“Agreed.And this kid seems to have worked locally, and so is aware of the issues and how to address them.But he mentioned completely gutting and redoing it as we did the walk through.”
“Wow, that’ll be a huge job.Worth it, but huge.”
“For sure.”
“Are there any issues in refurbing the house?”
“Nah, it’s not like it's the house Aria grew up in, and I’m holding on to that memory.I bought it because it was where I wanted to live in the off-season.Doing it up will help keep it modern, and eliminate these issues before they get too bad.Will also help resale value if I go down that route.But also need to think of where to stay while this work goes on.”
“One, don’t make me argue with you about staying here again.That song has been sung.Don’t be a pain in the ass requesting it from the DJ again.And two; you could always ask the guy who did this refurb.”Rayna simultaneously waves a finger in the air, gesturing to the house, and reaches in her pocket for her phone.“He was really knowledgeable of the area and would always provide me with a few options, varying in prices.But he pretty much nailed everything.I couldn’t fault him.Could send him through to have a look for a second opinion.”She scrolls the screen.“Liam Deerubbin was his name.I can send you his contact details.”
I pull Liam’s business card from my pocket and hold it up for her to see.“One Liam Deerubbin.”
Rayna raises her arms and shrugs.“Well, you have my rave review of him, and you can look around here, and check out his work in finer detail.”
Scanning the vast eggshell and grey accented room; everything is flawless.Finishings are immaculate and clean.The attention to detail in everything from the ceiling’s embossed pattern to the floors meticulously laid reclaimed wood is quality.
“Yeah.To be fair, I’m sold on him.He sounded genuine.”
“He is lovely and a local boy too.Grew up off Parsley Bay, a few streets away from Courtney's house.I asked if he might've known Aria as it sounded like he lived close to Courtney’s house and around the same age as Aria, but he didn’t know her name.”
I let his full name roll around my head and continue to draw a blank.
“Not sure I have heard the name myself.I might ask Aria when I speak with her next.”
A pot boils over, demanding her attention back to the stove, and I enjoy watching her movements.
How she delicately places the fresh pasta inside, that was waiting patiently on the side of the stove.Keeping her attentive eye while they cook, stirring here and there, needing mere moments.I could watch her do nothing and be enthralled by every second.
To distract myself, I ask.“Did your chef mate make the pasta?”
She turns to me in mock horror.“I have been toiling away in the kitchen all day making this!”Ending with a grin.“And by toiling, I mean letting all this pretty much do its thing in the kitchen while I watched TV and tending to it minimally.”
Breathing in the smell of the deep and robust pasta sauce simmering on the stove is hard to miss and also takes me back to a familiar time.
“Your dad’s sauce.”
“Good olfactory memory.”
I extend my hands out.“Why have a great skill when you can have a completely useless one?”
She laughs, and I love hearing her laugh loud and uncontrolled before she turns back to the stove, and takes the pot off the stove, tipping the pasta into the colander in the sink to drain before throwing the pasta back into the pot to place on the stove in front of the simmering sauce and scooping it onto the pasta.Mesmerising.
“Need me to do anything?”I ask, glancing at the table already set for us and feeling a little helpless.
“Nope.Almost ready.”She now moves to plating up the pasta.“Take a seat, and I’ll bring these over.”
Moving to the dining table, everything set so picturesque, so…perfect.It’s too much.“Actually, just excuse me for a moment.Please start without me.I just have to run upstairs quickly.”As I dart up the stairs to give myself some space.
This is too much.It’s too easy, too comfortable.I can feel my heart dip and ache with each moment I can’t reach out and touch her.I thought I had buried these feelings deep enough, but she has eroded any sense of my suppression with her warmth and radiance.How can I remain here and maintain my distance and stay within my walls?I enter my bedroom’s ensuite and rinse my face.The cold water icy on my scolding face.I take several moments to stare myself down in the mirror, not bothering with the water that trickles through my short beard down to my shirt.
Get it together, man.Fuck.
Taking my shirt off, I dry my face with it.Discarding it into the laundry basket, and head toward my suitcase in the bedroom to get a new one.
I can do this.Irepeat a few times,heading back down the stairs.
6
