Page 15 of When Sparks Fly

“I couldn’t help seeing you. But I should have let you know you had an audience. Sorry.”

She appreciated his apology, but her dignity was rattled. And she still hadn’t had any coffee, thanks to him.

“Or you could have turned away and not been an audience at all.”

The corner of his mouth twitched. “Yeah...that wasn’t a realistic option. You were a sight I couldn’t ignore.” He managed to control his laughter, shaking his head. “But I am sorry for startling you. Do you want me to come back later?”

She’d only be hurting herself if she made him leave now.

“No, I’ve been waiting long enough to get this deck fixed. I’ll just be more careful about closing the curtains.” And she wouldnotbe coming downstairs in her bathrobe again until he was done with the repairs. She tugged at her robe again and turned away, spotting her coffee cup on the counter. Her first mother-in-law had instilled an entire volume of Emily Post good manners in her, so she couldn’t help asking. “Would you like a cup of coffee?”

“No thanks. I picked up a to-go cup from Evie this morning at The Spot.” She’d started into the kitchen when he called out to her. “Adele’s got nothing on you, Vicks.”

Her teeth ground together, but she kept walking, closing the door hard enough to make the glass panes rattle. Not only had he watched. He’d alsolistened.She yanked the heavy damask curtains closed.

She didn’t go back downstairs again until she’d showered and dressed in her pantsuit.Nowshe was ready to start her day, no matter who might see her. She looked like the Vickie Pendergast people in Rendezvous Falls expected—thoughtfully put together from her carefully styled hair to the toes of her Burberry flats. After taking a few bites of a cinnamon bagel, she pulled open the drapes overlooking the deck.

She couldn’t hear any hammering. Maybe Gordon had left after all? But no, his toolbox was still sitting there, as well as the travel mug she assumed was holding his coffee. She stepped outside.

“No!” His voice came from beneath her, scaring her half to death. “Don’t walk out here, Vicks. It’s not safe.”

Vicks?Her nose wrinkled in displeasure. At the same time, she had a sudden flashback to sitting under the birch trees in front of the high school at lunchtime, giggling over something with a group of friends. Gordon had joined them with a few other football players, brushing a shock of long dark hair from his forehead. Calling herVicks.

Good Lord, that was almost fifty years ago...

“I’m serious.” His voice was firm, if muffled. “Step back inside. Give me a minute to get out of here.” She obeyed without a word. He grumbled and shuffled under the deck, which was only a few feet above the ground. The deck was one of her favorite spots to be in the warmer months, with a lovely view of Seneca Lake and the hills on the eastern shore across from her. The deck stretched wide enough to be accessible from the kitchen, formal dining room and the living room, and she used it for entertaining on a regular basis.

Gordon crawled out near the damaged steps, brushing dirt and brown leaves off himself as he stood. He turned to face her, shaking his head grimly.

“Sorry to bark at you, but we have a problem.”

“What kind of problem? Did the tree do more damage than you thought?”

“Actually, that downed limb may have done you a favor. No one would have known about what I just saw until it was too late. How old is this deck?” He brushed cobwebs from his salt-and-pepper hair.

Vickie tried to remember when the deck had been added. “I think Malcolm had it built around the time we started dating, so...over twenty years?” Saying that out loud made her realize just how long ago that was. But she’d had the deck sanded and stained every few years, so it had been well maintained. Gordon shook his head again, and she felt like she was being scolded. “Will you stop with the headshaking” she snapped, “and just tell me what’s wrong?”

“For starters, you should have replaced this deck five or ten years ago. They don’t last forever, especially on the waterfront. Then add in the fact that this one wasnotconstructed properly for its size, and...” He shrugged, as if she was supposed to know what that meant. When her only response was stony silence, he walked up the steps and across the deck in her direction. Apparently it was safe enough forhim.He pointed down to where the deck met the house. “The ledger board is what anchors a deck to a house. Your ledger board wasn’t connected to the house well to start with, and it’s rotted over the years to the point where it could pull free at any time. And the joist connectors are cheap tin. They’ve rusted and grown weak, so if you had a few people all standing in the same area, a joist could easily give way.”

That was a visual that hit home. She’d served tea and desserts to Iris, Cecile and Maura just last week out here one sunny afternoon. The idea ofanyone, but particularly eighty-two-year-old Iris, falling through the deck made her feel ill.

“B-but you’re standing on it right now.”

“That’s the thing—it could last a couple more years without a problem.” He looked around. “Or it could go right now.” He winked at her, and she had to make an effort not to show any response. A response like...gasping. He had one great wink. “I’m standing here because I understand the risk, and your deck is only three feet off the ground. If you want to come out here, just know that it’s dicey. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you need a whole new deck.”

She sighed. “If it was anyone other thanyousaying that, I’d be skeptical as hell.”

“Feel free to get a second opinion.” He wasn’t offended, just calm and matter-of-fact about it.

“I don’t need to do that. Just tell me how much.”

He grimaced. “Way more than the original estimate, I’m afraid.”

“I’m sure. But my accountant doesn’t respond well to requests forway more.”

“I’ll work up a price for you. It’ll be more expensive, but I recommend going with composite decking. It’ll last a hell of a lot longer.” He grinned. “And you can even choose what color you want, anything from dark blue to rose pink. It’s going to take a while to complete.” His smile deepened. “Think you can avoid bursting into song that long?”

“Oh, ha ha. Think you can manage to avoid being a Peeping Tom if I can’t?”

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