Renovations & Romance

I woke at seven the next morning, scarfed down an energy bar, then washed it down with bottled water from the cooler. The bar tasted like sawdust, but it’d give me enough stamina to take on some of the chores on my list. My phone hadn’t stopped pinging and buzzing until after eleven. Daniel wasn’t taking the hint that my lack of response meant that I didn’t want to talk, so I muted him. We weren’t a “we” anymore. We had nothing to say to each other.

I replied to the texts from my friends letting them know that I was fine and was taking some time off over the next few weeks. I wasn’t scheduled to teach a summer session, so I didn’t have to worry about getting someone to take over my classes. I knew I’d eventually have to return to Grayton, but I couldn’t see that far ahead.

I called Dad in Florida to let him know I was taking the summer off and staying at Gran’s. He didn’t ask about Daniel, so I didn’t bring him up. His parents didn’t purchase the cottage until Dad had left for college. Grandpa and Gran planned to live out their retire here. Unfortunately, Grandpa died a few years later.

The cottage wasn’t a part of Dad’s childhood, so it did mean as much to him as it did to me. He’d urged Gran to sell the place while the market was hot, then move to Florida to be closer to him and his new wife. Gran let him know in no uncertain terms that she’d never agree to that plan. She planned to live the rest of her life at the cottage just like she and Grandpa planned.

I couldn’t call my Mom. She and my new step-dad were on a cruise in Europe, so I emailed her letting them know I was staying at Larkspur Lake. I didn’t mention my break-up with Daniel in the email. Mom was going to be devastated by the news. She was thrilled that she was finally going help to plan my wedding after waiting all these years. I didn’t want to ruin the rest of her trip by letting her know hat there would be no wedding.

In the shed, I rooted around in the dim light until I found the old stepladder.I pulled my leather tool belt out of the metal storage box behind the cab. I always kept a set of basic tools with me. You just never knew when a screwdriver might come in handy.

I clambered onto the roof, moving slowly, feeling for soft spots that might indicate rotted decking. There were shingles missing here and there, but overall the structure was solid. When I climbed to spot where the hole appeared, I saw a heavy tree limb had fallen onto the roof and driven right through the shingles, puncturing a five-inch round hole. It wasn’t large, but rain had seeped through, ruining the ceiling sheetrock and puddling on the wood flooring below. The wet insulation would need to be replaced, but the limb didn’t do damage to the structure.

I lugged the tarp up the ladder, then draped it over the peak to cover the hole. The tarp would keep things dry until I could replace the hole in the decking and replace the shingles. It was a temporary fix, but if it remained sunny like my weather app predicted, I’d be able to fix it before the next storm. I slid a small notebook out of my back pocket, scribbling measurements and making a list of the supplies I’d need. I sat back on my heels. The cottage would look nice with a metal roof, but I’d have to leave that for another day.

“Greta wouldn’t like you climbing up on the roof by yourself. It’s safer if someone is below to brace the ladder.”

I looked down. Ellis was at the bottom of the ladder holding on to either side. “I’ve climbed onto the roof hundreds of times by myself. I’ve gotten pretty good at it.” When my feet hit the ground, I found that Ellis’s arms were wrapped around me. I could feel his warm breath on the back of my neck. “I’m on the ground. You can let go.”

I wiped the sweat off my brow with the back of my hand. This time I could see Ellis was in shorts and a sleeveless shirt. By the look of it, he’d been on a run. Sweat drenched his shirt which clung to his body. He was breathing hard.

He pointed to the roof. “What if you’d slipped?”

I hooked my thumbs into my work belt. “I did the work on my roof in Grayton and that roof was three stories high. I think I can handle this.”

He pointed to the tarp. “Have you found a roofing company? I’m sure Abby could recommend one for you.”

