A Fresh Start

by Grace, Trisha

  Though Travis was still living in the house that his father had left him, he’d made significant changes to it.

  The white wallpaper with the ugly green leaf motifs had been removed and his walls were now plain white.

  Most of the furniture in the room were different as well.

  “So, Justin, Travis says you’re flipping houses?” Amy asked.

  He nodded and took another mouth of his beer. “Yeah, I was in Cheyenne, so I thought I’ll drop by and pay a visit.”

  “And how are you doing?”

  “Good.”

  Amy titled her head slightly and narrowed her eyes. “Really? You disappeared for nearly a decade. Now, you’re back in your nice clothes and a pocket full of cash, but still look as unhappy as ever.”

  He peered over at his arm and wondered what was so nice about his clothes. He had a batch of them made a while back and had been wearing them since. It was probably time to get some new ones.

  Looking back at the petite ginger hair Amy, with a belly that was too huge a burden for a woman her size to handle, his lips curled up. “Who says I’m unhappy. Like you said, I’ve a pocket full of cash.”

  “Then I guess you’ve found out that money doesn’t buy happiness. And you have to stop offering money to Travis.”

  “Treat it as advance payment. I have my eyes on a few houses in Cheyenne and I’ll need help.”

  “Then pay me when I start working. I don’t believe in advances,” Travis interrupted.

  Justin raised his hand up in peace. “Fine, just let me know if you guys need anything.”

  “Don’t worry about us. There’s someone new in town. She bought the haunted house and Mr. Seymour recommended my service. She already gave me a call just now, I’m supposed to head over to meet her after dinner.”

  “Someone bought the haunted house?” he asked, his curiosity over the courageous woman peaked.

  “Oh, I want to show you the ultrasound scan of our twins!” Amy pushed herself off the seat and immediately, both Justin and Travis moved over to help.

  “I’ll get that,” Travis said.

  It was nice to see his two friends together.

  He’d known Travis and Amy since they were kids. They were the only ones in the neighborhood who didn’t shun or look down on him.

  Amy waved Travis off. “It’s all right. I can’t be sitting around all day. You guys talk.”

  “She shouldn’t be walking at all,” Justin said after he was sure Amy couldn’t hear him.

  “Try getting her to listen to that.”

  “So, the haunted house?”

  Travis grinned. “Right, some woman. Paige Watson. Told her I’ll swing by after dinner. From what I know of the house, there’ll be plenty of work to do.”

  Before Justin could reply, a yelp came from the stairs and they hurried over to see Amy sitting on the steps.

  “Did you fall?” Travis asked as he sprinted up the stairs, conquering three steps in one stride, then help Amy to her feet.

  “I slipped. I’m fine, I think.”

  “We’re going to the hospital.”

  “But you’re supposed to go to the haunted house,” Amy said.

  Justin saw Travis hesitate. “I’ll go. You bring her to the hospital.”

  Travis looked over at him and nodded. “Thanks.” Helping Amy into his truck, Travis handed Justin the house keys. “Thanks, Just.”

  “Go.”

  After locking up, Justin drove toward the haunted house in his truck. He was intending to join Travis on the trip anyway. He wanted to see for himself the woman brave enough to take over the infamous haunted house of Pine Bluffs.

  The weather appeared to be helping him set the scene for his revisit. The dark clouds that had been hovering over the town started pouring, and along with the strong wind, the heavy drops pelted against his car’s window.

  It would be an interesting night.

  His lips turned into a wide grin as he thought about the house.

  One of the stupid things he’d done with Travis when they were young was to dare each other to go into the house. They always went in together, only to dash out of it soon after.

  He didn’t believe in ghost, but gossips and an overactive mind were more than enough to freak two kids out.

  And it wasn’t just them.

  With all the graffiti he had seen inside, there were plenty of stupid kids around.

  Laughing to himself, he figured Travis was right. There would be work for him there.

