Page 19 of The Widow's Irish Secret
‘Talk to him first and then we’ll decide.’ Just then, Dominic’s phone rang. He fished it out of the pocket of his jeans and looked at the screen. ‘A client. I have to take this and then I must go. I’ll get Ted to call you.’
‘Okay, thanks,’ Tricia said as he walked away, talking into his phone.
She looked at him through the window as he got into his car, knowing he had been such a good sport taking time to advise her. She hoped this Ted O’Reilly Dominic had mentioned would turn out to be a good fit. A retired builder who now was restoring houses as a hobby? She couldn’t wait to meet him. She mentally crossed her fingers, hoping he would help her realise her dream. Then she looked at the list and sighed, wondering if her dream might be too impossible to fulfil. Could she make a profit from the cottage later on if she had to do so much expensive work?
Well, whatever happened, she’d camp here for the summer and then rethink her situation…
Ted O’Reilly called that evening and they scheduled a meeting at the cottage the next day. Tricia liked his jovial tone and warm voice and felt a surge of hope. ‘It’s quite a tall order,’ she said apologetically. ‘It might not be possible to do it at all.’
Ted laughed. ‘I sense a big challenge. That’s very interesting. I like impossible tasks. I’ll do my best to make it possible. See you tomorrow, Tricia.’
Tricia said goodbye, more cheerful after the brief conversation. Ted had sounded both enthusiastic and eager to do the work. She looked forward to meeting him tomorrow to hear his views on the work. It would take her mind off her meeting with Cillian at the speed dating event, which had been bothering her ever since last Friday. But she was meeting her new gang again soon and then there was a beach picnic with Lily, Rose and their children next Saturday. Her life had not been this full of excitement for a very long time. If only it wasn’t for that niggling worry about the legal issues she had left behind, Tricia would feel her life was complete. But until that was resolved, she wouldn’t have any peace of mind.
11
When Tricia arrived at the cottage the following morning, she saw a blue van parked outside. A man with thinning grey hair sat in the driver’s seat drinking from a water bottle. He got out as soon as he spotted Tricia and walked towards her, holding out his hand.
‘Tricia? I’m Ted. Nice to meet you.’
Tricia smiled at the man and shook his hand. ‘Hi, Ted. Thanks for being so punctual.’ He had brown eyes, a big nose and his beard was close-cropped, showing a dimple in his left cheek when he smiled. Of medium height with a slight pot belly and broad shoulders, he was not the best-looking man she had ever met but his charm made up for the lack of looks. He was dressed in a tweed blazer that had seen better days over a navy polo shirt and baggy jeans. She liked him immediately.
‘Happy to be here on such a nice morning,’ he said. Then he rubbed his hands together. ‘So let’s take a look at this cutie, then. I mean the house, not you,’ he added.
Tricia had to laugh. ‘That’s what I thought. I haven’t been called cutie since I was seven.’
‘I wonder why,’ Ted said before he walked to the front door and opened it. ‘Mind if I step inside?’
‘Of course not.’ Tricia followed him to the door. ‘Let’s go through everything.’
‘Perfect.’ Ted fished a notebook and a pen out of his pocket as he went into the house. ‘I’m ready. Being old fashioned I’ll write everything into my little book here.’
They started in the living room and Tricia told him what Dominic had said were the most urgent jobs. ‘Rewiring, dry lining, heaters to be installed and perhaps also repair of some of the floors.’
Ted bounced on the planks. ‘This floor seems solid. I like the wide planks and the grain. Old and very nice. Polish them a bit more and they will look very nice.’ Then he went over to the far side of the room and put his hand on the wall. ‘Cold,’ he said. ‘Dry lining a must in here. All over the house, I should think, or the cost of heating will go through the ceiling.’
Standing by the fireplace, Tricia nodded. ‘Yes, that’s what I think too.’
‘Good.’ Ted slipped on a pair of reading glasses and scribbled something into his notebook. ‘What’s next?’
‘The kitchen,’ Tricia said and led the way down the corridor and opened the door to the kitchen.
Ted followed her in and looked around. ‘Nice room. But the floor could do with a new lino. I’d need to lift it up to see what’s underneath but I suspect some old flagstones that might need to be replaced with some kind of tiling. I’ll take a look when I start the job.’ He peered at her over his reading glasses. ‘If you decide to hire me, of course.’
‘That depends on your fee and what schedule we can agree on,’ Tricia replied, although she knew he would be her best bet. Dominic was so busy and Ted seemed to be keen to take on the job.
‘Oh, I’m as cheap as chips,’ Ted said cheerfully. ‘I only take on jobs when I like the vibe of the house. And I do like it here. This house has a very warm feel to it, don’t you think? A kind of soul, if that doesn’t sound too cheesy.’
‘Not at all,’ Tricia said, happy he shared her feelings about the house. ‘I know what you mean and I feel it too. The cottage needs a little love and attention and it will be a real home to me.’
Ted looked at her for a moment. ‘Yes, I think you’re right. You and the house are a good fit.’
Tricia smiled. ‘That’s nice to hear. So, there’s just the bedroom and box room and then there’s the attic room but I’ll leave that alone for now.’
‘Okay.’
They inspected the bedroom and box room and then they went upstairs to have a quick look at the attic room. ‘It would make a lovely bedroom,’ he said, looking out the window. ‘Nice view of the sea from here. I can see all the way down to the pier and a bit towards Dingle town.’ He turned to Tricia, who was standing in the middle of the room. ‘What’s going on out there in the bay?’
‘What do you mean?’ Tricia asked, moving closer.
