by Aurora Rey
This one was no different. If she had to guess, Joss would peg it as having been built between 1890 and 1910. The porch appeared to be falling off, a fact she would have spotted even without the yellow caution tape. The roof looked old, but the parts she could see didn’t seem to have any holes—a good sign, since water damage was the single biggest enemy of old houses.
She pulled her truck into the gravel driveway and parked behind a red hybrid hatchback. She shook her head and chuckled. Only in Ithaca did people simultaneously buy hybrid cars and drafty old houses. That wasn’t fair; they probably did that in Portland, too.
Joss climbed out and studied the exterior of the house. The windows looked original, which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. The yard was unkempt, but it had a good slope. Hopefully, that meant the basement was dry.
She made her way to the back door and peered in. The kitchen was just as she’d expected—a bit of a mess, but not a lost cause. The floors and trim looked original and, thankfully, hadn’t been painted. It was just the sort of house she’d love to get her hands on. If she played her cards right, maybe she’d get the chance.
Joss turned her attention to the woman who was standing in the middle of the room with her back turned. She was wearing a navy blue sundress and matching shoes, the kind with ribbons that went around her ankles and tied in neat little bows. Her hair was a fiery red, pulled up into some sort of twist that exposed her neck.
Joss wasn’t a monk by any means, but the intensity of her reaction took her by surprise. Maybe it was the contrast of the tired space that made the woman seem so striking. That had to be it. Of course, it didn’t help that she was dancing. It was subtle, for sure, but there was definitely a sway in her hips. Joss’s fingers itched to feel the movement.
Get a hold of yourself. She’s a client, and likely married. Deciding she needed to get out more, Joss shook off the strange surge of desire and knocked firmly on the door.
*
Olivia had arranged to have Scott let her into the house half an hour before the scheduled time for the inspection. It guaranteed she would be early—she had strong feelings about being early—and gave her the chance to poke around and daydream. If the sale went through, she’d have enough in her budget for a fair amount of renovation. If the house wasn’t in need of major structural work, she had plenty of ideas on how she’d like to spend the money.
She was fantasizing about a six-burner stove when the knock on the door scared the living daylights out of her. The fact that she was expecting someone hadn’t seemed to make a lick of difference. She wrenched open the back door, hoping the person on the other side hadn’t heard her yelp.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”
Olivia winced. “Was I that obvious?”
“Well, you probably don’t have a good seal on this door, but still. I could hear your scream out here.”
She looked at the person standing in the doorway. No, that wasn’t accurate. Olivia looked at the incredibly gorgeous woman standing in the doorway. She was wearing khaki pants and a navy and white gingham shirt, scuffed work boots. Her light brown hair was cut short, not quite military close, but just as neat. Really, though, it was all about the eyes. She had the most beautiful hazel eyes Olivia had ever seen. And Olivia was already acting like an idiot.
“Right. Well, then.”
“I’m Joss Bauer and I’m here to do your structural inspection.”
That didn’t sound right, but she accepted the offered hand anyway. “I’m Olivia Bennett. It’s nice to meet you.”
As though sensing her confusion, Joss offered a smile. “You were scheduled to meet with my brother, Ben, but he’s a bit under the weather.”
“Ah, okay. Thank you for coming out.” Olivia took a deep breath, willing her heart rate to slow. She hadn’t felt that instantly attracted to someone in a long time, but it didn’t mean she needed to act like a silly teenager.
“My pleasure. So, are you the buyer?”
She shifted her nervousness back to the house. “I’m hoping to be. It will depend on what you find.”
“Fair enough. Are we expecting anyone else?”
Olivia shook her head. “Nope. It’s just me.”
Joss nodded. “Okay, then, let’s get started. We’ll start with the interior and work our way out. You don’t have to join me, but if you do, I’ll explain things as I go. Everything will be in the report, but sometimes it’s easier to understand things if you have the visual to go with it.”
