“Thanks. I’ll remember that, and thanks for your help, R.P.” She’d wanted to do it all herself, but that wasn’t going to be the case now. Having a handsome builder around might be more trouble than it was worth, considering she’d sworn off men. He was cute enough to make her change her mind if they spent too much time together.
Chapter 4
Heavy work was out of the question until the pain in her hand settled down and she had the stitches removed—at least ten days, according to Emily. Sassie decided to head to the hardware store and order the new kitchen instead. She was also eager to try her hand at ready-to-assemble on a grander scale than putting together something as simple as a bookcase. In her small suitcase, she carried a notebook and pen. Sassie measured each wall, carefully drawing it in her book with detailed dimensions until she had the full kitchen and pantry on paper.
She drove past the corner store where an old man was in the process of putting out newspapers. He paused and waved. Amused to no end, she lifted her bandaged hand, waving back madly. Cruising past the council chambers, she spied the local library. Memories of lying in bed listening to Da read to them swamped her, and her eyes filled with tears. It was something he did most nights—even when exhausted from working—the only point of contact they had to remind them they were a family regardless of how it looked to the outside world.
She missed him terribly since his death. It was one of the reasons she was in America and not at home. Her brothers could look after themselves now that they were all grown up, regardless of how they protested that they still wanted her at home to look after them. Sassie needed distance, and where better would she find it than in the land across the pond with huge spaces of land, desert, and sea to explore? So she’d packed a small suitcase and left.
A large warehouse-style store displaying secondhand furniture took up most of the next block; Sassie earmarked it for a search-and-discovery mission in the near future. A proper bed instead of her sleeping bag on the floor would certainly make life more comfortable, and there was nothing like getting an old piece of furniture and putting your own stamp on it. Who knew, she might even pick up some nice pieces for some of the other rooms as well as her own. That would save plenty of money and give the house more style than newer modern creations would.
The sheriff’s office came into view and she slowed, watching the man wearing the badge and the cowboy hat crouch down and look into a stroller pushed by a young mother. He glanced up, saw her, nodded his head, and stood, continuing to talk. She passed a mix of quaint boutiques and a crafty-looking bohemian shop with colorful flags hanging from the awning. It was bordered by narrow laneways, and that took up most of a small block.
She promised herself she’d take a look just for the interest value alone. Farther down the main street, a couple of food shops advertised their wares in brightly lit window displays, including an old-fashioned diner. At the end of the road, taking up the whole of the next block, sat the hardware store. Sassie parked in the lot around the back and grabbed her purse. She headed to the kitchen section and picked up a pamphlet.
“Can I help you there?” An assistant looked up from behind a display.
“I was looking at redoing the kitchen at my place. Not too sure where to start, to tell you the truth. You have so much to choose from, I’m lost for words and spoilt for choice.” Flat-faced cabinets, scroll-edged cabinets, big drawers, small drawers, double pantries, sinks with drainers, round sinks, butler’s sinks—it was just plain bewildering.
“Oh, it’s not that bad, and I’m here to help. Once you have it on paper, it’s so much easier to figure out. Did you bring your kitchen measurements with you?” The name Kerrie stood out prominently on the badge on the women’s shirt.
Dipping her good hand into her jeans pocket, Sassie pulled out the page she’d ripped from her notebook and handed it over. Kerrie smoothed out the crumpled note and smiled.
“Have a seat and we can talk about what you want to do.” She scuttled behind her desk, perching on her office chair, and hit the keyboard before swiveling the screen around so Sassie could see what she was doing. “I’ll put your measurements in here so we know what the room looks like. You have a look at a couple of brochures and see if anything strikes you as the style you’re after, and then we can get started.” She pushed a couple of glossy pamphlets across the desk. “Have you thought about what you want?”
“Yes and no. I want nice, clean lines but with an old world chic. You see, I have this fabulous old black wood stove I want to keep. The house is pretty old, and I love that.” Toasty warmth crept up her stomach to her chest.
“Sounds like it’s pretty special.” Kerrie put her head down and concentrated on loading the floor plan into her computer while Sassie flipped through the brochures. After several minutes and murmured comments, Kerrie hit a few more keys and shuffled her chair around to show the 3D image she’d made.
“Okay, here you go. I’ve added the windows and the doors as you’ve marked them, as well as the positioning of the sink and stove. Nobody says you have to keep your sink there unless you want to avoid having to get the plumber to move the fittings, which may or may not be a big job. Now all we need to do is choose the cabinets you want and see if they fit in
