Page 10 of Refuge for Ailsa

“What a waste of money,” Bonnie muttered.

“You bought a house?” Ailsa asked, her voice soft.

“Yeah. It’s a fixer-upper.”

“It’s a hovel,” his mother announced.

“Could I see it sometime?” Ailsa asked, and he could tell she was just trying to be nice.

“Why on earth would you want to see my hovel?” Tavish hopped up and headed to the kitchen. His dad usually had a couple of beers in the back of the fridge, and he desperately needed one or he’d lose his shit right in front of company. He could hear Maureen saying something, but he couldn’t tell what, no doubt trying to come to his defense. As soon as he found a can, he grabbed it and popped the top on his way out the back door.

There were chairs on the patio, but all he could do was pace. The longer he paced, the madder he got, and he finally dug around in his pocket, found his keys, and powered around the other side of the house and to the front to get in his truck. He had his hand on the door handle when he heard a voice say, “Tavish?”

As soon as he whirled around, all he saw was a cloud of bright red hair. “I’m going. I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable. That certainly wasn’t my intent.”

“You didn’t. Where are you going?”

“Back to my apartment.”

“Could I see your house?”

He thought he was hearing things. “Did you not just hear all the things they said about it? And you want to see it? Why? To see if it’s true?”

“No. You said it has good bones. I want to see.” She stood there, arms folded across her chest and two beautiful, round breasts pointed straight at him. If those tits wanted to see his house, they were damn sure gonna see his house.

“Climb in. Going in to tell them you’re going?”

“Nah. Donovan will figure it out. Besides, I don’t feel like I owe them an explanation after the way they talked to you.” She pulled the passenger side door open, climbed up on the door sill, and grinned from above the cab’s roof. “We can always find something to eat.”

Something clicked inside Tavish’s chest. This woman wasn’t blowing smoke up his ass. She really did care about how he’d been treated, and she truly wanted to see his house. He started the truck as she clicked her seat belt. “Prepared to be underwhelmed,” he said as he pulled out of the drive.

She shot him an impish grin. “Somehow, I think it’ll be fine.”

“I like your attitude,” he said, smiling back.

“And I like yours too. Look at that?something we have in common!” Then she let out a laugh.

And just like that, Tavish realized that getting to know her was an absolute necessity.

* * *

“It’s right through here,”Tavish said as he turned off the highway and into a brush- and tree-lined drive. The gravel lane proceeded for about four hundred yards and then spat them out into an open area. Right in the middle of it stood a huge old farmhouse, a wraparound porch to the left and a huge bow window on the right front. “Home sweet home.”

“Oh, Tavish.” She knew she was breathless, and she knew he could hear it, but she didn’t care. It was like something out of a movie. There was no doubt in her mind why he’d bought it. When it was finished, it would be beautiful. The truck had barely come to a stop when she hopped out and headed for the front porch.

“Hang on. You’ll need the key.” She watched as he stepped up onto the porch and shoved a worn brass skeleton key into the front door’s keyhole. “And here we are.”

Ailsa looked around in wonder. The old house had ten-foot ceilings and chair rail with wainscoting under it all around the large living room. Off to the side, in the area surrounded front and side by the porch, was a good-sized dining room with an antique chandelier hanging over the table. “Oh, wow,” she whispered.

“Yeah. I know it needs some work, but?”

“Tavish, this is beautiful. Just beautiful. Oh my god, look at this!” The brass doorknobs had a floral motif embossed all the way around their crown. “Even the knobs are gorgeous. Oh, and the kitchen!” A huge, enameled farmhouse sink sat in front of the window on the far wall, its built-in drain rack rusty and cracked, but it still looked amazing. She loved the black and white tile on the floor, and the walls were painted a cheery yellow. “You can have that sink re-enameled and it’ll be good as new. They’re really popular now. And that stove!” she sang out as she turned to look at the old gas monstrosity. “Do you know what people are paying for these? They’re going for thousands of dollars. You’ve got a real prize here, Tavish.” When he didn’t respond, she turned, and what she saw took her breath away.

There was a look in his eyes that moved her in ways she’d never felt before. What she saw there was a gratefulness that no one had ever expressed to her. She could tell he was touched, maybe even beyond belief, by her adoration of the place, but she couldn’t help it. Good bones? The house was an absolute treasure.

But the man in front of her seemed completely taken aback. “You really like it?”

“God, yes! How could anybody not? It’s beautiful! I can just see a big pantry cabinet sitting here,” she said, pointing to a spot in the kitchen, “and a china cabinet here,” she indicated with a finger pointed toward a corner. “Oh, and that living room… Antique sofa and loveseat, beautiful cherrywood tables, floor-length drapes with the bottoms puddled on the floor. No… Maybe early American furniture and some kind of floral drapes. You know, early twentieth century farmhouse style. That would be pretty. Is there a powder room down here?”

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