Read Online All Through The House by Janice Kay Johnson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Janice Kay Johnson
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Richards from Realty World?
She plans to show the house."
There was a moment of silence. "No, she hasn't
called."
"I'm sure she will," Abigail said, "because
she wants to know ahead of time whether you have a cat. Her client is
allergic."
"A cat? I'm afraid so. Is that a problem?"
"It may be. You can talk to the agent yourself. If your
cat's outside most of the time, maybe...."
"I'll talk to her," he said, without much
interest. "How's your week gone?"
"Oh, not bad." Abigail told him about the house
she'd sold to the Petersons, a modern monstrosity with Greek columns across the
front that looked hideously out of place in its Northwest setting.
"They're delighted, though Mrs. Peterson said something wistful about the
Irving House. She really loved it."
"How about you?" he asked unexpectedly.
"Could you love it?"
Could she? What an odd way of putting it. "Yes,"
she said slowly. "I've always liked old houses. I know my four-year-old
would adore the ballroom."
"Speaking of Kate," he said, "I called to
find out if you two are free tomorrow or Sunday. I thought we could hike up to
the ice caves at Big Four."
"Do you know, I've never been there," Abigail
admitted, thinking quickly. If she were smart, she'd call an end to this now. Nate
awakened dangerous feelings in her. She wasn't ready for a serious
relationship, and Nate made her want more than a casual one. Still, she'd
enjoyed the other night, and Kate would love a hike. "Sure," she
said. "Hold on and let me check with Meg."
Putting his call on hold, she raised her voice. "Meg,
do you care whether you work Saturday or Sunday?"
"Nope," her partner's voice floated from her own
office. "Not if you have a hot prospect."
Hot, maybe, Abigail thought wryly. But not quite in the way
Meg had in mind.
"Either day would be good for us," she told Nate.
They made arrangements for the next morning. "I'll provide the
lunch," she said firmly. "If you picked the wrong brand of peanut
butter, we'd be in trouble."
"Picky, huh?"
"Normal," she said. "Thank you for including
her, Nate."
"We're meant for each other. We rhyme, remember?"
So they did. She only hoped he wouldn't break her daughter's
heart, too.
*****
"Here we are," Nate announced, and Abigail turned
the car into the parking lot at the foot of Big Four, the precipitate,
glacier-clad mountain that harbored ice caves. Nate had suggested she drive,
since his pickup had only two bucket seats.
The drive hadn't been long, but Abigail was surprised afresh
at how dramatically the scenery had changed. After leaving the small town of
Granite Falls, the road wound through the Robe Valley, following the south fork
of the Stillaguamish River. Here it was clear and cold, cutting deep-green
fishing holes and frothing over gray rocks. Once past the ranger station and in
the national forest, the foothills rose dark green to the rock and snow of the
mountains above. Here beside the parking lot was a mountain meadow as peaceful
as anyplace Abigail could remember.
There had been a resort hotel here long ago that had burned
to the ground, leaving only one stone chimney. A few picnic tables dotted the
meadow. As Nate locked the car, Abigail helped Kate shrug into the small day
pack she'd insisted on carrying with her own lunch in it.
Nate grinned, the grooves in his cheeks deepening. "Are
the women carrying the chow?"
"You bet," Abigail said cheerfully. "The men
can carry the garbage out."
"It's a deal. You ready, short stuff?"
Kate nodded shyly. In pink denim jeans and Little Mermaid
T-shirt, she looked astonishingly grown up. She'd be starting kindergarten in
little over a year. Abigail’s heart squeezed. Thank God for Kate, she thought
fervently.
She had worn shorts herself and a sturdy pair of running
shoes. Abigail wasn't sure whether to be glad of the shorts or sorry when
Nate's gaze flicked down the bare, lightly tanned length of her legs. His eyes
had darkened when they met hers again, and for just an instant the
She plans to show the house."
There was a moment of silence. "No, she hasn't
called."
"I'm sure she will," Abigail said, "because
she wants to know ahead of time whether you have a cat. Her client is
allergic."
"A cat? I'm afraid so. Is that a problem?"
"It may be. You can talk to the agent yourself. If your
cat's outside most of the time, maybe...."
"I'll talk to her," he said, without much
interest. "How's your week gone?"
"Oh, not bad." Abigail told him about the house
she'd sold to the Petersons, a modern monstrosity with Greek columns across the
front that looked hideously out of place in its Northwest setting.
"They're delighted, though Mrs. Peterson said something wistful about the
Irving House. She really loved it."
"How about you?" he asked unexpectedly.
"Could you love it?"
Could she? What an odd way of putting it. "Yes,"
she said slowly. "I've always liked old houses. I know my four-year-old
would adore the ballroom."
"Speaking of Kate," he said, "I called to
find out if you two are free tomorrow or Sunday. I thought we could hike up to
the ice caves at Big Four."
"Do you know, I've never been there," Abigail
admitted, thinking quickly. If she were smart, she'd call an end to this now. Nate
awakened dangerous feelings in her. She wasn't ready for a serious
relationship, and Nate made her want more than a casual one. Still, she'd
enjoyed the other night, and Kate would love a hike. "Sure," she
said. "Hold on and let me check with Meg."
Putting his call on hold, she raised her voice. "Meg,
do you care whether you work Saturday or Sunday?"
"Nope," her partner's voice floated from her own
office. "Not if you have a hot prospect."
Hot, maybe, Abigail thought wryly. But not quite in the way
Meg had in mind.
"Either day would be good for us," she told Nate.
They made arrangements for the next morning. "I'll provide the
lunch," she said firmly. "If you picked the wrong brand of peanut
butter, we'd be in trouble."
"Picky, huh?"
"Normal," she said. "Thank you for including
her, Nate."
"We're meant for each other. We rhyme, remember?"
So they did. She only hoped he wouldn't break her daughter's
heart, too.
*****
"Here we are," Nate announced, and Abigail turned
the car into the parking lot at the foot of Big Four, the precipitate,
glacier-clad mountain that harbored ice caves. Nate had suggested she drive,
since his pickup had only two bucket seats.
The drive hadn't been long, but Abigail was surprised afresh
at how dramatically the scenery had changed. After leaving the small town of
Granite Falls, the road wound through the Robe Valley, following the south fork
of the Stillaguamish River. Here it was clear and cold, cutting deep-green
fishing holes and frothing over gray rocks. Once past the ranger station and in
the national forest, the foothills rose dark green to the rock and snow of the
mountains above. Here beside the parking lot was a mountain meadow as peaceful
as anyplace Abigail could remember.
There had been a resort hotel here long ago that had burned
to the ground, leaving only one stone chimney. A few picnic tables dotted the
meadow. As Nate locked the car, Abigail helped Kate shrug into the small day
pack she'd insisted on carrying with her own lunch in it.
Nate grinned, the grooves in his cheeks deepening. "Are
the women carrying the chow?"
"You bet," Abigail said cheerfully. "The men
can carry the garbage out."
"It's a deal. You ready, short stuff?"
Kate nodded shyly. In pink denim jeans and Little Mermaid
T-shirt, she looked astonishingly grown up. She'd be starting kindergarten in
little over a year. Abigail’s heart squeezed. Thank God for Kate, she thought
fervently.
She had worn shorts herself and a sturdy pair of running
shoes. Abigail wasn't sure whether to be glad of the shorts or sorry when
Nate's gaze flicked down the bare, lightly tanned length of her legs. His eyes
had darkened when they met hers again, and for just an instant the
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