good pictures of the house, though. Laurie may be right – it may be disappointing.”
Their destination wasn’t far out of town, so in about fifteen minutes, they were turning onto a gravel driveway. Fifty yards down, the woods cleared and they could see a small house. The one story house had been painted white at one time, but the years had faded it to a greyish color. The porch ran the length of the front of the house, and an old porch swing still hung on one side. The weed covered yard had not been tended in years. What looked like an old flower pot lay on its side close to the front door. Jake looked around at the desolate surroundings. A small garage sat to the right, half hidden from the house.
He turned to Emma to express his sorrow at what he was sure was going to be her disappointment, but instead she stared at the place, beaming. The smile on her face took his breath away.
“Isn’t it darling?” she exclaimed. Jake wondered if they were looking at the same house. “Come on.” She threw open the door and was out of truck before Jake could unbuckle. “Let’s check it out.”
Jake jumped out and his long strides overtook hers. His natural protectiveness and policeman’s cautiousness kicked in. “Wait. Slow down. We don’t even know if it is safe.”
“The realtor said that a county inspector had been out here a few months ago and said it was habitable. I’m sure it just needs a little work.” Emma grabbed his hand and pulled Jake along towards the front porch.
Jake looked down at their clasped hands. Strange, he thought, how right that feels. They approached the front door, and Jake took the key from her.
“Let me go in first to check it out,” he said. Jake swung the door open wide, wishing he had his revolver with him, not knowing what critters or vagrants might have taken up residence. He stepped inside, pleased to see it empty, not trashed. Emma skirted around him walking through the door. The living room encompassed most of the front of the house, with a stone fireplace at one end and built in bookshelves on either side of it. A large picture window looking out onto the front porch and yard beyond flooded the room with natural light. The hardwood floors were dusty, but in good condition.
Jake was surprised to see the solid construction of the house. He had assumed it was barely livable since Mr. Potter became a hermit in the last years of his life. Looking around, he could see the workmanship that went into the dwelling.
Emma walked over to the fireplace, smoothing her hands along the stones, already imagining her family pictures on the mantle. Turning to look out of the window, the woods surrounding the house were in plain view.
There was room on the other end for a dining table near the entrance to the kitchen, with another window facing east. Jake walked towards the kitchen, determined to scope out the rooms before Emma entered, but she followed quickly on his heels. The kitchen was simple, but roomy enough for her.
The appliances were long gone, but she could visualize where they would go. The cabinets were handmade and well crafted. Upon closer inspection, Emma was delighted to see that they did not need refinishing, just a thorough cleaning.
There was small mud room beyond the kitchen with a window and back door, leading out onto a stone patio. The mud room looked as though as a washing machine and dryer would fit in the space. Wooden pegs for hanging coats lined the opposite wall. Going back through the kitchen, they turned to head down the hall off of the living room.
There were two bedrooms, one slightly larger than the other, and one bathroom at the end of the hall. Emma peered into the bathroom. It was not large, but it held a full-sized tub. She walked into the larger bedroom that was in the back corner of the house. Looking out of the window, she could not only see the woods of the property, but the mountains in the background. Having looked at a map, she knew that the
Their destination wasn’t far out of town, so in about fifteen minutes, they were turning onto a gravel driveway. Fifty yards down, the woods cleared and they could see a small house. The one story house had been painted white at one time, but the years had faded it to a greyish color. The porch ran the length of the front of the house, and an old porch swing still hung on one side. The weed covered yard had not been tended in years. What looked like an old flower pot lay on its side close to the front door. Jake looked around at the desolate surroundings. A small garage sat to the right, half hidden from the house.
He turned to Emma to express his sorrow at what he was sure was going to be her disappointment, but instead she stared at the place, beaming. The smile on her face took his breath away.
“Isn’t it darling?” she exclaimed. Jake wondered if they were looking at the same house. “Come on.” She threw open the door and was out of truck before Jake could unbuckle. “Let’s check it out.”
Jake jumped out and his long strides overtook hers. His natural protectiveness and policeman’s cautiousness kicked in. “Wait. Slow down. We don’t even know if it is safe.”
“The realtor said that a county inspector had been out here a few months ago and said it was habitable. I’m sure it just needs a little work.” Emma grabbed his hand and pulled Jake along towards the front porch.
Jake looked down at their clasped hands. Strange, he thought, how right that feels. They approached the front door, and Jake took the key from her.
“Let me go in first to check it out,” he said. Jake swung the door open wide, wishing he had his revolver with him, not knowing what critters or vagrants might have taken up residence. He stepped inside, pleased to see it empty, not trashed. Emma skirted around him walking through the door. The living room encompassed most of the front of the house, with a stone fireplace at one end and built in bookshelves on either side of it. A large picture window looking out onto the front porch and yard beyond flooded the room with natural light. The hardwood floors were dusty, but in good condition.
Jake was surprised to see the solid construction of the house. He had assumed it was barely livable since Mr. Potter became a hermit in the last years of his life. Looking around, he could see the workmanship that went into the dwelling.
Emma walked over to the fireplace, smoothing her hands along the stones, already imagining her family pictures on the mantle. Turning to look out of the window, the woods surrounding the house were in plain view.
There was room on the other end for a dining table near the entrance to the kitchen, with another window facing east. Jake walked towards the kitchen, determined to scope out the rooms before Emma entered, but she followed quickly on his heels. The kitchen was simple, but roomy enough for her.
The appliances were long gone, but she could visualize where they would go. The cabinets were handmade and well crafted. Upon closer inspection, Emma was delighted to see that they did not need refinishing, just a thorough cleaning.
There was small mud room beyond the kitchen with a window and back door, leading out onto a stone patio. The mud room looked as though as a washing machine and dryer would fit in the space. Wooden pegs for hanging coats lined the opposite wall. Going back through the kitchen, they turned to head down the hall off of the living room.
There were two bedrooms, one slightly larger than the other, and one bathroom at the end of the hall. Emma peered into the bathroom. It was not large, but it held a full-sized tub. She walked into the larger bedroom that was in the back corner of the house. Looking out of the window, she could not only see the woods of the property, but the mountains in the background. Having looked at a map, she knew that the
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