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He was quiet for a moment, looking over the unfinished door. “Actually, I have a better idea of something we can do together for this house.”
I perked up, wishing more than anything he’d say something dirty. “Oh yeah? What’s that?”
“The historic registry downtown,” he replied. “Let’s go. You can ask any questions you want to, but I think you’ll agree that it’s the best thing to do for your mom’s house. To protect it after you’re gone.”
“Oh,” I laughed a little in disappointment. But he was right. “Okay, sure. Let’s go. I should,” I glanced down at my clothes, which didn’t feel so appropriate anymore. “I should change first.”
“No, don’t. That’s the most normal thing I’ve seen you wear since you got here,” he teased. “No one’s going to notice or care. Trust me.”
“Well, I at least have to grab my purse,” I smirked. As I walked off, I could feel him staring at my butt. Which was exactly the reaction I was hoping for when I put those shorts on.
22
DEREK
The Historic Registry place downtown was a musty old building tucked away on a corner. You hardly ever saw anyone going in or out, other than the few people that worked there. Then there was Joe, an old man who grew up in Silver Point. His grandparents were around when the town was founded. He was always delivering photographs and relics to the registry bits of things he found in the attic of the old country manor he inherited or stuff he found at estate sales that he thought were important to the town’s history.
When we walked in, we found Jan Tucket sitting behind the front desk, filing her nails. She lit up at the sight of me.
“Well, well. Derek. You’re a sight for sore eyes,” she smiled wide.
“Hey, Jan. How are you?”
“A lot better now that you’re here,” she winked. “A girl gets bored sitting in here with all these old dusty things day in and day out. You should stop by more often and keep me company.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. But Melody shifted uncomfortably beside me, clearing her throat. She didn’t seem to find Jan’s forwardness to be so funny.
“Jan, this is Melody Hart. She’s in town from New York, and she hired me to renovate her mom’s old lake house in Mullins Cove. You know the one.”
“Oh,” Jane also tensed up. “Hi, Melody. Nice to meet you. You’re a lucky girl to have Derek hanging around your place every day.”
“It’s not my place. Not really,” Melody smiled tightly. “I’m just here for the renovations, but then I plan to sell it and go back home to New York. Derek suggested I come to see you anyway.”
“Smart man,” Jan’s eyes returned to mine. “Was the house built before 1971?”
“Older. The 1900s,” I replied.
“It should qualify then.” She swiveled her chair around and pulled out a big binder from a filing drawer in her desk. “You’ll have to fill out this application. Our staff will come by to help you document everything. Then we’ll nominate it for evaluation to see if it’s approved for the registry. I’m afraid you won’t have much time to prepare everything though. They only have hearings for the nominations three times a year, and the next one is at the end of this month. If you don’t get everything submitted by then, you wouldn’t have another chance until January.”
“Oh, I was hoping to have the house on the market by then,” Melody frowned. “Derek says this registry could help protect it?”
“Well, we can’t stop the future homeowners from removing it from the registry or making any changes to it they see fit. It won’t require them to adhere to any kind of standard of upkeep, but it does give the community a leg to stand on if they want to rally together and lobby for something like that with the local officials. There’s also the nice plaque you’d get in the front yard and the status itself, which would boost your asking price by a pretty penny.”
“Really? You think so?” Melody asked, looking hopeful.
“Oh yeah,” Jan nodded.
“But it won’t stop the new owners from tearing it down or doing anything crazy to the historical components of the home?”
“I’m afraid not. Here’s the application if you want to think it over, but like I said…Don’t take too long. I’d need this back within a couple of days to give my staff enough time to compile everything for you.”
“Thank you,” Melody said, glancing over the form for a moment before carefully folding it and putting it in her purse.
Jan called out to me as we turned to leave. “Derek! How about you come over to my place for dinner next week? We should catch up,” she said, flashing a suggestive smile.
“Thanks, Jan,” I nodded politely, tipping my hat to her. “I’ll think about it, but I’m pretty busy these days.”
She looked disappointed, but we carried on to the door. Melody headed for the side street leading to the road back to the lake house, but I grabbed her hand and pulled her in the other direction.
