“If you need anything, just call. My number is on the fridge.”
“Thanks, Pete.”
He headed down the stairs, whistling as he left. She turned around and flung her arms wide. “I love this place,” she said into the empty room.
She could just picture her grandmother’s desk in the small bedroom. And she was slightly addicted to her fancy coffee machine. She’d make up a list of things for her assistant to have delivered here. She had a lovely quilt with yellow flowers on it that her grandmother had made. It would look lovely in the bedroom. It had been packed away for years because it didn’t fit with her modern apartment in New York. But it would be perfect here. A few of her things would make the place feel like hers.
She glanced at her watch, debating heading to Darlene’s to get her things or going to the theater. She did have calls and more decisions to make.
Duty won, and she turned to leave. “But I’ll be back,” she promised as she walked down the stairs. Peace settled over her, and for the first time in a long time, she felt like she was right where she was meant to be. And had a purpose for her life again.
Chapter11
Annoyance nagged at Gavin all morning. He’d gone by the theater first thing this morning only to find it was locked up tight. A mid-morning trip yielded the same result. Still no sign of Tori.
Was she not serious about this whole project? She just bought it and now felt no urgency to get started on the restorations? He’d made a long list of notes he wanted to go over with her. If she ever showed up…
A lull at The Bike Shop mid-day afforded him another chance to run over to the theater. He called out to Jonny, “Hey, I’m going out for a bit. You got things here?”
“Sure thing. I got this,” Jonny called back.
Gavin wiped the grease from his hands. He’d been working on a bike all morning. Well, at least all morning between trips to the theater. He headed outside, grabbed a bike, and rode over to the theater, fully expecting to see it locked up tight again.
The front door stood ajar. So, she’d finally decided to show up. He strode into the lobby, its neglected, dim interior a marked contrast to the brightness outside. As his eyes adjusted, he spotted her standing at the far side. He didn’t even try to temper his annoyance. “I came by first thing this morning. You weren’t here. I thought you were serious about getting going on this project.” He stopped in his tracks when he got closer and saw her with her hair tied back and lugging a bucket and a squeegee. The window in front of her sparkled.
“I don’t run on your schedule,” she shot back, planting her hands on her hips.
He stared at the window, then the bucket, then back up to Tori’s face. A bit of grime adorned her cheek. She reached up and brushed back a lock of hair while he stared at her. The last thing he ever thought he’d see was Tori in here cleaning. It was a side of her he hadn’t anticipated—hands-on and unafraid of getting dirty.
“I just thought you’d be jumping on the project first thing.” He still couldn’t drag his eyes away from her. She looked incredibly adorable with her hair a mess and the smudge on her face. He had to resist the urge to wipe away the dirt.
“I had something I needed to do.”
“More important than this?” He knew he shouldn’t have said it the moment the words were out.
“Gavin, I don’t report to you. And yes, it was something I had to do. Not that it’s any of your business. You can watch over the restoration like Miss Eleanor asked, but you can’t watch over me. Get it?” She fired the words at him, her eyes flashing.
He held up both hands in a gesture of surrender. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
“Did you need something?” She looked down at the bucket. “I have work to do.”
“I… uh… well, I made a list of things I thought of last night after talking to you yesterday.”
“I’m fine with my list, just like it is.”
“But—”
“No, seriously. Unless you think I’m doing something Miss Eleanor won’t like with the restoration, then just butt out. I’ve got this.”
And he was certain that she did have this. But he did have some ideas about how she could save money. But obviously, now was not the time. Her annoyance with him was evident in the set of her shoulders and the way she clenched her jaw.
“How about I help you clean the windows?”
Her mouth dropped open. “Why would you do that?”
“Because if we both work on it, we’ll get them cleaned up faster.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
