“Do you mean to tell me that she’s coming soon?”He said that the others had their mates, and there was no reason for him not to have one as well.“I see.Not very helpful, but I guess you don’t want to give away too much.All right.You guys bring it up to this century, and I’ll be happy to have it done.I might even like it here better if it’s in better condition.”
“Sorry to say this, sir, but you might not like it at all even if we were to bring it up to this century, as you said.”He said he was afraid he’d say that.“How about we clean it up so that you can sell it and bring in some of the modern things, like more bathrooms, and you decide where you want to live.I’m to understand that you have some land that you could build on.Lord Rance has built his house on his land, and it is quite nice.”
“I don’t have the magic that he does.He’s always been powerful, and now that he has a mate, I’m to understand that he’s more so.”He said that he was.“Good to know.I want a home that I can be happy with.I’m assuming that you can do that for me.”
“We can, and it would be our pleasure.”He asked him how long it would take.“Not long at all.Only a few days.Especially if you have an idea what it is you want.”
“I don’t have any idea.”He’d never seen a faerie disappointed before, and he didn’t care for the look.“I tell you what.While you’re cleaning this place up, I can go and see other houses around to see what I like in them.That way, you can put together something that will be a combination of all the houses that I look at.”
“Excellent idea, sir.Yes indeed.We can even make the house look smaller from the outside and bigger once you get inside.”He said he didn’t know how his mate would like that.“Oh yes.We must think about her when we’re deciding.I’m glad that you thought of that.”
“I do have a good idea on occasion.”The little man just nodded.“I’ve been thinking about having a pool.She might enjoy that.I’ve not had an occasion to have a pool myself, but perhaps it would be a good way for the other women to get together once they’re all here.”
“You have been thinking about the house.Good for you.”He felt slightly embarrassed but didn’t say anything.It was just a pool; it wasn’t like he had a house to go with it.He could use a pool house, hesupposed, but that wouldn’t do in the winter months.Smiling to himself, he wondered what the little man would say if he told him that he didn’t need a house but a pool house to go with the pool.He’d probably have a fit or something.He wondered if they ever got more than disappointed in someone.
Rutger spent the rest of his day going in and out of houses.He was glad that he was looking at them this way so that no one could see him.Some of the houses were in worse shape than his own had been.At least his wasn’t cluttered all around with junk.Some people collected the strangest things, he thought.
He had some ideas on what he wanted in the way of a house.He did want to have more than a couple of bedrooms.He enjoyed going into houses that had children in them.They made the house cluttered, but it was warm too.Like, just having children in a house turned it into a home.He’d have to talk to his mate about children and hoped that she’d want a couple.Hell, he’d give just about anything to have a couple of children so that he could be around their scents.
Over the next couple of days, he could see improvements in his home.It had been bad, and he felt terrible that he’d had his friends over to it.He wondered what they thought of him when he’d had more cobwebs than chairs in his living room.There were even small brownies living in his house that he’d not known about.They were left alone, but he was going to have to find them a better place to live once he decided to move out.They looked like his house, old and neglected.He was going to hire staff so that nothing like that ever happened again.
When his house was finished being renovated, he was pleased with it.It must have taken a great deal of their magic to do it because he noticed that someone had brought in sugar cubes to replenish their energy.Just as he was making notes on the things that he wanted to get in his new home, he heard from Rance again.
“I was just thinking about you and your house.Why don’t you come here and stay a couple of days so you can see what it’s like to have staff around?They go about their jobs quietly, but they are something that you have to get used to being around all the time.”He said he might take him up on that idea.“Good.Also, we can help you hire a staff so that you don’t get someone in the house who is going to take advantage of you.I know you don’t need to rest during the day much anymore, thank goodness, but it would be nice to know that they’re not going to take all your treasures while you’re out and about.”
“Good idea.Apparently, the faeries can hire them as well.I don’t know why I keep thinking I’m going to have little people working for me all the time, but I can’t seem to get that out of my head.Can you imagine them at the stove?It would take about fifty of them to use the skillet.”They both got a kick out of that thought.“I’ve been looking around and so far I know that I want a kitchen like yours is.Big and usable.Oh and a pool.I don’t usually swim in one, but perhaps the women would enjoy it.It’s just an idea.”
