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Meg shook her head. “Not so fast, young miss. He said he doesn’t need your help with the cleaning because he’s got a crew coming over this evening but he did say he still needs you to stop by tomorrow. Same time, he said.”
“What for?”
“Something about your mentioning that you’re an interior decorator. Apparently he needs help in that department.”
“Oh.” Sam continued to stare at Meg for a few seconds then she blinked. “Okay,” she said quickly and walked over to her desk where she dropped her receipt book on top. “I guess I’ll go then.”
Meg chuckled. “And you can drop the act.”
“What act?” Sam slid her hand into her back pocket and stared at the older woman.
“That ‘oh, so casual’ act. I know you won’t mind going back there. From what I’ve heard from his voice he’s a really sexy man.”
Sam narrowed her gaze. “You could tell all that just from his voice?”
“That, plus what your Dad told me.”
Sam was frowning now. “What did he tell you?”
“That there was a man all alone out at the old Sullivan house and that you turned pink when you talked about him.” Meg laughed and shook her head. “It’s been a long time since you even gave a man the time of day. Not since Garrick, anyway. But it’s about time, child, about time…”
“It’s nothing like that, Meg. I don’t know why you and Dad are always intent on setting me up.” Sam knew when it was time to clear out of there and now was a good time. If she wasn’t careful Meg would trap her at the office for another half hour or more giving her the usual advice about not letting an eligible bachelor slip by, particularly in a slouchy town like Tonawanda. The best course of action? Disappear before Meg got going with her lecture.
“I’ll catch you on Monday, Meg. Got to run.” She grabbed the keys to her Dodge Ram pick-up truck and was out the door before Meg could get another word out.
As she climbed into the truck she grinned. She'd finally won a verbal battle with Meg – by fleeing. She’d taken the chicken’s way out and she was not going to apologize for it.
Sam loved Meg. She really did. The woman had been her stepmother for the past twelve years, marrying her father three years after their parents got divorced. She’d been the best thing that ever happened to Alvin Fox, bossing him around, breaking him out of the vices that had led to the disintegration of his first marriage.
Sam’s mother, Mary, was a gentle woman who would never cross her husband. Not so with Meg. Within months of meeting her Alvin had ditched the cigarettes and was no longer a regular at the nearby casino. Meg was a religious woman, and if Alvin wanted to be with her he had to walk the straight and narrow path. And he did, much to Sam’s relief. She would forever be grateful to Meg for having such a positive impact on her dad’s life.
But having Meg in her father’s life meant having her in Sam’s as well. And that came with a mother hen's fussing and flapping and clucking. For Sam, though, that was a small price to pay for having such a caring woman in their lives.
And besides, sometimes Meg gave very good advice. Sam smiled to herself. She should start listening to her stepmother. Some day.
******
At five minutes to ten on Saturday morning Sam pulled into Jake McKoy’s driveway. She hopped out of her truck, slammed the door shut and practically skipped up the steps to the front porch. For some inexplicable reason she was in high spirits today, something that hadn’t happened to her in a long time.
It must have been her good mood that made her ditch her usual work attire – jeans and denim shirt – for a pale blue peasant blouse and a white cotton skirt that floated just above her knees. She’d completed the look with sandals sporting long straps that wrapped around her ankles and up her leg. She looked casual and comfortable and definitely not rugged like the day before. And, just because she felt so relaxed and free today, she decided to forgo the band for her hair and instead let it flow freely over her shoulders and down her back.
As she reached up to ring the doorbell Sam couldn’t help smiling. Meg would be proud of her. Of course, she hadn’t come to the house with any plan to seduce the man. Not at all. She was here on business, after all. But there was no rule saying a girl couldn’t look appealing while doing her job.
As the doorbell chimed she smoothed her hair back, took a deep breath and waited. Within a few seconds she heard footsteps and as the door opened a smile automatically stole across her lips. “Good morning,” she said brightly then the words died on her tongue as she got a good look at his face. Gone was the somber but pleasant man of the day before. In his place was a man whose face could only be described as sour.
“Morning.” It was more a grunt than a greeting. He stepped aside and held the door wide open so she could pass.
Sam raised an eyebrow and went in but she didn’t say another word. He was certainly in a rotten mood today. He was the one who had invited her to come to see him but instead of a warm greeting all she’d got was a scowl. What was that all about?
She stopped and waited in the hallway as he closed the door then she followed him to a large room with a desk on top of which were piled books, files and a stack of papers. His office, apparently. When he waved her over to a chair she sat silent, waiting for him to make the next move. She knew enough about men to know when to hold her tongue. He obviously had something on his mind and now was not a good time to be ‘Little Miss Perky’.
Jake didn’t bother to sit. Instead, he shoved his hands deep into his pockets and looked down at her. “Thanks for coming and for your offer to help me with the basement.” He shrugged. “I guess they told you there’s no need to worry about that. I got some people to do it.”
“Yes.” She nodded. “Meg told me.”
“I’d like to take advantage of your expertise in decorating. As you can see,” he gave her a reluctant smile, “I need help.”
For a moment Sam just stared back at him, not sure she wanted to answer with a smile. She’d been in a good mood coming in but he’d gone and changed all that with his grumpy greeting, and two could play that game.
“Just tell me what you need,” she said, her tone cool and her face expressionless.
“I’m…not sure.” He seemed lost, out of his depth. He looked around the room. “I guess we could start here. What would you suggest?”
He looked so bewildered that Sam could not remain aloof. It was just not in her nature. Relenting, she granted him a tiny smile. “Why don’t we start with a tour of the house?”
A look of relief passed over his face and it softened in a smile. “Thank you,” he said humbly. “I’ll lead the way.”
First Jake took her back to the living room which was almost bare except for a few old pieces that did nothing for the room. Its only saving grace was a beautiful fireplace adorned with an elaborately carved mantelpiece. That, she would save. Pretty much everything else would have to go.
The dining room had a long, soulless table that just sat there in the middle of the space with its six equally uninteresting chairs. When Sam raised an eyebrow Jake gave her a rueful smile and admitted that he’d inherited it with the house – among other things.
“I didn’t care what the house looked like,” he said, a slightly bitter tone creeping into his voice. “I just wanted to get away and this place was available, old furniture and all.”
Sam looked back at him, full of curiosity. He’d wanted to get away. From what, exactly? Where had he come from? She opened her mouth to ask then clamped it shut. He’d already started off glum. Now was not the time to try to dig into his past or his private life. Instead she said, “Well, I’m here to help so don’t worry. Let’s see the rest of the house.” She held up the tiny notepad she’d pulled from her pocket. “I’m taking notes as we go along.”
The tension in his face eased and he nodded then led the way upstairs to the bedroom. After that he headed back downstairs with Sam in tow.
“So,” she said, speaking to his back as he descended the stairs, “why did you decide to redecorate now?
He shrugged but kept on walking. “I guess this was just the right time.” At the bottom of the stairs he turned to help her down then said, “You already know what the basement looks like so I just have one more room to show you.”
They headed down the hallway toward a room Sam hadn’t even noticed. “I don’t come here often,” he said and his voice cracked. He cleared his throat. “Let’s just have a look.” He pushed the door open and switched on the light then beckoned for her to enter.
Sam stepped in and her eyes widened as she surveyed the space. Of all the rooms she’d seen so far this was the most beautiful. Spacious and airy with a high ceiling, it had the look and feel of a grand ballroom. Huge windows looked out onto a country garden where flowers, shrubs and stately trees cohabited in a harmony of nature.