“I can do the work myself. It’s a simple repair, actually.” I tucked my pencil behind my ear, then crossed my arms over my chest. I was glad he didn’t press me further about hiring a contractor. Why did people assume that I needed help with the repairs? Was it because I was a woman or college professor or both? First Abby, now Ellis. I was capable of grading essays and swinging a hammer. The two skills weren’t diametrically opposed.

Three ravens perched in the highest branches of the old elm tree in the yard making a racket. Their strident caws split the morning air, silencing the birds that had been chirping noisily earlier. Ellis was stretching his quads, sweat dripping down his forehead. “I’d be happy to lend you my tools if you need anything. I’ve got a shed full that I’ve barely used after I finished working on the cabin.”

I let out a long breath. I couldn’t stand around talking to Ellis all morning, especially because I was finding it hard not to stare at his muscular forearms. “I know you helped Gran, and I’m grateful you were here for her. But it’s my cottage now. I can handle it.”

I gave him a level stare. “People didn’t think I could do the renovation of my house in Grayton either, but I did it. It took two years of hard work, but when it was finished, I was proud of all the work. I can’t believe that in this day and age, people still think a woman can’t do manual labor as well as a man.”

Ellis rubbed his chin. “I don’t doubt you can do the work. Greta was so proud that you did the renovations. She showed me the pictures you sent of the different stages. I saw the shape it was before you bought it. It was pretty rough, but you turned it into a beautiful home.”

My gut twisted. Gran had never seen the house in person. I’d never asked her to come stay with Daniel and me for a weekend after I’d finished the work. We were always busy. And then she got sick and she wasn’t able to travel. I was sick I’d wasted so much time.

“Greta said you can do whatever you set your mind to.” He hesitated for a moment. “I just want to let you know you don’t have to do it on your own. I’m around whenever you need a hand. I think Greta would like that.”

“I appreciate the offer. It’s not…” I didn’t know how I’d finish the sentence. Most of my construction tools were still at my house in Grayton. I’d need them to fix Gran’s cottage, so it would be nice to have access to what I needed close by.

I pointed at his cabin. “I forgot to mention it to you yesterday when I came over, but you did an amazing job restoring the log cabin. Gran and I spent a lot of time there.” I shrugged. “Mrs. Delvecchio and Gran were fast friends. It was tough on Gran when Angela passed away. She was only sixty-seven at the time.”

“Greta told me about her long friendship with Angela.” Our eyes met. “Greta showed me some of her old picture albums. I wanted to get the details of the cabin right, so I asked her to show me pictures to of what it looked like back in the day.” He rested his hands on his hips. “I also saw some pictures of you as a girl growing up. You haven’t changed.”

I snorted. “I’m still a skinny kid with tangled hair, scraped knees, and dirty, bare feet?”

“Well, maybe not exactly the same.” He didn’t look away. “But the same heart-shaped face, mahogany-colored curls, and eyes the exact shade of emeralds.”

My mouth went dry. I tore my gaze away from his, focusing on the ground.

Ellis said, “I was lucky to get this place when I did. Prices have shot through the roof on these lake houses.” He inserted his earbuds into his ears. “See you later, Georgia.” He gave me a playful salute, then jogged down the path toward his cabin.

I watched him go. I needed to get back to work and stop gawping at Ellis’s back. Their friendship made more sense now. Gran preferred her men charming. When she invited me down to visit, she’d been insistent that I meet her lovely new neighbor.

Gran never warmed up to Daniel even though she normally liked everyone. Though he and I dated for four years, she never lost her reserve with him. She never said anything disparaging about him to me, but suggested I should keep my options open. It was the romantic in her, the part that wanted me to have the same experience she had when my Grandpa had swept her off her feet when she was just seventeen with dashing good looks that rivaled Cary Grant. She believed in a soul mate, true love, and big, romantic gestures.

Gran and I spent many rainy afternoons watching old movies and rom-coms that ended with the couple realizing they belonged together by the end. Gran would squeeze my hand and brush the curls off my face. “That will be you one day. You’ll find the love of your life just like I did. There’s somewhere out there just waiting to meet you right now.”