“No.”
It was time for him to go before there was an all-out blowout. He hadn’t come here to pick a fight. He hoped to help spruce the place up a bit before he left for the next rodeo event. If nothing else, at least line up a crew who could. But his grandpa made it abundantly clear he wasn’t needed or wanted.
He dug a VIP ticket out of his shirt pocket and set it on the table. It’d probably get lost in the sea of mail and notepads. “For you. Both nights.” He left before his grandpa could tell him he wasn’t coming.
Gus followed him with his eyes until he was out of sight. He didn’t care what his grandpa said about the dog. He’d come back later and take him to the vet. It was one thing he could control. Everything else in his life was a mess.
Chapter 5
Abbie
Abbie’s realtor, Christy, hesitated at the front door of the Victorian house, hand hovering above the deadbolt. “I shouldn’t have brought you here.”
Abbie shoved her hands in the pockets of her shorts to keep from grabbing the key. “You know Ihadto see this house.”
“It’s not in your budget.”
She understood that Christy—dressed in a cute skirt and a sleeveless ruffled blouse, and prepared for a full day of showing homes to clients following this unconventional favor—was only trying to manage her expectations. She wasn’t one of the top real estate agents in Starlight for nothing. But she’d broken a cardinal rule she made all other clients abide by: she’d taken Abbie to a house she couldn’t afford.
“I know. I just want to see inside.”
“Abbie, it’s fifty thousand over what you’re prequalified for.”
“I’ll be quick.” Vince wouldn’t be too happy to hear she was out and about on personal business instead of glued to Logan’s side. If her uncle hadn’t caught wind that his front-page subject was already in town, he would soon enough.
“It’s just a peek. Not a real showing.”
Unable to keep still, Abbie let one hand run along a white column of the Victorian home’s covered wraparound porch. It could use a fresh coat of paint, but it wasn’t anything she couldn’t handle. Already, she could envision Gibbs lounging on the porch while she ran a paintbrush along the woodwork.
Her heart had been set on this house for years. As a little girl, she rode her bike by, admiring the sturdy house that stood proudly with its whimsical style. She dreamt of climbing the stairs to the top of the round turret to watch the sunset. But now that it was finally for sale, the price tag was too steep. “No wiggle room on price, huh?”
“It’s already at a competitive price.”
In other words, someone would scoop up this house before too long, despite the fact it needed some TLC. “Do I need a bigger down payment?”
“Much bigger. But that’s not why we’re here, remember?”
It’d taken her three years to save up her nest egg of a down payment, but she wasn’t going to let a little bad news make her gloomy. Logan’s unexpected presence so close to her current living quarters gave her enough gloom to last the week. “Think I could move in today?”
“Abbie,” Christy warned.
“I’m kidding.”
Christy unlocked the front door at last, allowing her to step over the threshold first. She slipped off her sandals and rushed into the house, in awe of the grand staircase that wrapped around one side and climbed with the high ceiling. She ran her fingers along the polished banister.
More than once, she had nearly been caught looking in the windows when she was a kid. She’d always wanted to see inside this mysterious, big old house. But all attempts had been unsuccessful beyond a few peeks. She’d even tried selling cookies once, but the old lady who lived here chased her away with a broom.
“You know Mrs. Hampton. She’s not really the type who’d budge on price.”
“I wouldn’t expect that of her.” Even now, when Abbie saw the woman downtown, she wore the same stern expression she had years ago. Friendliness wasn’t a quality she possessed.
Her fingertips feathered across the decorative molding and textured walls. Though the outside needed some sprucing up, the inside was meticulous.
“The seller isn’t willing to do any updating, beyond what’s already been done.” Christy shook her head. “Why am I telling you any of this?”
Abbie was in love, already envisioning how she’d place her furniture. What pictures she’d hang on the walls. “It’s like a time capsule. Look at this gorgeous chandelier! And these high ceilings.”
“If you’re serious about buying a house, thereareother properties in town, you know,” Christy said. But the words were pointless.