  He drove into the street he was once so familiar with, moving past the Seymours’ house and continuing toward his destination. A Subaru Forester blocked off the slope leading up to the house. He frowned, wondering why the owner didn’t just park her car right outside the house or at least park it further up so that others could do so.

  He was tempted to press on the horn and get the owner to move her car, but he didn’t think Travis would appreciate him being rude to his potentially big client.

  With a frustrated groan, he parked his car behind the Forester and ran up the slope to the house.

  Getting wet didn’t bother him much, but he was peeved with how inconsiderate the owner was, especially since she was expecting someone to come over.

  He suppressed his annoyance and knocked on the door, all the while standing under the small, pathetic shelter that didn’t do much good in keeping the rain from him.

  After knocking for a few times with no answer, he peered through the window into the well-lit house. But there didn’t seem to be anyone inside.

  Even before actually meeting the owner, he was ready to leave.

  But it wasn’t his job.

  Travis needed the money and he wasn’t going to screw it up for him.

  Taking out his phone, he called Travis for Paige’s number. He tugged on his drenched shirt that was sticking to his body and fanned it while he called Paige. “Paige Watson? I’m outside your house,” he said curtly.

  There was a slight confusion on the other end of the line and Justin realized that Travis hadn’t informed Paige about sending someone else over. “I’m Justin, Justin Doyle. Travis’s wife slipped and fell. They’re on their way to the hospital now, so he sent me over instead.”

  Paige repeated his name and he could hear it being repeated again in the background.

  He sighed, frustrated with the further delay. Then, he heard a familiar voice on the line telling him that Paige was next door and he should head over to join them for dessert.

  The sudden change of events lightened his mood.

  He looked out at the rain and shrugged. He was already drenched anyway.

  Tucking his head, he headed out toward the Seymours’ house.

  “Justin?”

  He squinted through the rain as he heard his name. Between the downpour and the wind that was whipping the rain right into his eyes each time he tried to open them, he couldn’t see who it was. All he saw was some red moving closer toward him.

  He continued dashing forward as he heard his name again, this time, nearer to him.

  The first thing he saw was her light ember eyes that were brightened by the dark chocolate hair flying around in the wind.

  She held a red umbrella in her hand, even as she struggled against the wind, and smiled broadly at him. “Justin?” She stepped closer with her arm raised and held the umbrella over him. “Gosh, you’re all wet.”

  Justin found himself staring at her as she moved closer. Her head came up to his chest, and she was probably only an inch away from him.

  He almost wrapped his arm around her shoulder as another wave of wind rushed by and he saw how she tightened her fingers around the umbrella to keep it over them.

  He shook his head and took the umbrella from her, bending over slightly and tilting the umbrella forward.

  When Travis told him that some woman had bought the haunted house, he immediately assumed it was some old lady with plans of retiring in a quiet town. The last thing he’d expected was to see
someone like Paige.

  Amid the rain, Paige’s eyes seemed to glow, capturing all his attention.

  She tucked her brown hair behind her ear and pressed her hand down against it. The rest of her hair continued to drift along as the wind swept by. Her brows drew closer even as she broadened her smile. “I just remembered my car, I should’ve moved it further down the lane. I’m sorry you got wet,” she said, brushing the rain from her face.

  The car.

  Right, he was supposed to be annoyed with her. “Let’s get in before you get drenched as well.”

  Justin remained half a step behind her, their shoulders overlapping, as they headed toward the Seymours’.

  His height, large bone structure, coupled with his workouts often led to people being cautious of him. But as he watched her, she continued strolling forward, her shoulders relaxed.

  “Is Travis’s wife all right?” she asked.

  “Huh?”

  Paige peered over her shoulder and repeated, “Is Travis’s wife all right? You said she slipped and fell. She’s pregnant, right?”

  “Oh. She seemed fine, wasn’t in pain or anything, but Travis wanted to make sure.”