Olivia smiled. “I agree. I’ll follow you and try not to ask too many questions.”
“No such thing, I promise. Since we’re in the kitchen, let’s start here.”
Joss set down her toolbox and clipboard. Olivia tried not to drool. She took out a small instrument and started poking the outlets scattered around the room. “It looks like everything, in here at least, has been updated to three-prong. We’ll see if they upgraded the circuit breaker as well.”
Olivia nodded, doing her best to pay attention to Joss’s words instead of the way her hands handled the tools or the way her khakis hung on her hips. “My Kitchen Aid mixer will be grateful.”
They moved to the living room next. There, only a couple of the outlets had been converted from the old two-prong. Joss walked around, seeming to check the stability of the floor. She pulled a marble from her pocket and set it down, repeating the process in different spots. “The floors are pretty level. That bodes well for the state of the foundation.”
“That’s the best news I’ve heard all day.”
Joss got on her hands and knees and stuck her head into the fireplace. “It needs a good cleaning, but it looks okay. I’ll check the chimney when I’m on the roof.”
They went through the half-bath and first-floor sitting room before heading upstairs. Again, the worst of it seemed to be bad taste. Olivia tried not to get too excited. “I’m hoping there is hardwood under this atrocious carpet. Do you think that’s likely?”
Joss smiled at her. “You mean you don’t like the blue shag? I think it’s swingin’.”
Olivia let out a snort, then coughed to try to cover up the sound. “I think the swing has swung on this one. Really, though, what do you think?”
“Why don’t we take a peek?”
“You can do that?”
Joss was already in a closet, on her knees. “I’ll pull up a little corner in here. I can tuck it back in and it won’t even show. This won’t tell you what shape they’re in, but you’ll be able to see if it’s hardwood or just subflooring.”
Olivia stood behind Joss and got a faint whiff of sandalwood. Seriously, this woman was going to push her to distraction. “What is it? What do you see?”
“I see something that is going to make you very happy.”
Is it you without a shirt on? “Yeah?”
“More wide-plank pine. You’re welcome.”
“I really want to hug you right now.” She meant it, for more reasons than the floor.
“You should save it until I’ve checked out the basement and the roof.”
Olivia couldn’t tell if there was a hint of flirtation in Joss’s voice. She was afraid it might be wishful thinking on her part. Other than the one fix-up Scott and Dan had orchestrated—that hadn’t ended well—she’d not dated at all since moving to Ithaca. She decided to go out on a limb. “I don’t know. I’m feeling kind of lucky.”
The look Joss shot her made her insides go hot. This was shaping up to be a banner day.
The basement, while damp and likely prone to flooding in the spring, wasn’t in terrible shape and boasted a functional sump pump. The electrical box had been redone within the last twenty years, so that was good. The furnace was a different matter. After poking around it for a minute, Joss said, “It still works, but it’s far from efficient. You should consider replacing it, especially since you’re on propane out here. A newer model will pay for itself in a few years.”
They climbed the stairs and went out t
he side door. “Sounds like a good investment to me.”
“I’m going to grab a ladder from my truck.”
“Okay. Do you need a hand?”
“I’ve got it, but thanks.”
Olivia couldn’t decide if Joss’s smirk was at the offer of help, or who was doing the offering. She watched Joss saunter down to her truck and adeptly unhook and lift the extension ladder to the ground. If Olivia had been the swooning type, that would have done it. Joss carried the ladder back to the house and positioned it against the lowest part of the roof.
“I don’t want to tell you not to come up on the roof with me, but—”
“No need. I trust your judgment and I’m clearly not dressed for it.” Olivia figured it was better to decline than be told she shouldn’t. In truth, she had no desire to be on the roof anyway.
Joss climbed up the ladder and disappeared. Olivia decided the view of Joss’s rear end was another good reason to stay on the ground. She heard some scraping and a bit of banging and then Joss was on her way back down.
