Page 25 of Second Chances

“This one will, but like I said, you’ll want to get the rest of the old pipes checked out. The electricity too.” She reached up and tightened a light bulb that had gone out and smiled when it turned on after she screwed it in all the way. “What else can I help you with?”

“That was it for today.” He leaned against the door frame.

Her mind flashed to the image of how sexy he’d looked shirtless earlier. She couldn’t remember ever seeing a more perfect six pack and pecs, even at the gym she worked out at two times a week. The man was full of lean, toned muscles that she itched to explore.

“Want to show me around your home? I’ve been dying to see what one of these places on Widow Reed’s Point looks like on the inside,” she said.

“Widow Reed?” He shook his head. “I thought it was called Rocky Point?”

“Oh, it is.” She smiled. “But a legend has the locals calling it Widow Reed’s Point instead.”

He smiled again. “Oh?” He motioned for her to step out of the bathroom. “While I show you around, why don’t you tell me all about it.”

For the next half hour, Todd walked both her and Simona around the massive six-bedroom home. There was the smaller bedroom downstairs, which Todd was currently using, and four larger bedrooms on the second floor, plus a massive master bedroom that sat on the third floor along with an equally large office. The master bedroom had four wide windows that overlooked the blue waters of the cove. She could just make out Silver Cove Harbor from that side of the house. The other side of the house, the one with the office, overlooked the darker waters of the Atlantic.

As they made their way through the older home, she told the story of the young bride back in early nineteen hundred who had fallen in love with a young captain in the navy. The young man had risked his life and that of his shipmates to save the entire town of Silver Cove by fighting off pirates and trying to lead them away from the newly formed town.

“The ship, Emma Bella, fought off two pirate ships for more than two days, until all three ships sank to the bottom of the cove one stormy night.” She finished the story, one of her favorites about the town.

“Is this a playroom?” Simona asked, rushing over to stand next to an old wooden rocking horse.

They had just stepped into a long narrow room with multiple windows overlooking the fenced yard areas that sat on the sides of the home.

“This is my old schoolroom,” Todd said as Simona rushed around the room, trying to sit in one of the two classic wood and iron school desks.

The room could have easily schooled a small group of kids. There was even an old black chalkboard hanging on one wall.

“Schoolroom?” she asked Todd.

“Yeah. We only came up here in the summers, but my father wanted me to be ahead in classes, so most summers I had tutors,” he answered with a shrug.

“Kids should be able to be free during summers.” She thought about Simona being stuck indoors all summer long.

“It wasn’t that bad. Normally, I only spent an hour or two inside each day. Some of the classes I rather enjoyed. I had a French tutor…” His smile grew. “Miss Sonya. She was my favorite.”

Olivia’s eyebrows shot up. “Adam’s grand-mère?” she asked.

He frowned. “Adam… Carriveau. I hadn’t put it together.” He laughed. “Yes, I suppose so.” He nodded.

“She’s still around. Last time Adam took us out on the boat, Miss Sonya tagged along. Simona’s learning some French from her as well and loves her.”

They both turned and watched Simona rush around the room as if it was the best thing in the world.

“She wants to be a teacher when she grows up,” Olivia explained when her daughter started writing on the chalkboard.

“Well, she can come over here and play anytime she wants. I was going to turn this room into a home gym.”

“Oh,” she said. Thinking about turning the charming old schoolroom into a home gym made her heart sink slightly. But she figured he had the right to do whatever he wanted with his space. Besides, she did like the benefits of him working out.

“But then again, I still have the room above the garage I could use as a gym instead.” He tilted his head. “Which would be better actually, since there’s a small kitchen and bathroom over there.”

“You have a garage with more rooms above it? Where?” she asked.

He walked over to a window and motioned. “The garage sits across the one-lane street. Because of the makeup of the point, most homes have their garages on the other side of the lane.” He pointed to the four-car garage. Sure enough, there was a second story to the smaller building that matched the main home’s design.

If this was his family’s summer home, she wondered what kind of place he’d grown up in?

“Where did you live when you weren’t here?” she asked.