“A good one too.I’m going to have one put in next summer.Kimber loves to swim, and I never thought of us not having one until she mentioned it.”Rutger had never been complimented as much as he had been over the last few days.It felt good, too, and he was going to spread a little of those good feelings around, too.“I’ll talk to you in a couple of days.We have rooms all ready for you now, so whenever you want to stay, just come over.”
After closing the connection, he went to his room.It was stark like the rest of the house, and he was glad that they’d taken the time to clean his rooms up too.Opening the curtains that were forever closed, he was happy to see that he had a view of the backyard.He wondered if he’d ever get used to the sights of the seasons like he did now.He loved being able to be around nature when he could.
When he’d been growing up, he had hated that he needed to rest during the daylight hours.He usually wouldn’t rest well for wanting to go out and see what wonders the world had to offer while he was resting.It was why he never gave up on the feelings of having his home filled with nature.That had gone the wayside when he’d been living for so long and had gotten bored with life and the things that it had to offer him.Now he was getting back into it and hoped that his mate enjoyed the natural setting of things as much as he did.
Chapter 9
Katie hated her job.It wasn’t the job so much as the people that she had to work with.They were about as stupid as anyone she’d ever encountered in her life.Putting the dirt back in the hole after putting the tree in it, she gently massaged the roots with her spade as she filled things back in.
“Katie, you have a phone call.What did I tell you about having calls when you’re at work?”She told him she’d never gotten one before, so had no idea what his policy was on that.“Well, don’t let it happen again.I don’t have time to run you down whenever you have a call.”
“Again, I’ve never had a call before, so I didn’t know your thoughts on it.”She went to the truck to answer the company phone.After saying her name, Katlynne Richardson, she waited for the person on the other end to say something.Looking out over the landscaping job she was doing, she was quite proud of it.Finally, the person spoke to her.“I’m in trouble for getting this call in the first place.Tell me what it is you want so I can tell you I can’t afford it and cut this short.I have ten more trees to plant tonight before I can leave.”
“Your father died.”She waited for the punchline as he’d been dead for about ten years now.She’d been the one who had paid for his funeral.“We’ve only just found his will, and you and your mother are mentioned in it.”
“She’s dead as well.Waiting on the big payback he promised her when she lent him all her savings to go to the next big payoff.”He said that he knew they were both gone and was sorry for the delay.“What kind of stuff did he have to leave me?As far as I know, I’m still paying for both their funerals at a hundred bucks a month.”
She’d actually paid them off years ago, but he didn’t have to know that.She looked at her boss.He was talking to the tree as if she didn’t know any better.What he could be saying to it was beyond her.Just as she was ready to hang up, the man started talking again.
“I’m sorry for your loss, but I was wondering if we could meet after you get off work today.I’m to understand you usually get off at five-thirty.”She told him again that she had trees to plant.“I can meet you at any time, Miss.Our firm wants to get this off their books as soon as possible.”
“I can meet you atLouie’sat six.I have to pick up my dinner around then anyway.”He said he knew just where the place was.“Good.I might be a little late, I’m still having to get the trees in the ground before it rains.”
“I’ll wait until I see you.”She wondered what could be so desperate that he was willing to meet her so soon after calling her.“I’ll see you at six atLouie’s.I’ll be the man in a dark brown suit and a green paisley tie.It’s sort of my trademark.”
“I’ll see you then.”Having to plant the extra trees wouldn’t bother her at all, but she really wanted to get them done before it started raining.It would be good for the trees to get a good soaking, and then she’d not have to water them tonight.They were calling for rainstorms for the rest of the evening and into tomorrow, so she was happy for that.
She got them done in record time.It had just started to rain when she was putting the last two trees in the ground.Of course, it meant that she was wet, too, but she didn’t mind.After the heat of the day and how sweaty she’d been, it didn’t matter to her what she looked like when she met the man at the restaurant/bar.
Having plenty of time to change, she at least put on a clean shirt.If she got the opportunity to eat atLouie’s,she would.Having her meal with an ice-cold beer sounded really good.And perhaps whatever her father left her would be enough to pay for it all.As she entered the place, she spotted the little man right away.Trademark or not, he stood out in a crowd.
