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Already Taylor didn’t like the sound of this particular conversation.
“I guess he hated living in Colorado. It was his wife who wanted to move there. His divorce is final now, and he found a new position with the Manchester police department.”
Yep, she knew what her mother intended here.
“Deb and I thought you two should go for coffee or something. You have a lot in common. And you’re both single.”
Her mom loved to play matchmaker. She’d gone on her fair share of dates, thanks to Mom’s past efforts.
“I remember Jack from high school, Mom. I’m not interested in going for coffee or anything else with him.” In high school, Jack had been a bully. There really was no other word to describe him. Maybe he’d changed over the last sixteen years, but she didn’t care to find out.
“Just think about it. You haven’t gone out with anyone in a while.”
For some reason, Mom believed a woman needed a man by her side to be happy. Maybe it was because she’d had such a great marriage. But Taylor didn’t agree. As far as she saw it, if the right man came along, great; if not, she was okay staying single.
“What about—”
Before Mom finished, Taylor interrupted her, something she tried to avoid, especially in front of her niece. However, she needed to catch this before Mom’s enthusiasm really got going. “Mom, please don’t set me up with anyone. We’ve talked about it before. I’m capable of finding my own dates. I don’t need you to do it for me.”
Mom pouted. “I just want you to be happy like your father and I were. That’ll never happen if you don’t date.”
Taylor realized that and appreciated it. But it didn’t change her mind on the subject. “I know, Mom. But, really, I can handle it.”
“Hazel told me her dad has a new girlfriend,” Reese said, jumping into the conversation and saving Taylor from Mom’s further insistence.
Taylor glanced at Mom because, as far as she knew, Hazel’s father was married to Hazel’s mother. Or at least they had been back in September when school started. When Mom shrugged, Taylor guessed she didn’t know anything either.
“Hazel’s dad doesn’t live with her anymore. He lives in a different house, but she has a room there for when she visits.”
She’d realized not long after Reese started talking that kids held nothing back. If they thought your shirt was ugly, or you looked like hell, they let you know. It sounded like it also applied to when your parents separated. Once again, Taylor was pleased they’d decided not to tell Reese the complete truth about her mom and why she wasn’t around. Since Reese had not even been a year old when she was taken from Eliza, she had no memories of the woman. Someday they’d have to tell her everything. She had a right to know the truth. It wasn’t a conversation Taylor was looking forward to having.
Chapter Two
Curt stored the empty suitcases in the bedroom closet. He’d signed the purchase and sale agreement the previous week, and immediately hired a company to come in and remove all the items left behind in the house. With all the stuff gone, he needed to decide where he wanted to begin renovations. The house inspection conducted two days ago confirmed what he already suspected: the building was structurally sound, so he didn’t have to worry about the house falling down around his head. He had appointments set up with two HVAC companies to come in and give him estimates for updating the entire heating system and installing central air conditioning. The estimates for updating the electrical should be in any day. And he planned to set up appointments with window companies in the near future. Aside from those three major items, he hoped to complete everything himself. It would take a while, but time was something he had plenty of these days.
Switching off the bedroom light, he closed the door behind him. He’d spent the last few hours settling into one of the bedrooms. Although one of the smaller rooms, he’d chosen it because it needed the least amount of work for now. Once he finished the master bedroom down the hall, he’d relocate into it. He’d also set up his office today so he could get back to work on the book. It hadn’t been difficult deciding which office to use. Although the more masculine of the two rooms was larger, it also reeked of smoke. Curt assumed the former owner had done all his smoking in there and outside, because he couldn’t detect the smell anywhere else. Even if the room hadn’t smelled so bad, he may have picked the more feminine office. Located in the back of the house, the room was farther from the street and overlooked the backyard.
Since he was somewhat settled, now seemed as good a time as any to decide where he wanted to start with the renovations.
Downstairs, he pushed open a door on his left and flipped up the wall switch. The overhead bulb went on for a moment or two before it went dead. Curt made a mental note to change all the light bulbs as soon as possible, even in those light fixtures he planned to replace at some point. The window near the toilet in the first-floor bathroom allowed in enough natural light. Although extremely outdated, it was functional and definitely not a number-one priority on his list, much like the library and upstairs in the home’s billiard room. Both those rooms only needed fresh coats of paint and new light fixtures.
Curt closed the bathroom door and went down to the kitchen. This seemed like the most logical place to start. While he didn’t love to cook, he did when necessary. If he planned on living in the house indefinitely, he’d need to prepare food. With the warmer months here, he could throw a grill outside and do most of his cooking there until he finished renovating the kitchen. On the days he couldn’t grill, take-out was an option. He already had a decent idea of what he wanted to do in here, too.
Although somewhat smaller in size, the room was laid out much like his cousin’s kitchen in Newport before Trent had it remodeled. Trent’s wife, an interior designer, had turned the kitchen there from a place designed for servants to prepare food into a gourmet kitchen the entire family could gather in. While Curt didn’t intend to live here long enough for his family to gather, whomever he sold the house to would.
The light bulb over the kitchen sink went out. Never mind changing the bulbs as soon as possible, he’d change them tonight before he found himself walking around in the dark. During his drive into town, he’d passed a hardware store on Route 38, just down the street from the grocery store. He could head over that way now and kill both errands, because while he’d eaten breakfast before leaving Boston, he’d need to eat again today. When he got back, he’d arrange for a dumpster to be delivered so he could start tearing apart this room, something he was looking forward to. Honestly, he enjoyed the demolition aspect of renovation all most as much as the rebuilding process. S
winging a sledgehammer against something solid gave him a sense of satisfaction he’d never experienced while wearing a suit and sitting in an office.
Assuming he’d go out today at some point, he’d left his SUV parked in front of the house rather than in the garage. He’d been pleased when the building inspector assured him the converted carriage house was safe to use. Even so, he’d left his favorite cars in the garage at his Newport condo and had only his motorcycle delivered here.
A black, white, and gray cat sat on the vehicle’s hood when he walked outside. The cat followed Curt with his eyes as he walked around the front of the SUV. When Curt stopped and held out his hand, the cat twitched its tail. “Hey there.”
The cat meowed and remained still as Curt ran a hand down his back. “Where do you belong, my friend?” Again the cat twitched its tail, but made no indication he planned to move from his chosen spot in the sun.
Careful not to spook the animal, Curt slowly picked it up. The cat looked well cared for, and had a bright orange collar around its neck. He reached for the heart-shaped ID tag attached to the collar. “Stripes,” he said. “The name fits you.” Curt flipped the tag over. An address and phone number were printed on the back. “You belong next door.”
Should he bring the cat home? Some people allowed their cats to roam freely, confident they’d come home when ready. Others never allowed them outside. Curt had no idea which Stripes here was. He’d feel awful if it turned out Stripes wasn’t an outdoor cat, but had instead slipped out. And he would have to meet his neighbors eventually. Even if he didn’t have much interaction with them, at some point they’d cross paths. “Looks like you’re getting a ride home, Stripes.”
