Page 44 of Dangerous December
Once it dried, they’d repainted the living room with soft taupe, the bedroom in an inviting shade of silvery aspen, and the kitchen a pale, buttery yellow.
The hardwood floors needed refinishing, but a good buffing tomorrow would bring out the rich amber and gold shades of the oak.
Keeley tamped the lid onto the last gallon of paint. “Wow. Remind me to call you guys when I start fixing upmyhouse. You’re amazing!”
“This didn’t take long at all,” Olivia agreed. She glanced at her watch. “And now, I have to run. Anyone want a ride home?”
“I would,” Sophie said, peeling off her rubber gloves. “I planned to walk home, but it’s getting late and I’m beat.”
Keeley nodded. “Me, too.”
Beth hugged each of her friends as they headed for the door. “You guys are the greatest. Thanks so much.”
As soon as they were gone, she flopped down on the only usable chair in the cottage and closed her eyes. “What a job.”
“It wouldn’t have gotten done if not for you.”
“And all of the others who helped,” she said drily. “Don’t forget about them.”
“But you got them to come. I would still be looking at five tons of garbage in here and thinking it was a lost cause.”
“Don’t forget that you have to vacate the premises tomorrow afternoon, while we get the place set up.”
“That thought is just plain terrifying.”
“Ruffles, lace, and chintz, all the way. Count on it.”
She smiled to herself as she sorted through her memories of the day.
Frank had tentatively flirted with Reva while she worked on the kitchen cupboards, insisting that she needed help.
She’d staunchly refused, though there’d been a bit of pink in her cheeks, so maybe she wasn’t entirely immune to his old-fashioned courtly charm.
Cody and Elana had come by midafternoon, and the way the boy had watched Dev’s every move had been so sweet.
“It was good of you to let Cody help with the painting. He was very proud of himself.”
“He’s a good kid.”
“He’s had a lot of tough breaks. I’m glad he could spend time with you.”You would have made a good father,she added silently, but she didn’t say the words aloud.
Some things were better left unsaid.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Beth paced through her store fluffing pillows on the sofas and rockers and tweaking the book displays.
The tantalizing aroma from a fresh pot of crème brûlée decaf wafted in the air, along with the fragrance of still-warm shortbread cookies she’d baked and dipped in melted Belgian milk chocolate just a few minutes ago.
She paused in the center of the store and spun slowly on her heel, taking in the inviting baskets of ivy and fern hanging in the windows and the colorful afghans draped just so across the backs of the sofas.
Perfect. Just as quaint and inviting as she’d dreamed of, during those long months of feeling lost and alone after her divorce.
With the good friends who would be showing up any minute for their Saturday morning book club, a business she loved, and the warm fellowship and faith she shared with the members at the Community Church, there was nothing else she needed to make her life complete.
An inner voice whispered Dev’s name, but she ignored it. Past mistakes had meant painful lessons that she would not be repeating.
The bells over the front door tinkled.
