Page 4 of Once Upon a Winter
“Wait. That sounds like a pretty big job. I think I should get a second opinion.”
Cooper leveled a stare at her, along with that unreadable expression she was growing used to. When he said nothing for several seconds, Laura searched for words to end the unsettling silence.
Before she could speak, he said, “Suit yourself.” With that, he turned and picked up his wet vacuum.
“Wait. How much do I owe you?”
“We’ll sort that out later.”
“Later… when?”
“When you’ve gotten your second opinion.”
That sounded awfully presumptuous, but she held her tongue. “All right.”
Cooper paused before climbing into his truck. “It’s your lucky day. The rain has stopped.”
“Yeah. Lucky me.” She sulked as he pulled out of the driveway.
The sun was settingover the town square, gilding the rooftops and church spire with golden light as Laura stepped out of the car. The rain damage might have dampened her spirits, but she would be back on track soon. She just needed advice from the only person in town that she knew.
The door to the antiques shop struck the small overhead bell, prompting Jessica to emerge from a room in the back. “Laura, hello!”
“Hi, Jessica.” Laura smiled. “I wonder if I could ask for your advice. You’re the only person I know here in town. I need a handyman—someone who can repair some rain damage to my roof and ceiling.”
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.”
Laura shrugged. “Thanks. I’m afraid it’s going to put a dent in my Christmas budget. Can you recommend anyone?”
Without hesitation, Jessica said, “Farley Cooper.”
“That was quick. Is he really that good?”
Jessica smiled. “He is. He’s also the only handyman in town. I suppose you could try out of town, but nobody does. We like to support our local businesses.”
“Actually, he stopped by already to assess the damage. I just didn’t know whether I could trust him.”
A twinkle came to Jessica’s eyes. “You can trust him.”
Still unconvinced, Laura said, “Oh. Hmm. I just got a hard-to-work-with vibe from him.”
“Who, Cooper?” She blew air through her lips. “I’ve known Cooper since he was in diapers. He was an adorable baby.” She regarded Laura with twinkling eyes. “He’s not hard to look at now, either.”
Laura smiled politely, but his looks weren’t her biggest concern. “And you’re sure he’s up to the job?”
“Absolutely.”
“Well, that’s good to hear. I guess I’ll go give him a call.” With her phone to her ear, Laura left.
That time, Laura got Cooper’s voicemail. “Cooper, it’s Laura—Laura Everly. At 45 Chestnut Lane. Can you call me back?”
After grabbing a couple of things from the grocery store and stopping for gas, Laura headed home.
She pulled into her driveway to find Cooper leaning on his truck, arms folded. As soon as Laura got out of her car, he said, “I brought the fans and dehumidifiers. Let’s get to work.”
“But I haven’t hired you yet.”
With a shrug, he said, “You just called.”
