Page 28 of Heating Up (Nugget)
“They’ve been great throughout this entire process,” she said. “I’m very appreciative.”
If Dana had to pay an architect, it would eat up a big chunk of her construction money, and Colin had a fantastic eye. He’d designed his and Harlee’s home and he made stunning furniture carried in stores throughout California.
“We look out for one another in this town.” Harlee glanced at Dana’s suit. “I know Grace put together a package for you, but if you need more clothes I have tons of outfits I never wear any more . . . things left over from my big-city reporting days. You’re welcome to come over to raid my closet. I think we’re about the same size.”
Dana blinked. It was such a generous offer. “Thank you. I might just do that.” She wouldn’t but was really quite staggered that Harlee had made the gesture.
Carol joined them and handed Harlee the printouts. “There are a couple of brand-new listings in there.”
“Great. More than half of my out-of-town readers subscribe for these.” Harlee waved the stack of sheets in the air. “So keep them coming.”
Carol laughed. “Hey, it’s working great for us too. Sales have never been better.”
“I’d better get going.” Harlee headed for the door and called over her shoulder to Dana, “Call me when you want to come over.”
“Will do.” After Harlee left, Dana turned to Carol. “That was really nice of her.”
“Harlee is a nice person and Darla is a doll. I always wondered why you weren’t more friendly with those girls.”
“I guess I’m more of a homebody.” What she was, was shy.
After Paul died, she’d retreated into herself. It was easier than making up excuses to her friends about her zombie parents. In college, she’d put all her energy into her studies. Now, she supposed, she did it with real estate.
“I’m taking off to preview some properties before tomorrow.” Dana grabbed her purse and a folder containing the information about the places she wanted to check out.
“Do you plan to bring Ms. Confidentiality to the office?”
“I’ll have to play it by ear. But if she wants to make an offer”—Dana crossed her fingers—“we’ll have to come back here.”
“Good luck and call me if you need any help.”
“I will,” Dana said. “Thanks, Carol.”
She got in her car and headed for the backroads, where most of the properties were. Some of the parcels had been for sale a long time, and Dana wanted to reacquaint herself with them. Others, especially the real remote ones, she’d never had reason to view before. But Ms. Confidentiality had made it clear she wanted off the beaten track. Dana assumed she needed a refuge from being a celebrity and her recent scandal.
Just as she pulled up to the first place, her cell phone rang. It was the client, with a change of plans.
* * *
After breakfast Aidan went to Reno. Except for the airport, he hadn’t seen much of the town but knew it was called the “Biggest Little City in the World.” He could kind of see why. It had just about everything, and legal gambling to boot. At some point he’d like to come back to check out the nightlife. For now, though, he just wanted to get his blackout shades, hit Costco, and get back to Nugget.
He found the Bed Bath & Beyond easily enough. Dana seemed to think they would have what he was looking for. Not for the first time, he wondered about the little scene he had witnessed between Dana and Griffin that morning. “Scene” was probably too strong a word for it. But there was something going on there. He could tell from Dana’s body language. She’d been upset, yet had tried to put on a brave face. Aidan noticed she did that sometimes. With the fire, when he’d gotten to Tawny’s house first, and then this morning with Griffin.
She was an odd little duck, that was for sure. He’d never seen someone get so hung up on trivial details.Who’s going to take out the trash?How should we sort the recyclables?Toilet seat up or down? He was still waiting for the bathroom schedule. Despite it, he found her highly entertaining and incredibly self-sufficient. And it certainly didn’t hurt that she was easy on the eyes.
Inside the store, he found the drapery aisle, and sure enough, they had exactly what he was looking for. He loaded a few shades into a cart and paid at the cash register. An hour later, he hit the highway back to Nugget, his truck filled with groceries. The scenery changed every few miles or so, from high desert to green forest. From his first visit, he’d felt an affinity for the land, so different from his native Midwest. His family was convinced he’d come to lick his wounds after the debacle with Sue. But for a long time he’d been thinking about change, about uprooting himself from a life that had become too predictable and staid.
At home, he put everything away and installed his shades, pulling them up and down to make sure they worked right. Closed, they cocooned the room in restful darkness. Yeah, he thought to himself, the place was definitely coming together.
After lunch he decided to get the remainder of his stuff from Sloane and Brady’s, making the quick drive across town. His sister was home, sitting in the living room, reading a wedding magazine, when he got there.
“You all moved in?” She got up from the couch and began waving her hand in front of his face.
“What the hell is the matter with you?”
“Nothing.” Again with the crazy hand movements.
“Don’t you have to work?” he asked.
