Page 42 of Cosy & Chill
“I don’t. I want just one coin from it. So will ye rent me a room?”
“Hell no!”
“Wait!” Finn cut in. “Our rental agreement doesn’t allow us to sublet any of the rooms,” he said with the careful consideration of a man who paid close attention to anything he read because he didn’t want to have to do it twice. “You said you’re an interior decorator, right?”
“Designer.”
“Whatever. You do up people’s houses. Do you think you could help us with our shop?”
“Why?”
“Because we want to open as soon as possible, obviously.”
“Why don’t ye?”
“You’ve seen the store, right? It hasn’t ever been used as a yarn store or a café! It needs work, but with Christmas coming up we’re both crazy busy. We have little time to go hunting for—” He waved his hand around aimlessly. “You know. The cool stuff.”
“I noticed. Ye even sleep on airbeds. What’s with that?”
Leo glared at her. “You’ve been in our bedrooms?”
“Not yet,” Roisin said coolly. “I just stood in the doorway.”
“When?”
“The first night ye were here. I was trying to decide where to start searching. The strongest vibe was in the kitchen. Still is.”
“That’s all very intriguing, but it’s late.” Finn yawned fit to split his jaw. He squeezed Leo’s hand and it felt like a question.
Leo didn’t want Roisin in the house, but short of calling the police he couldn’t see a way to keep her out. At the very least, Finn’s idea brought them something for their trouble. He caught Finn’s eye and gave a very slight nod.
Finn squeezed his hand in reply before he turned to face Roisin again. “Do we have a deal? We hire you to help us prepare the store for opening. In return you can look around the house.”
Roisin nodded once. Then she spat into her palm and held out her hand. Eyebrows almost disappearing under his hairline, Finn replicated the gesture, and they shook across the kitchen table. Leo hesitated when Roisin turned to him, but then he gave himself a push, spat into his own palm and shook hands with her to seal the deal.
He didn’t believe for a moment that the house held a Saxon treasure. Or that Roisin would find anything when she went looking. On the other hand, having an interior designer help them get the shop ready…
Roisin seemed to be the only one of them who was wide awake. “Right,” she said, pushing her seat back. “Where shall I start?”
“It’s one o’clock on Sunday morning,” Leo protested.
“Now I’m thinkin’ on it, so it is.” Roisin doctored a second mug of coffee with three spoons of sugar. “Give me a head start then. A quick tour of the house, where ye tell me what ye want each room for, and then I’ll leave ye to yer private entertainment. I think about what needs doing and come back with ideas, bright and early tomorrow morning.”
“Monday. Please,” Leo mock-whined. “You’ve already interrupted our beauty sleep.”
“Ye’re no fun. When I’m offering to do yer whole house!”
Leo found Finn watching him and tried to summon a smile. “Do you get the impression that she won’t shut up until we give in?”
Roisin read the acceptance in their faces and clapped her hands. “Excellent. On we go.”
She marched out of the living room and up the stairs before Finn and Leo could get out of their seats. Leo cupped Finn’s cheek. “Are you okay?”
Finn nodded. “I just… Waking to someone shouting and swearing is—” He scrubbed a hand through his hair. “It’s stupid.”
“Not. You kept admirably calm. I’d have… Not listened to her, for one. Or hired us an interior designer for the shop. Can you hang on another twenty minutes?”
“Sure. Not that I know how coherent I’m going to be.”
