Page 28 of Sweet Trouble
They both grabbed their jackets from the hooks by the back door.
Jillian looked a little nervous as she led him through the dining room and the living room and out to the center hall.
“I guess we should start with the front steps,” she said, indicating the door.
“Yes,” he agreed. “Those steps are treacherous.”
She smiled at that, and he opened the door for her.
Jillian moved past him, trailing the light scent of peppermint in her wake. He wondered if it was her shampoo, and then tried to think about something else.
“So, I guess new boards for the steps and a fresh coat of paint everywhere?” Jillian suggested.
“Definitely,” Tripp agreed. “Just give me a sec.”
He moved around the porch, testing the floor with a light hop here and there.
“So, I think some of the floorboards need to go as well,” he told her. “And I’ll hit the siding and trim with a screwdriver when I get to work. We can’t let any wood rot go. It will get worse quickly.”
“Okay,” she said, nodding. “That’s great.”
He pulled his notebook out of his pocket and jotted down the beginnings of his first list for the hardware store.
“You’re taking notes?” she said, soundingsurprised.
“Sure,” he told her. “It’s a big house. We don’t want to forget anything.”
When he looked up from his notebook, he couldn’t help noticing the expression on her face. There was a kind of respect there, like maybe she was seeing him differently.
I may be lighthearted, but I’m responsible,he wanted to tell her.
But it wouldn’t matter.
“Back inside?” he offered.
“Sure,” she said.
They headed in, and she led him to the living room.
“The ceiling stains are from the hall bath,” she told him. “So, we need to address that first, and then the ceiling. And I guess the window is leaking.”
He looked at the bubbling paper under the big window.
“Maybe,” he allowed. “But it’s more likely that someone’s been forgetting to close it when it rains. The summers are hotter these days.”
“Oh,” Jillian said.
He could see the worry in her mind.
“Do you think I should put in air conditioning?” she asked.
“You could put in central air,” he said, nodding. “But it would be pretty expensive. If you wanted you could just do window units where you need them. Or mini-splits.”
“Okay,” she said, looking a little overwhelmed.
“Let’s look at the rest of the house and then we can talk about it,” he offered.
“Thanks,” she said. “There was one more thing in this room, and I know you’re already doing a lot.”
