufus as I pulled into a parking spot near the entrance to the warehouse-style store. “You need to wait here. I’m going to see if this store will deliver a bed to the guesthouse. I shouldn’t be long.”
“Meow.” As he had before, the cat curled up and went to sleep. If the cat was going to stay, I’d need a cat bed in addition to a person one. Did furniture stores sell cat beds?
Thankfully,
this store was great. Not only did it have a large supply of beds, but it offered same day delivery and was willing to haul whatever I bought all the way out to Holiday Bay for a price. I stretched out on half the beds there before choosing a memory foam mattress I’d been assured would work perfectly with the hardwood bedframe I picked out.
“I’m going to want the matching dresser, wardrobe, and nightstands as well,” I said to the salesman who was happily totaling my purchases. “Do you sell cat beds by any chance?”
“Cat beds?”
“Yes. Beds for cats. Do you sell them?”
“No. But there’s a pet supply store about a half mile down the road.”
“Thanks. These items will do for now.” My eyes brushed over a huge dining table that would need to be refinished but would be perfect for the dining area in the main house. “Is this table an antique?”
“It is. I bought it at an estate sale. It’ll seat eighteen.”
I ran my hand over the dark wood. I didn’t need a table that would seat eighteen, at least not yet, but the table was magnificent. “Will it fit in your truck with my bed and other furniture?”
He nodded. “Several of the leaves can be removed. It’ll still be a large table, but I’d like to find it a good home, so we’ll make it fit.”
“Okay, then. I’ll take the table as well.”
“It doesn’t come with chairs.”
I shrugged. “That’s okay. I can get chairs later.”
Rufus was still napping on the front passenger seat when I returned to my SUV. He sat up as I slid into the driver’s seat. “We have a bed,” I announced. I considered heading down the street to the pet store to find a cat bed, but deep down, I knew that cat would end up in my bed. Of course, I still needed cat food and a litter box, so a trip to the pet store was in the cards anyway. And, as long as I was shopping, I could use some sheets, blankets, and pillows too.
As I drove through town looking for a home goods store, I tried to envision light gray sheets and pillowcases with a dark gray comforter. The gray would look good against the dark wood of the bed. Maybe some throw pillows in varying shades of dark and light blue to add contrast. And an accent piece in black to provide a pop to the setting.
