“I thought about it, and yes, it makes sense.”
“How about if we make it a four-season room? Insulate it, put in a heated floor, maybe. Double- or triple-pane windows so you can see out, but the cold winter air won’t come in.”
“I could sit and watch the snow fall,” she mused. “Yeah. I like it. Put it into your estimate.”
“Okay.”
“You already did, didn’t you? You knew I’d say yes.”
Linc laughed, a relatively rare occurrence. Grace thought how sad it was he didn’t laugh more often. He had a great laugh. It crinkled his eyes and brought out the dimple in his right cheek. Grace was a sucker for a man with dimples.
“I admit I worked it in at the end. Easy enough to remove if you’d nixed the idea.”
“So is it done? The estimate?”
“It is. If I’d known I’d be seeing you today, I’d have brought it with me. If you’re around tomorrow . . .”
“I will be. My sister and her daughter are coming for the weekend, so I know I’ll be showing off my soon-to-be home.”
“What do you think she’ll say when she sees it?”
“She’ll love it. Nat has a good eye. She’s really creative—she’ll see the potential. I’ve already sent her some pictures, and she can’t wait to see it.” She noticed him checking his watch. “You have to get back.” She walked outside with him. “So when can you start?”
“I have probably another week to finish up the job we’re on now. But maybe I could stop over on the weekends and do a little of this, a little of that. Knock out some of the little things.”
“That would be amazing. Thank you, Linc. You don’t know what this house means to me. It’s the first house I’ve owned by myself.”
“Then we have to make sure we get it right.” He paused to look back at the front of the house. “One more thing. I’m wondering if you might want to remove the vinyl siding.”
“You say that as if you find vinyl siding personally offensive. Like you should be holding your nose when you say the words.” She lowered her voice. “Vinyl. Siding.”
That brought a smile to his face. “To tell you the truth, it’s not my favorite. It has its place, but not on historical buildings.”
“What do you think the original siding looks like?”
“We can pull back a piece of the vinyl when I get a few minutes to take a look. It’s probably clapboard, which is how most of the early homes were built.”
“You think the original wood survived all these years?”
“It could have. There may be some sections that will need replacement—some might require some repair, but sure. The original wood construction is probably under the vinyl.”
“Okay, then. We should definitely look.”
He nodded and walked to his truck.
“Make sure JoJo comes to story hour on Saturday. I’m bringing my niece, and they’re around the same age. Daisy’s a little younger, but still. They could hang out a little in the bookshop.”
“I’ll remind my dad. Though JoJo will remind him, I’m sure. She counts down the days.”
“A girl who loves books.” Grace sighed. “That’s one of the best things you can give your kids, so someone got that right.”
“It must be your influence. I never saw any of my sister’s kids pick up a book before JoJo started going to the bookstore on Saturdays, and the other two still don’t. My sister wasn’t the type to read bedtime stories.” He opened the driver’s-side door and looked back at her.
“I’m sorry.”
“Yeah. Me too.” He got into the cab and drove off.
Grace offered to do the shopping for the weekend, since Maggie was determined to make all Natalie’s favorite foods. It was late afternoon by the time she finished all the errands and returned to the house on Cottage Street. She was delighted to see Natalie’s car in the driveway.
“Hey, anyone home?” she called out when she went inside. “Where is everyone?”
“Aunt Gracie! We came to see you!” Daisy dashed through the kitchen screen door and hit Grace at the knees, almost knocking her over.
“I see you have.” Grace hobbled to the counter and set down the bag she was carrying so she could hug her niece. “I’m happy to see you. I missed you.”
“I missed you, too.” Daisy tugged Grace’s hand. “Mommy and Nana are in the garden. I helped Nana pick flowers to put in a vase. She’s going to let me help her pick up leaves tomorrow, ’cause they’re falling off her trees . . .”
Daisy continued her happy chatter all the way to the backyard. Grace and Natalie hugged and sat together on the deck, bringing each other up to date on their lives.
“Tell me more about this house you’re buying,” Natalie said.
“Bought. We settled this morning. I was over there earlier, and my contractor stopped by.” When Maggie joined them on the deck, a bouquet of flowers in her hands, Grace said, “Mom, thanks for letting Linc know about the settlement. He stopped over and gave me some really good ideas.”
“When is the work going to begin?” Natalie asked.
“Not sure. He and his crew are finishing up another job. He’ll give me a heads-up when he’s ready to start.”
Maggie called to Daisy, who was busy picking up yellow leaves from the ground. “Daisy, leave those for tomorrow. Right now we have to arrange these flowers in a vase, and I’d like you to help me.”
Daisy came running, and she and Maggie disappeared into the house.
Grace repeated Linc’s suggestion for the four-season porch, and the more she talked about it, the more she liked the idea. “This little house will be, well, little, but it’s going to have everything I ever wanted. And it will be all mine.”
“I’m delighted for you. I’m sure it’s going to be wonderful. Can we go tomorrow?”
“We can go first thing in the morning.”
“I’d rather go later in the day, if it’s all right with you.”
“Sure, but—”
Natalie leaned in. “Chris is coming tomorrow, but don’t say anything. He wants to surprise Emma, so don’t even tell Mom, in case she slips.”
“I think the only one you need to worry about slipping is your daughter.”
Natalie laughed. “She doesn’t know, for that very reason. Daisy hasn’t yet learned how to keep a secret.”
“Which is why you need to tell Mom you and Chris are dating. If you don’t, you know Daisy will.”
Natalie shrugged. “Daisy doesn’t even know what dating means.”
“Don’t underestimate the child,” Grace warned. “She’s going to blow the whistle on you two, just wait.”
Chris showed up at the Flynn house just before noon on Friday.
“Chris!” Maggie hugged him. “Does your mother know you’re here?”
“She does now. I just came from the art center.” He hugged Grace before he hugged Natalie.
Anyone with eyes could tell Nat got a different kind of hug. If Maggie was curious, she didn’t let on.