“The porch roof is a mess. The pitch is bad and water’s just been sitting on it, which is probably why the porch itself is in such bad shape. Otherwise, I’d estimate you’re about fifteen years into a thirty-year shingle. It’s not as good as having the original slate, but it’s not bad.”
As far as Olivia could tell, they’d looked over everything and there were no major disasters. She allowed herself to be optimistic. “Thank you. So, in your professional opinion, is it a reasonable thing to take on?”
Joss seemed to consider for a moment. “Well, it’s in good shape considering its age. None of the work is major, but it does need work. If you understand that and you’re willing to put that work in, it should stand for another hundred years.”
Music to Olivia’s ears. “I can’t tell you how happy I am to hear that.”
Joss offered a smile that made Olivia go weak in the knees. “I love being the bearer of good news. For the record, Bauer and Sons is primarily a residential construction company. This is exactly the kind of project we love to take on.”
“Is that so?” Olivia had a flash of Joss at her house, day in and day out, building stuff.
“It is. I hope you’ll consider requesting a bid from us if you do end up with the house.”
It was Olivia’s turn to flash a smile. “I most definitely will.”
“Great. So, I’ll email you the full inspection report later today. It will have photos and notations about the areas that require immediate attention.”
“That sounds good. My purse is in the kitchen. Let me go grab it so I can write you a check.”
“I’ll follow you. Some of my things are still inside.”
“Oh, right.”
They went back to the side door and into the kitchen. Joss scribbled a few more notes, then handed her an invoice from the clipboard. “So are you new to Ithaca?”
Olivia looked up from her checkbook. “Sort of. I’ve been here for just about two years, renting while I settled into the area.”
“Ah. So what do you do?”
“I teach at Cornell. English department.”
“Oh.” Joss visibly tensed. Olivia wondered if there was an actual drop in temperature or if it merely felt like it.
“I just survived my two-year review. In academia, that’s code for ‘it’s no longer taboo to buy a house.’” Joss either didn’t get the joke or didn’t find it funny. Olivia didn’t know what to make of it. She handed Joss the check. “Thank you again for coming out. I learned a lot, about this house and about houses in general.”
“You’re welcome. I’m glad you found it useful.” Joss’s voice was flat and detached.
“Absolutely. Knock on wood.” Olivia rapped her knuckles against one of the cabinets. “I’ll be calling you again soon about a renovation project.”
Joss nodded. “The company would welcome your business.”
Olivia tried not to scowl about the awkward formality in Joss’s tone. “I’ll be in touch.”
“Good luck, and thanks for choosing us for your inspection.” Joss extended a hand.
Olivia shook it. Although the gesture felt stiff, she couldn’t help but respond to the sexy roughness of Joss’s skin. “Thanks. I’ve got a good feeling.”
Joss gathered her things. Olivia opened the side door for her. Joss nodded curtly. “Thanks. Have a good day.”
“You, too.”
Olivia watched Joss pull away. That was weird. Instead of stewing about it, however, she turned her attention back to the house. The inspection had gone even better than she’d hoped. The house was going to be hers.
Chapter Three
Joss drove back to the shop, her jaw clenching involuntarily. She should have figured this woman was faculty. Who else came to town and bought a big old house by herself? People with more money than brains, or, at least, not the kind of brains she considered useful. And she was Southern. Despite the alluring drawl, she was probably conservative, too.
Joss made a mental note to make Ben repay this favor when he was feeling better.
As she pulled into the parking lot, Ben was coming out of the main office. Joss was preparing to give him a piece of her mind when she saw his whole body jerk. Although she couldn’t hear him, it was obvious that Ben was sneezing and her annoyance was replaced by sympathy. She climbed out of her truck and he offered her a wave.
“You should be home and in bed, my man,” Joss said to him.
“Bah. I was just getting some files.” He punctuated the sentence with a sneeze.
“You sound horrible. Stay away from me.” Joss made an “X” with her fingers and aimed it in his direction.
