Read Online Breathe by Donna Alward - Free Book Online

her other hand held by Matteo, they crossed the lawn to the guesthouse.
    It was unlocked, which was fine as it was empty and rather dirty. Matteo curled up his nose as the sunlight streaming through the windows illuminated dust motes. To the left was a large living room with a fireplace, and there were stairs directly ahead. She went through the living room to the kitchen, immediately taken with the rich, rustic wood beams throughout. It wasn’t as much of a house as a large cabin, and already pictures were flooding her brain of how it would look furnished and polished and ready for guests.
    A back door off the kitchen led to a small verandah, constructed of the same wide, reddish gold polished logs. The green space at the back wasn’t fenced, but it was bordered by shrubs and trees that formed their own barrier, enclosing a rich green lawn. “Do you want to play here?” She looked down at Matteo, who nodded.
    â€œGo!” Aurelia’s tiny voice piped up with one of the few words she managed, probably because it rhymed with “no” and that was her favorite word at the moment. Anna put Aurelia down on the grass and dropped the tote. She took out a small pack but left the rest.
    â€œYou’ll look after your sister, won’t you, Matteo?”
    As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she felt a longing so strong it caught in her chest. The morning her mother had gone away, she’d looked at Alex and had spoken those very words. Only Alex and Anna hadn’t realized she wasn’t coming back. And when they did understand, Alex had kept his promise. He’d looked after her, for as long as she’d let him.
    She leaned down and kissed both children on their heads, their hair warm from the sunshine. She’d never leave her children. Never.
    â€œI’ll leave the screen open, and I’ll just be inside. You call me if you need me, okay?”
    â€œOkay, Mama.”
    By the time she’d reached the screen door again, Matteo had a large plastic ball out and was rolling it on the grass to Aurelia, who laughed and tried to kick it with her foot. She lost her balance and toppled onto her bottom, pushed herself up with chubby hands again and made another wobbly go at it.
    They would be fine. She wanted to get started. Wouldn’t it be sweet to go to Jace tonight and tell him of her plans? He would know she was down but not out. Looking forward.
    She took a notepad from the pack and a measuring tape from her pocket. As she went through each room, she measured and took notes. Once it was cleaned it would be a gorgeous chalet. The kitchen was well built, and should be stocked with a full complement of cookware and dinnerware. It was a rich agricultural area, and she thought that could be played up both in the décor and in their angle. Her mind whirring, she flipped a page and started listing questions and possibilities for different types of stays and amenities provided. Her sister-in-law, Melissa, was brilliant at this sort of thing, coming from a background in the hospitality industry. She’d run it past her too.
    Upstairs she discovered two large bedrooms, each with their own complete bath. One bedroom had French doors leading to a small balcony overlooking the valley, and she caught her breath at the view.
    She looked down over the slope of vines, breathing in the warm air as the sight of the neat rows filled her with a sense of calm. It was beautiful, green, gorgeous, well tended. Of course, with Jace it would be. He never settled for second best. Unlike herself…
    She set her lips. There was no sense thinking of that now. She couldn’t change the past.
    She went back inside and shut the doors, instead taking notes on renovations to the bathroom—a jetted tub would be a nice addition—and her ideas for furniture. Something sturdy, but not heavy like the current log-inspired bed. Rustic, but timeless. Satin sheets the color of Two Willows’s