Page 65 of Surly Sheriff
“Making a huge open plan living area.”
“Yeah.”
She walked into the kitchen. “Urgh. It’s awful, Beau,” she said, turning in a circle. “An avocado nightmare.”
Dark green tiles with vegetable motifs on the walls. Green and white vinyl tiles on the floor. Steel cabinets in green and white. And yeah, green appliances.
“Same color as Esmeralda.”
She shot him a dirty glare.
“It needs to be gutted,” he admitted.
She opened a door and peered inside. “Pantry.”
He didn’t mention the trapdoor to the storm shelter. The house had no basement, but there was a reinforced cellar spanning the pantry and mudroom with entries to the crawlspace beneath the rest of the house. “Here’s the mudroom.” He walked in and pointed to the various doors. “Side entranceto driveway. Half-bath. Access to the garage.” He led Rae back through the green abomination into the center hallway.
She looked up the stairwell as Kismet’s barking turned frantic. “Best we go see what’s bugging the dog,” she said and climbed the stairs.
They soon found the source of Kismet’s distress. It was a grey field mouse cornered in a bedroom closet.
“Quiet,” Beau commanded. The barks turned to whines.
“Oh, the poor thing,” Rae whispered.
Beau thought she meant the dog, but she tugged Kismet away and dropped to her knees, deftly scooping the little creature into her cupped hands. “It’s petrified,” she whispered, stroking a finger across the back of the mouse.
He blinked, staring at the woman. Rae was full of surprises. He stepped forward. “Give it to me. I’ll take it outside.”
“Promise you won’t kill it.”
“Promise.”
Beau made a mental note to call the exterminators the following day while depositing the rodent in the garden. On his way back in, he closed the doors to the library. He, too, hated that room now.
He found her at the top of the stairs, slouching against a wall.
“The laundry is on this level,” she said, straightening. “Which I guess is practical, but I think another bathroom makes more sense. Would there be space in the garage for the washer and dryer?”
He smiled for the first time since entering the house. And hope bloomed in him. Maybe this house was redeemable. “There’s plumbing in the mudroom for a washer.”
“Come, show me the master bedroom.” She graced him with a grin and hooked her arm through his. “I’ve looked at the other three bedrooms. A coat of paint, new carpeting, maybe new closet doors. And, oh, my word, the light fixtures.” She slappeda hand over her eyes. “Abysmal, Beau. And the family bathroom needs updating. I like dolphins. In the ocean.Noton bathroom walls.”
He couldn’t help but laugh. “Glad I’ve got a healthy budget.”
She stuttered to a halt and placed a hand on his chest. “I can help. Financially. I made a mint selling my security software.”
“No need. There’s enough.” And some left over to start a college fund for the kids he hoped to have. Kids with Rae.
“You sure?”
“Sure.”
They entered the master bedroom. It was spacious and airy. Plenty big enough for the oversized king he had in mind.
“Paint, carpets.” She looked up and shuddered. “Lights.” She pushed open the door to the left and gasped. “The walk-in closet is huge. Our clothestogetherwill only take up a quarter of the space.”
His heart skipped a beat.Together. “Guess you’ll have to use your savings and fill it.” He opened the bathroom door. “Come here.”
