Page 18 of Tinsel & Tools
That’s good because I’m still nervous about this
Don’t worry. I can come by tomorrow and we’ll figure out a plan of attack. If you have any questions before then, you’ve got my number. Reach out any time
Thanks
As I walked back to the B&B, I saw Mrs. Ross and Allie grabbing some grocery bags from the trunk of Mrs. Ross’s car. Mrs. Ross headed into the house first as Allie tried to get the rest of the bags. I picked up the pace and took two from her hands.
“You know you can make more than one trip.”
“It’s too cold for that.” She shivered. “Why are you outside?”
Between the two of us we were able to get everything. “Just doing a little thinking at the lake.”
“About what? That hot handyman you couldn’t stop staring at a couple days ago?” she teased.
“No.” I sighed and shook my head. “I mean sort of. We were texting.”
She leaned her hip against the car. “Oh really?”
“It was strictly professional. I told him I want to move forward with the full renovation.”
Her squeal nearly burst my eardrums as she bounced up and down. “This is going to be amazing.”
“We’ll see, but since I’m doing this, I’m going to stay here for a while. I know you’ve got to get back to your job in a few days. I’ll still cover my portion of the rent in New York, but I want to be around to make decisions as things come up.”
“Are you sure you want to stay here by yourself?” Her excitement turned to concern.
I shrugged. “It won’t be as fun without you, but you’ll have to come back at some point to start decorating once most of the interior work is done.”
She nodded. “It’s not that far. I can always rent a car and come up on my days off too.”
“I guess we’ve got a plan then.”
The idea of taking on such a massive project should have terrified me, but now that I’d said the words out loud, I was ready to begin.
9
Cole
Pulling up to the Cedar Falls Inn, I slid out of my truck and grabbed my clipboard just as Gavin and his friend walked outside. “Morning,” I called out.
“Morning,” they both responded.
Allie wrapped her coat tighter around herself. “Do all jobs around here start this early?”
“If you want daylight on your side, they do,” I replied. “Better than chasing shadows with a flashlight.”
Gavin gave a quick nod, his hands deep in his pockets. “I wasn’t sure what you’d need from me.”
“Just walk with me. I’ll show you what needs attention, and you can make some decisions later. We’re just getting a handle on things today.”
The door creaked open behind them, and Mrs. Ross stepped out with a tray. “Coffee before you get started?”
“That would be great,” I said, walking up the unsteady steps and taking a mug. Gavin accepted the second, and Allie grabbed the third with a grin.
We stood for a moment on the porch, steam curling from our cups. After a few sips, I set my cup on the rail. “We’re starting right here. This porch has to come down before anyone else steps on it.”
Gavin’s eyes tracked the posts. “That bad?”
