Page 13 of The Fall Affair

“Dust bunnies are not the problem.”

Her brows formed a V. “What are you talking about?”

“The house, it has some damage.”

“Damage? What kind of damage?”

“There was a flood. A pipe in the second-floor bathroom, it burst. I stop inna to check on things every week or two. Last month, I came in and found it raining in the back room of the shop below.”

Her jaw fell open. “Oh no.”

“The wood that supports the bathroom floor grew soft, and part of it gave way under the weight of da cast-iron tub on the second floor.”

Allegra’s eyes widened. “The tub came through the floor?”

I nodded. “I stopped the water. Cleaned it up nice and replaced the beams. Put some plywood down so there’s no big hole in the floor. But I no get around to putting in a new tub, so, eh, there’s nowhere to take the bath or the shower. I didn’t know anyone was coming.”

Her shoulders slumped. “Oh gosh. And all I’ve been thinking about the last nineteen hours is a hot shower. My connection was delayed, and when I finally landed and got to the rental car place, they only had a stick shift left, which I’ve never driven before. Then I got lost because there was no cell service, and the GPS on my phone stopped working. Not to mention, I ran out of gas, and when I pulled into your friend Enzo’s shop to fill my tank, I realized I had a flat tire. That’s what took me so long to get here.”

“I’m sorry to hear.”

“Are you the handyman of the property or something?”

“I’m handy and a man, sure. But I don’t think that’s what you are asking me.” I shook my head. “I don’ work for the estate.”

“But you took care of the flood and made repairs?”

“Si.”

“Why?”

I shrugged. “Because it’s da right thing to do, and it need to be done.”

She looked at me, almost suspect. “That’s the second time you’ve said that since I got here not five minutes ago.”

“I wasn’t sure what was going on with the property. Sophia, she wouldn’t have wanted the place to be ignored. She loved her home.”

Allegra’s lips pursed. “I wasn’t ignoring it. I assumed she’d left the property to her sister who would have been maintaining it.”

“She hadn’t spoken to Anna in a couple of years.”

Allegra sighed and put her hands on her hips. “Well, that explains it.”

“Explains what?”

“Why she left me the property.”

I raised a brow. “You own Sophia’s land?”

“That’s what the will says.”

“Then I guess I have a reason to help out around here now.”

“Why is that?”

“Because some of my vineyard is on your land. How do you say—that makes you my new landlord.”

Chapter 6