“Don’t worry,” Shelley said. “John’s making sure I don’t do too much. I’ll see you soon.”
As Eden walked back to her car, her mind buzzed with possibilities. Finding a place of her own had seemed so unrealistic that she’d given up considering the possibility. But if the house needed as much love and attention as Shelley had said, it could be the only way she’d find a home.
When she arrived, Shelley was already there, waiting by the gate of a charming, slightly worn-down house. But beyond the obvious signs of wear and tear, there was a lovely building waiting to be restored. “You weren’t kidding when you said it was gorgeous.”
Shelley grinned. “I’m glad you’re not put off by the saggy bits. John knows plenty of builders who’ll give you a good price to fix it up. With a little elbow grease, the cottage will be incredible.”
Eden looked at the overgrown garden and the faded paint on the house’s exterior. “It definitely has character,” she said with a smile. “Let’s go inside.”
The interior was a mix of outdated décor, layers of dust and grime, and peeling paint. The musty smell of mold and the damp patches on the ceilings were slightly worrying, but they were nothing that couldn’t be fixed.
“What do you think?” Shelley asked.
Eden walked into the kitchen and held her nose. “Oh, my goodness. I thought the bad smell was from a leak in the roof, but it’s coming from the refrigerator.”
Shelley cautiously walked across to the partly open refrigerator and used her foot to flick open the door.
Eden looked over her shoulder and gagged. The congealed, gooey pile of food made her feel sick.
Shelley made a disgusted sound and slammed the refrigerator door shut. With her arm across her nose, she unlocked the kitchen door and flung it open. “That’s the nastiest leftovers I’ve seen.” Taking a deep breath, she leaned against the doorframe. “They’re so decomposed that I don’t know whether it’s meat or vegetables.”
“Probably meat,” Eden said between deep breaths. “Maggots don’t like vegetables.”
A shiver passed through Shelley’s body. “The owners live out of town. They’d be horrified if they saw what’s in there.”
Taking a cleansing breath, Eden held her nose between two fingers. “I won’t let that deter me. You’d better stay here while I check out the bathroom.”
Shelley sent her a grateful smile. “I feel like I’m letting you down, but I don’t think my stomach will survive another foul smell.”
With a quick nod, and one last breath of fresh air, Eden plunged into the neglected house. When she stepped into the bathroom, she let go of her nose. Apart from old fixtures and fittings, and a few layers of yuckiness, it wasn’t too bad.
“What’s it like?” Shelley yelled from the back door.
Eden looked up at the ancient extractor fan. “Old, dirty, and needing a complete remodel, but not as bad as the kitchen.”
She left the bathroom and stepped around a pile of rubbish that’d been left in the hallway. Two bedrooms and a storage closet completed the interior of the house. She wasn’t brave enough to open the closet, so she left it for another day.
By the time Eden joined Shelley in the backyard, she’d decided to put in an offer. “I like it. Although, I’ll have to find a few muscly men to move the refrigerator into a dumpster. I’ve never seen anything so disgusting.”
Shelley grinned. “I know plenty of muscly men who’ll help.” She opened her bag and handed Eden a business card. “This is the name of the realtor. I wouldn’t waste too much time waiting to see her. As soon as the house is advertised, she’ll have multiple offers.”
Eden looked at the card. “When do you have to be home?”
Shelley’s eyes shone with excitement. “John’s not expecting me for another hour.”
“In that case,” Eden said with a wide grin. “I’ll call the realtor and make an offer!”
Chapter16
Steve was a little worried as he parked in front of Eden’s newly purchased house on Chestnut Drive. A week ago, she’d made an unconditional offer. Within hours, the offer had been accepted. And, from the looks of things, she was now the proud owner of a disaster waiting to happen.
He admired her determination to find somewhere to live, but he was shocked by the amount of work the house needed. Stepping out of his truck didn’t make the cottage look any better.
Eden was waiting for him and Rex on the front veranda. “Thanks for coming, Steve. I really appreciate your help.”
Rex trotted beside him with his tail wagging.
“You’re welcome, but I wish you’d told me about the house sooner.” He scrutinized the underside of the veranda. Some of the main support beams needed to be replaced. It wouldn’t be a big job but, unless Eden did it soon, the entire structure could come down on someone’s head.
