“Not for now. I just want it to be tidy, and it would be nice if we could get the fountains and the lights to work again.”
“Yes, they’re quite magical at night when they’re lit up.”
“Hmm…” The corners of Riley’s lips curled up. “Are you a romantic?”
Quinn had a feeling Riley was flirting with her. “I can be.” She felt that tingle again, and when Riley’s eyes lowered to her lips for a brief moment, she knew it was mutual. “Are you?”
“I don’t know. There’s a lot I’m yet to learn about myself.”
“You bought this house, so there must be a romantic in you somewhere,” Quinn said, wondering if Riley was referring to something entirely different. “It doesn’t get more romantic than an old mansion on the river. Just wait until late summer when the asters start to bloom. The whole yard turns into a sea of lilac.”
“So that’s why it’s called Aster House. Funny. I never thought about the name.”
“It was built on an aster field. That was the very reason my great-grandfather chose the spot—his wife loved them. The view over the river was only a bonus.”
“The romantic side runs in the family, then,” Riley said. “Should I tell Gareth about it, so he doesn’t pull them out?”
“No need. They’re wildflowers, so they’re resilient. When late summer comes, I suggest you hold off on mowing the lawn for two months and let it grow and bloom. It’ll be absolutely stunning.”
“I can’t wait to see that.” Riley was so intently fixed on Quinn, that Quinn didn’t know what to do with herself in the long silence that followed. Then, suddenly, Riley averted her gaze and focused on the waterfront. “I was thinking of building a dock,” she said. “It will add value to the house, right?”
“Definitely,” Quinn agreed. “There used to be a dock, actually, so there might still be a base construction under the surface. That will save you a lot of work if it’s still in good condition.”
“That’s useful to know. I’m lucky to have you as the Aster House expert.” Riley paused and turned back to her. “Is it still difficult for you? Being here?”
“It’s easier now that I’m getting used to it.” Quinn shivered as their eyes locked. Her friends didn’t look at her that way. Not like they wanted to kiss her. “And your company is pleasantly distracting.”
“Good.” A blush settled over Riley’s cheeks, and she hesitated. “Look…I want you to know that I’ll respect the house when I renovate it. I’ll make it my own, of course, but I’ll respect its layout and history, and I won’t remove any of the built-in features.”
“Thank you. I appreciate that, but you should do whatever you want.”
“What I want is to make it feel like a warm home again, and I’d like your help.” Riley put her hand on Quinn’s arm, and the light touch caused Quinn’s breath to hitch.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to get involved…”
“Please. You don’t need to do anything. I just want your opinion. I’m not good at the homemaking thing, I’ve always hired others to do the interior for me.”
With the pleading look Riley gave her, Quinn cracked, because how could she ever say no to her? “What did you have in mind?”
“I’d like you to look at some color and fabric swatches next time you’re here. I’ve started painting everything white, but it doesn’t suit the style of the house, and this morning when the light poured in, it felt wrong. You’re welcome to tell me you were right, by the way,” Riley added humorously.
Quinn laughed as she got up. “I’m no interior designer, but sure, I’ll take a look. I can drop by sometime at the end of the week if that suits you?” She handed Riley the empty mug. “Thanks for this.”
“Anytime. There will always be coffee waiting for you.”
Quinn smiled. “I’ll take you up on that. And good luck with the carpet today.”
25
RILEY
Riley pushed and pulled, but the huge bookcase that was standing in an alcove in the office wouldn’t budge. Moving it was the only way to remove the last bit of carpet and the wallpaper behind it, but she had no idea how to get the damn thing out. Figuring it must have been screwed into the wall, she took out the decorative items Wendy had placed on the shelves and studied the back of it. She found four big screws in the corners of one half of the unit, so she went to get a screwdriver and a ladder and balanced on her tiptoes to take them out.
Riley tried again after removing the screws, wedging her fingers behind it and tugging, but to no avail. What was going on here? Was the thing glued to the wall, or was she just not strong enough? She knocked on the back of the bookcase, hoping she could work out where the majority of the glue was by the sound, then found that the left side where the screws had been sounded completely different. She tapped both sides again and focused on the left half, which had a hollower sound to it, like there was nothing behind it. Contemplating taking a hammer to it, she thought of Quinn and how much it would upset her if she tore it to pieces, and decided against it. Maybe she should wait and ask her for her opinion. It had been Riley’s idea, after all, to involve her in her renovations.
Stepping back, she looked over the bookcase and noticed the alcove was in a strange, seemingly random position. Why would they put it there of all places, on the right side of the main wall? Why not center it so it looked tidier? Knocking again, she wondered if there could be a dead space behind, then she started taking out the shelves at the lack of a better idea. The top two shelves came out without effort, but when she pulled at the third shelf, it seemed stuck to the back of the case. Instead of coming out, the whole bookcase turned inward like a door, hitting her ladder and causing her to tumble off.
“Ouch!” Landing on the floor, Riley winced and rubbed her sore thigh. Still confused as to what had happened, her eyes widened as she stared at the bookcase that was now divided in two. There was only a small gap between the left and the right side, but it was enough to see that it was an entrance of some sort. She picked herself up and moved the ladder so she could pull at one of the bottom shelves; the bookcase easily opened outward.