  Paige nodded and brushed the rain from her arms as they stepped up the deck. She was wearing just a tank top and jeans. Her hair was slightly damped while her jeans were soaked up to her knees.

  “You shouldn’t have come out. Now you’re wet, too.”

  She shrugged. “It’ll dry off.”

  “Justin! Finally back in Pine.”

  “Mrs. Seymour.” He bent over and gave the white, curly hair woman a hug. “Like your new look.”

  Mrs. Seymour wriggled her brows and nudged her hair with her hand.

  “Mr. Seymour.”

  Mr. Seymour stepped toward Justin and gave him a hug. “Hi Justin, should’ve told us you were coming. Come in.”

  “Yes, come in, come in. Look at both of you. I’ll get you two some towels.” Mrs. Seymour headed into the house and disappeared up the stairs.

  “I’m really sorry about the car, Justin.”

  Mr. Seymour laughed throatily when Paige said that. Justin turned to Mr. Seymour with a raised brow.

  Clearing his throat, Mr. Seymour explained, “She’s no confidence about driving up and down the slope without destroying something. Besides, it’s my fault. I was the one who put the car there after helping her unload her things. Forgive an old man, will you?”

  No confidence? She didn’t look old, but she must be at least 25. “A little rain won’t kill me.”

  Mr. Seymour then asked about Travis, and he dutifully repeated the story.

  “How are you doing?” Mr. Seymour asked.

  “Good,” he answered while his eyes swept the room.

  The sienna wooden panels on the floor were the same except that more of the corners were chipped away. The same burgundy leather couch sat in the living room, and the same antique TV was still on the old cabinet in front of the couch.

  Everything was exactly how he’d remembered.

  At least that was true for the things he noticed. His eyes didn’t complete the scanning of the room.

  Once his eyes fell on Paige, he stopped looking anywhere else.

  Paige stood with her hands in the back pockets. Her dark chocolate hair, wet from the rain, blended into black at the ends around her shoulders. Even after having her hair whipped by the wind and rain, she still looked stunning.

  There was a glow about her. Maybe it was her fair skin that was creating the effect, but she wasn’t that pale.

  She rubbed her hands together and smiled when she saw him looking at her. Again, she didn’t seem concerned by his presence. That, somehow, made him uneasy.

  “Here you go.”

  Reluctantly, he moved his eyes from Paige and turned to take the towel that Mrs. Seymour handed him. “Thanks.”

  He didn’t understand what it was about Paige. Maybe it was her eyes, or the way she was smiling so warmly at everyone. No matter what it was, it attracted his attention.

  Over the next few minutes, as Justin answered all the questions that Mr. and Mrs. Seymour had for him, his eyes continued to flicker toward Paige.

  At the back of his mind, he couldn’t help wondering why a woman like her would move into a house with such a story behind it. The moment he had the chance to slip in a question, he immediately turned to Paige and asked, “So, what brought you to Pine and to the haunted house?”

  She chuckled softly. “Is that what everyone calls it?”

  “Yeah. It’s the town’s famous, or infamous, haunted house. You do know about the suicide.”

  “Justin.” Mrs. Seymour shot him a warning glare.

  Paige’s lips curled further. “Yes. I figured something was wrong when the owners were letting it go at such a low price. I asked and they told me.”

  “And still you bought it.”

  “I didn’t kill her, there’s no reason for her to hurt me.”

  “So you think she’s still in the house.”

  “Justin.” Mrs. Seymour narrowed her eyes and held his gaze.

  “It’s all right,” she said to Mrs. Seymour, half chuckling. “I don’t believe she’s still in the house. I’m just saying that even if she is, there’s no reason for me to be afraid.”

  He nodded, satisfied with the answer. “And what’s wrong with your driving skills?”

  “I’m just used to taking the subway or taxi.”

  He glanced over at Mrs. Seymour as he felt her staring at him, but he merely turned back to Paige and continued with his questions. “You’re from New York?”

