“Actually, we might. Hang on.” Someone in love with the house might pay top dollar when the time came—and with all that had to be done to bring it up to date, that could be a blessing for her parents. Mom would want to at least get a read on the guy. If they sold it without a realtor, it would be easy and fast, when the time came. Better for people living in the Caribbean, for sure.
With all that rationalization and the fact that the man seemed sincere and was not the least bit threatening, she closed the door, slid the chain, and then reopened it to have a proper conversation. “I’m Evie Hewitt,” she said, extending her hand. “My grandfather is Max.”
“James Bell.” His fingers were cold, his grip strong. “Will you be managing his estate?”
She flinched at that. “He’s very much alive and sleeping upstairs.”
“Oh, sorry. God.” He shook his head and pushed at those glasses again. “I know that. I do. I’ve done a little digging around town. In fact, I used to live near here, but now I’m in Charlotte.”
“And you’re looking to buy a house in Bitter Bark?”
“I run my own consulting business and can work anywhere. Truth is, my fiancée and I have driven by here a million times, and she’s nuts about this place, too.” He let out a little sigh and added a goofy smile. “I want to give her the house as a wedding present. I happened to be nearby on business today and thought I’d give this a try. I know, knocking on the door and asking to buy a house is a little strange, but if I get it, I want it to be a surprise for Jenny. I mean, assuming…if there’s any chance…if you sell.”
His nervousness was a little endearing, along with his story. “Well, we’re not selling yet, Mr. Bell. We likely won’t before your wedding.”
“Please, call me Jim.” He handed her his card. “And we can wait on the wedding. In fact…” He let out a sigh. “The house might be the very thing to make my hard-to-pin-down lady finally set a date.”
“Oh, I see.”
He laughed nervously. “I’m babbling, ma’am, and I’m sure you’re not interested in my story. But this is the closest I’ve ever gotten…” He inched to one side to look past her into the house, closing his eyes with a grunt. “And of course the stairs are red. Exactly like we imagined.”
Well, she wasn’t going to invite him in, no matter how sweet his story or how much he hinted at it. Not to mention how sad it would make Granddaddy to know they were even talking about selling.
“I’ll keep your card, Mr. Bell. If and when we’re ready to put it on the market, I’ll call you.”
“Could I make an appointment to see it sometime? Not now, obviously. I would never be that rude. But sometime?”
“Let me think about it.”
“All right, and while you’re at it, turn over that card and think about that number. Please consider it a starting offer.”
She glanced down.
“Go ahead, take a look. I want you to know I’m serious.”
She flipped the card and stared at the seven-digit number. “Oh…” She barely breathed the word.
“I’m interested in the furnishings, too. Any and all that you’d leave. I’ll take everything as is.”
Which would thrill her mother.
“I want the house, ma’am.”
He certainly did. “Well, thank you so—” A high-pitched howl echoed behind her, making her suck in a sudden breath. “Judah!”
“Your dog? Or a wolf?” he joked.
“Right the first time.” She inched back and put a hand on the door to close it, lifting the card with the other. “Thank you, Mr. Bell…Jim.”
“Think about it, please.”
“I will.”
Judah howled again, even louder, if that was possible, so she closed the door quickly, flipped the dead bolt, and jogged toward the stairs. She picked up speed on the third howl, not at all sure of what she’d find when she finally reached Granddaddy’s door.
Rushing into the room, she came to a sudden stop…not expecting that.
“He wants to get on the bed, Evie.” Her grandfather was sitting up, smoothing the covers next to him as if he was making space. “But every time he lifts his head, he cries.”
“It’s his spine,” she said. “He could probably use another dose of medicine, and…do you want him up there?”
“More than anything, right, boy?” He patted the bed and gave a toothless grin to Judah, who stood next to the bed with nothing but longing and frustration on his face. “He’s good company.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, Granddaddy. I thought you were asleep.”
“He woke me up. Can you put him up here?”
“Let me get a pill in him and take him out one last time. Then I’ll bring him back and get him on the bed.”
“Well, hurry it up, or I’ll be asleep again.” He beamed at Judah. “But I need some company in here.”
She took care of the dog and gave him some chicken with his painkiller, then walked him back upstairs to find Granddaddy still wide awake.
“Okay, Judah.” Evie wrapped her arms around him. “Up you go, big guy.”
With a soft grunt and braced feet, she lifted his back half, helping him onto the bed.
He immediately walked up to get next to Granddaddy, going right to his face to give it a grateful lick with his long tongue.
“Well, he sure likes you,” she said with a chuckle.
“I like him right back. Now you settle there, Judah, and I’ll tell you a story until we’re both asleep.”
Her heart practically folded in half as she watched the dog carefully position himself where he was comfortable and Granddaddy was safe.
“God, we don’t deserve dogs,” she whispered as her whole being swelled with affection.
Granddaddy patted the thick fur with his spotted, knotted hand. “Once upon a time,” he started,
