Restorations (Book One Oregon In Love) Read Online Free PDF

and
reached over to a rack on the side of the cupboard. Brian held up
the key for her inspection.
    Sara crossed her arms over her chest. “I’ll
go alone. I don’t want any repeat of yesterday.”
    “If I feel even a hint of dizziness, I
promise to fall neatly into your arms. You’ve already proven
yourself capable in that area.”
    She turned away, but not before he caught
her look of scorn. Despite this, he sensed her curiosity prevented
her from refusing. He tugged on a pair of running shoes. “Ready?”
he said, ignoring the pounding in his temples.
    She shrugged. Brian smiled encouragingly and
led her out the door. As they approached the farmhouse, he reminded
himself to treat her gently. His first inclination made him want to
tease her. Sara had proved so easy to tease in the past. Brian
conceded this wasn’t the time or the place.
    He considered it a big step
she agreed to spend any time with him at all, even if she really
had no other choice. His illness might be called providential in
that respect. Brian glanced up at the blue sky as if for
confirmation. Well, Lord? Think Sara will
ever come around?
    A glance at his old girlfriend and her stiff
posture sent a twinge of uncertainty through him. Of course, he
knew he couldn’t just waltz back into her life and resume their
tumultuous romance. First things first. He settled on a goal of
getting Sara to smile at him that day. Surely, that wasn’t too much
to ask.
    Brian unlocked the dilapidated back door and
stepped aside, allowing Sara to precede him. He watched as she
entered and looked around. This would be emotional for her, and he
regretted not having the right to comfort her the way he
wished.
     
    Sara entered the kitchen and noted it looked
as dark and poky as ever. She also noticed construction work had
apparently been started. A few of the cabinets were torn out and
one part of a wall demolished, exposing the framing beneath.
    Past the kitchen, the living room and dining
room combined into a large open area. The house boasted a bedroom
on the main floor with a small bathroom and four spacious bedrooms
upstairs, with a half bath. She knew her grandfather had occupied
the lower bedroom to avoid using the stairs.
    Pretty much everything appeared the same,
only darker and dingier than she remembered. Dusty sheers lined the
windows and cobwebs hung low from every corner, undoubtedly
contributing to the musty smell. Sara realized Eli must’ve been too
weak to do much upkeep. She felt guilty not coming to help more
often. Her guilt deepened at the profound feeling of emptiness in
the house. Her grandpa was truly gone. Tears clouded her vision and
she wondered if Hattie had been right after all. Maybe she wasn’t
ready for this.
    Keenly aware of Brian’s presence, Sara
wended her way through the rooms. He shadowed her steps but said
nothing, and for that she was grateful. In the first floor bedroom,
she saw her grandfather’s effects. The room was fairly neat and
ordered, with a small TV in one corner and potted plants lining the
windowsills. His roll top desk sat in the sunlight, stacked high
with books and papers, looking as if he’d momentarily stepped away
from his work.
    She turned to Brian. “I thought you said you
had done some repair work. I haven’t seen much that looks
improved.”
    “Actually, I’ve done extensive structural
repairs including dry rot work under the house. I had just started
on the kitchen when...”
    Sara wrapped her arms around herself and
took several steps away from him. “I understand,” she said
faintly.
    “You know, your grandfather had big plans
for this place,” Brian said after a moment.
    “He’s lived here for the last twenty-five
years. Why didn’t he do anything before now?”
    “Because he was a dreamer, like you.”
    Sara spun around to face him. “It seems you
knew him very well,” she snapped, failing to suppress the sarcasm
from her voice. “Just how long have you been in Buell