“I’m fine.”
“Mmm-hmm. When ‘fine’ sounds like ‘find,’ you are not fine.”
Ben scowled. “I’m going home.”
“Homb?”
“You’re a jerk.”
“Sorry, sorry. I’m just cranky.”
“Did a pretty girl neglect to call you back?” Ben started to chuckle, but it quickly turned into a cough.
“No, just another college professor who thinks it would be charming to buy a farmhouse. English professor, of all things. And she’s Southern.” Joss didn’t mention the fact that Olivia was sexy as hell. Or that her drawl made Joss all hot and bothered.
“You do understand that more than half of our client base comes from people who work at one of the colleges. And farmhouses are charming. I think that’s your official motto.”
Joss rolled her eyes. She knew it, but she didn’t have to like it. “She got all awkward when I wasn’t the ‘Ben’ she was expecting, like she didn’t know what to do with a woman in a tool belt.”
“Aren’t we quick to judge, today? Let me guess, she was really hot, too.”
“I hardly noticed.” Joss certainly had noticed. She’d noticed how flirtatious Olivia had been, too, but it felt cheap and kind of fake now.
Ben raised an eyebrow. “I’m pretty sure you’re incapable of not noticing.”
Joss huffed. He was right. When the two of them went out together, she was more inclined to notice women. In a completely appreciative and respectful way, of course. “Fine. She was gorgeous, but that’s beside the point.”
Ben laughed again, and again it triggered a coughing fit.
“Go home, man. Get some rest and try not to show your face until you’re no longer contagious.”
Ben tipped the worn Phillies cap he was wearing. “Yes, ma’am.”
Joss elbowed him as they crossed paths. “Don’t call me ma’am.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He started to walk away, then turned back. “Hey, Joss.”
“Yeah?”
“Would I like her?”
Joss rolled her eyes. “Well, she’s definitely more your type than mine.”
Ben headed to his truck and Joss walked into the office. Daphne, their sister, was on the phone. From the tone of her voice, she was talking with one of the suppliers. Daphne had a w
ay of charming her way into better-than-average terms and conditions with most of the supply companies they contracted with. On the other side of the office, her mother, Sandra, sat at a computer with headphones on. A wizard with the books, she considered any day she didn’t have to speak to anyone on the phone a good day.
Joss offered each of them a wave before flopping down at her desk. She sat for a moment, turning Ben’s words over in her mind. She wasn’t judgmental. She could read people, and she knew a type when she saw it. It didn’t interfere with her professionalism, or her ability to get the job done.
She flipped on her computer, then walked over to the coffeepot while it booted. She poured herself a cup and turned to Daphne, who’d finished her phone call. “Good morning, Daph.”
Daphne stopped entering things into the computer. “Same to you, although I think it’s officially afternoon now.”
Joss glanced at the clock. It was a little after noon. “So it is. How are you? No cold for you?”
Daphne raised her hand, showing crossed fingers. “Here’s hoping. I’m one with echinacea, with some vitamin C and zinc thrown in for good measure.”
“I hope it does the trick. Lord knows you don’t want to be sick at the same time as Ben.”
Daphne smiled. “He means well.”
“Indeed he does. Did I miss anything this morning?”
“Nothing important. How was the inspection?”
Joss rolled her eyes.
“That bad?”
Even more annoying than Olivia was the fact that she was allowing Olivia to get under her skin. “No, it was fine. The house needs work, but it’s in surprisingly good shape. We might get the renovation job if the buyer makes it to closing.”
“So why are you irritated?”
“I’m not.”
Daphne continued to look at her, but didn’t say anything.
“Okay, I’m irritated, but only a little. Clueless professor type. I’m fine now.” Joss realized she was scowling. She forced herself to smile and walked back to her desk.
Joss’s mother looked up from her computer screen, seeming to realize just then that Joss was there. She took off her headphones and gave Joss a questioning look. “What happened? Why are you scowling?”