  Paige opened her mouth to speak, but the words seemed to get choked in her throat.

  He frowned at her reaction. It wasn’t a personal detail that people would mind speaking of.

  “She doesn’t like to talk about her past,” Mr. Seymour explained.

  Justin returned his gaze to Paige.

  Despite the small smile she kept displayed, her fingers played around with the ring on her right index finger.

  He should let it go. He hardly knew her. He would only be taking a look around her house to see what she needed done, then pass the information back to Travis. He probably wouldn’t be seeing her after tonight anyway.

  But his eyes remained fixated on Paige. He observe her while his mind mused over all the reasons that could’ve brought her here.

  “Enough talking, eat. I’ll pack some for you kids to bring home, you bring some back to Travis, too.”

  “Oh, Mrs. Seymour, there’s no need.”

  “She’s not going to take no for an answer,” Justin said.

  Paige pursed her lips, but nodded after a moment. “Okay, sure.”

  Mr. Seymour moved over to the couch and switched on the TV. “Maybe the two of you should stay here for a while. The rain doesn’t look like it’s letting up.”

  He didn’t really care. He wasn’t going to melt from the rain anyway.

  Looking over at Paige, he found her staring ruefully at the TV screen, completely unaware of Mr. Seymour’s suggestion.

  Curious, he turned back to the TV. Mr. Seymour had flipped to some Christian channel and there was some pastor preaching away. He didn’t bother to listen to what the preacher was saying.

  “Don’t worry, I’m sure you’re not going to hell.”

  “Hmm?” Paige took her attention off the TV and onto him.

  “These preachers are always telling people that everyone will be going to hell. Don’t need to take it personally.”

  She broke into a grin. “You completely tuned out the pastor, didn’t you? He wasn’t talking about hell.”

  “Here you go.” Mrs. Seymour came back out from the kitchen. “These two are the same, you two choose either one,” she said to Paige. “This is for Travis, there’s more for Amy.” Then, she handed all three bags over to him. “Do you kids want to stay here for a while longer? The rain is so heavy.”

  “It doesn’t look like it’s going to stop an
y time soon,” Paige commented as she stared out at the rain.

  His thoughts exactly. The sound of thunder was rolling by every couple of minutes, and the rain only seemed to get heavier as the clock ticked.

  But women tended to hate getting caught in the rain.

  Paige swiveled back toward him. “I’m fine with it if you are.”

  Justin’s brows flickered up before he shrugged. “Let’s go then.”

  Chapter Two

  Paige stepped into the house and turned back to face Justin as he closed the umbrella and propped it against the wall. She saw how wet he was as he casually brushed the water from his arm and ran his hand through his hair.

  Only his hair seemed to have escaped the rain, and under the lights, she could see the auburn in his medium brown hair. His eyes shared the same shade of brown. The combination of both giving him a rough, masculine edge.

  She had been nervous about the sudden change of person helping her with the house, but the Seymours clearly knew Justin well. Once she had hung up the phone, Mrs. Seymour picked up one of the photo frames near the dining table and pointed to the young boy in the picture; the same boy in so many of their photos.

  “Why did you leave your lights on when you’re not home?”

  “I don’t like coming back to a dark house,” she answered without turning to him.

  “I thought you’re not afraid of ghosts.”

  “I’m not. I just don’t like the darkness.”

  “There must be something in the dark that you’re afraid of. Kids have their boogeyman. What’s yours?”

  “Do you like to psycho-analyze everyone you meet?”

  “Do you evade every question people ask?”

  She narrowed her eyes at him and retorted, “Are you trying to pick a fight with me so that you can get out of fixing this house?”

  Justin grinned, looking around. “I’ve been inside here so many times, no more than fifteen minutes each time, I’m sure. Travis and I used to dare each other to come in here. Many kids do that, too. Nothing much to do in a small town.”

  “So the graffitis were done by the kids, too? I was worried there would be squatters or homeless people coming by.”