Home to Stay (The Long Road Home #2) - Maryann Jordan Page 0,24
round, wooden table that appeared to be antique with two chairs on either side. The chairs were also small, and he hoped they would support his weight. Looking back, he longed to smooth the worry from her face. “That’s perfect. It’s just us, and I’d rather it be easy and informal anyway.”
With deft efficiency, she placed a pan of cheesy chicken enchiladas on a trivet sitting on the counter. Next, she placed bowls of guacamole, homemade salsa, sour cream, and cheese. Opening a large bag of tortilla chips, she poured them into another bowl.
“This looks great,” he said, forgetting the state of her house and focusing on the food in front of him.
She thanked his compliment with a wide smile as she handed him a plate. “Go ahead and fill up, you can always come back for seconds and thirds if you want. What would you like to drink? I have iced tea, beer, wine…”
“Beer would be great.”
She grabbed a couple of beers from the refrigerator and set them on the table. He continued to stand to the side, holding his plate, until she joined him. Once the dishes were piled high, he eased into the chair, making sure it would hold his weight despite its slight wobble. Her laughter greeted his ears, and he looked across the table.
“I can tell you’re afraid to sit down, but honestly, that chair can hold my brother or my dad.”
That told him her family must know the state of her house, and after a moment of eating, he dipped his toe into the questions. “So, it looks like you’re doing some work around the place.”
Her laughter rang out again, and he loved the sound of it.
“You’re being very polite. And doing some work around the place would be an understatement, to hear my dad talk about it. He says my house is a disaster, and I’m a disaster in it!”
He frowned at the thought of her family not appreciating her efforts, but she quickly rushed to explain.
“He just worries, that’s all. He and my brother come by sometimes to offer advice or to help, but they finally understand that I want to do most of it myself. Plus, they have jobs they need to take care of. My mom encourages my projects, but I think she worries a bit also. As long as I promised that I won’t climb on the roof without letting one of them know, she’s pretty chill about it all.”
“I understand you doing the painting and tackling some of the carpentry, but I couldn’t help but notice the plumbing in the bathroom…” He left the statement open-ended, hoping she wouldn’t be offended.
Chewing, she swallowed first, then took a sip of beer before hefting her shoulders in a shrug. “That’s what YouTube videos are for.”
His fork halted on the way to his mouth, his brow furrowing as he discerned her meaning. “You’re watching YouTube videos to learn how to do the plumbing?”
She nodded with enthusiasm, her fork waving in the air as she spoke. “You can find YouTube videos on just about everything. I mean, I wouldn’t try to do my electricity because I don’t want to catch my house on fire or electrocute myself—”
“Thank God for that!”
Either she didn’t hear his incredulity or chose to ignore him as she continued. “But I learned how to sand my shutters before painting them. I learned how to do a few repairs, although I find the plumbing a bit more difficult.”
“Is there a reason you want to do it all yourself?”
He noticed a small dab of cheese on the corner of her mouth, and as her tongue darted out to lick it away, he wished he could have leaned across the table and done that for her. As she began to answer his question, he was forced to remind himself what he’d asked.
“Money, for one thing. I don’t have the money to pay someone to do everything for this house that needs to be done. But the other thing is just setting a goal and wanting to see it through. I really like knowing that I’m putting my blood, sweat, and tears into this place.”
“What will you do when you finish?”
She shrugged, her smile drooping slightly. “I’m not sure. I’m making it my own, but I don’t know that it’s my forever home. It’s sort of hard to look into the future and know what I want.” She glanced around. “I mean, it’s a great cottage but too small for a family