Page 13 of Tinsel & Tools
“Maybe because you haven’t really tried to find one since you broke up with Josh in college.” She took a sip of her latte. “Maybe that’s why you’re having a hard time writing. If you have a shitty outlook on love, how do you expect to write about it?”
That stung even though it was probably true. I’d been dating Josh for two years when he gave me the “it’s not you, it’s me” speech. Since then, I’d gone out but hadn’t found someone I wanted to see again. I sometimes wondered if maybe that fairytale relationship just wasn’t for me.
We finished our drinks, and then Allie suggested we walk across the square to the hardware store we’d passed earlier to see if they had any recommendations for someone who could do some of the repair work around the inn.
A man in a black polo shirt with the name ‘Murphy’ stitched on one side looked up from the bin of screws he was refilling when he heard us enter. “Good afternoon, folks. Anything I can help you with?”
I nodded. “I hope so. I’m looking for someone to do some repair work on a property I recently inherited. Do you have any recommendations?”
“You must be the young man taking over Cedar Falls Inn?”
Word really did travel fast in a small town. “That’s right.”
“You’ll want to contact Jack and his son Cole at Maddox’s Repair & Restore. They’re the best handymen around.” He walked over to the counter and grabbed a business card. “Tell Jack that Murphy sent you.”
I took the card from his outstretched hand. “Thank you so much.”
“We heading back to the inn?” Allie asked as we got into the car.
“Yeah. Unless you need to stop somewhere else.”
She shook her head. “Nope. I want to get back and start planning out some designs. I’ve got a few ideas, but I need to take measurements to see if they’ll work.”
On the drive back, we passed a huge sign that read:
EVERGREEN TREE FARM
OPEN THIS FRIDAY
“We need to get a tree,” Allie declared.
“No, we don’t.” I turned onto Cedar Street toward the inn. “We won’t even be here for Christmas.”
“You sound like a grinch,” she mumbled.
“I didn’t say I didn’t want one,” I argued. Christmas had always been my mom’s favorite holiday. Since it was going to be my first one since my parents had passed, I wanted to try to create a little Christmas spirit in whatever way I could by decorating our apartment. “It just seems silly to get one here when we’ll be back in New York before then.”
“Fine,” she huffed. “But we’re tree shopping as soon as we get back.”
“Deal.”
Back at the inn, Allie and Mrs. Ross started chatting about Allie’s vision while I dialed the number for Maddox’s Repair & Restore.
“Jack Maddox here,” a gravelly voice answered.
“Hi there. I’m Gavin Price, and I’m looking to get some work done at the Cedar Falls Inn. Murphy said I should give you a call.”
“Ah, so you’re the lucky guy saddled with that bed and breakfast?”
Everyone in town seemed to know it was a dump. “Sounds like you’re familiar with the place,” I replied.
“Only the outside. I know there’s some painting and porch work to do. I could swing by later this afternoon and take a look at everything else.”
“This afternoon.” I glanced at my dad’s watch on my wrist. “That’d be great.”
“We’ll be there in two hours.”
“See you then.” I hung up and went in search of Allie. It didn’t take long to find her and Mrs. Ross checking out one of the guest rooms upstairs.
