They climbed the four steps that led to the wide porch. “Definitely need to get this porch fixed. There are several places where the wood is loose or buckling,” he added, pointing to a few spots.
She fished her iPad out of her tote, opened the document she’d started, and added a notation. After he unlocked the door, Chase gestured for her to go first. As soon as she crossed the threshold, a blast of stale heat greeted her. Swiping at a few spiderwebs, she stepped into the short entryway and followed Chase as he slowly took in the large formal living room.
He walked over to the fireplace, picked up a family photo on the mantel, blew some of the dust off, and stared at it for several seconds before putting it back in its place. “Okay, let’s get this done.”
It took over an hour for Natasha and Chase to walk through the two-story, four-bedroom, three-bathroom home and document all the things he wanted repaired, restored, and updated. “How long are you going to be here?” she asked as she headed for her car.
“Until next Tuesday. My wife gets in tomorrow, and we’ll clear everything out. Are you going to talk to Mr. Davenport about making the repairs?”
“Yes. I’ll stop by on my way back to the office.” Charles Davenport owned the only construction company in town. “I’ll call and let you know when he can start.”
Chase hugged her and kissed her cheek. “Thanks for everything, Tasha. And thanks for visiting Mom and keeping me updated on her condition.”
“You know how much I love Ms. Velda.”
A smile curved his lips. “Yeah, you were the daughter she always wanted. She spoiled you rotten.”
Natasha shrugged and started down the steps. “It’s not my fault you and Mike never wanted to have tea parties or help redecorate.”
He laughed. “Right. That was never gonna happen, so I’m glad she had you.”
“See you later.” She was still smiling when she got into her car and drove back to town.
She parked in the small lot at the end of the block and walked two doors down to Davenport Family Construction. Inside, she spoke to the receptionist, then took a seat to wait while the woman went down the hall to the back offices. A moment later, she returned and gestured for Natasha to follow her.
“Hey, Natasha.” Mr. Davenport came around his desk and embraced her. “Have a seat. What’s going on?”
“Hey, Mr. D.” She took the offered chair and said, “I wanted to talk to you about getting on the schedule to fix up Ms. Velda’s house. Chase and Mike have decided to sell.”
He shook his head. “I wondered what they were planning to do. It breaks my heart to see her going down like this.” Leaning forward, he tapped a few keys on his computer. “I can put you on the schedule for next Tuesday. Will eleven o’clock work?”
She pulled up her calendar on her phone. “Yep, that’ll be fine.” Since Chase and Mike didn’t live in town, Chase had entrusted Natasha with the task of overseeing the repairs, and she’d promised to keep him updated.
“Okay. How’re your folks doing?”
“They’re doing well. Both keep talking about wanting to retire, saying they’ve had enough of working for the government.”
Mr. Davenport chuckled. “I can’t blame them. I might like to do the same. Sleeping in, fishing—”
“And taking all those trips Mrs. Davenport’s been talking about.” Everyone in town knew about the multitude of travel brochures his wife had. She showed them around every chance she got.
“Yeah, that, too.” He stroked his chin thoughtfully. “On second thought, maybe I’d better stick around here a while longer and earn a little more money. No telling where that woman will have me going.”
Natasha hopped up from her seat. “On that note,” she said laughingly, “I’m out of here. And your secret is safe with me.” She gave him an exaggerated wink. He loved his wife to distraction, and Natasha knew he’d been teasing. They were still laughing about it as they sauntered toward the front.
“I don’t believe it,” he whispered and stopped abruptly.
She glanced over her shoulder to see what had captured his attention and froze.
What is he doing here?
Mr. Davenport rushed past her and engulfed Antonio Hayes in a crushing hug, but she couldn’t get her feet to move or her mouth to form a sentence. The tall, lanky, handsome basketball player who’d captured her heart at age fifteen had grown into a man with heart-stopping good looks and well-defined muscles that bulged with every movement. When Antonio finally looked her way, his gaze held the same iciness it had the last time their paths had crossed. Well, not exactly crossed. She’d seen him from a distance when he came home a few years ago and thought it was time they cleared the air. He’d seen her coming, turned, and went the other way, but not before glaring at her. Obviously, nothing had changed. Not wanting him to know how much he rattled her, she pasted a smile on her face. “Hey, Antonio. It’s good to see you.”
“Natasha.” Antonio turned back to Mr. Davenport.
Okay, she didn’t expect him to greet her the same way he’d done his godfather, but she figured it had been a long time since their breakup, they were both adults now, and he would at least be somewhere in the vicinity of cordial. Instead, the startling gray eyes that had captivated her the first day she’d seen him in their ninth-grade algebra class now bored into her like a turbulent thunderstorm. “Um, I know you two probably want to catch up, and I need to make a quick stop at the post office. I’ll see you later.” Natasha made a beeline to the exit.
“I guess you’re still sending letters.”
