Complete Me (Book Three of The Kirkland Family)

Complete Me: Chapter 43

Chapter 43

The next morning, Cole loaded up Rose's car while she gave last minute instructions to Mona, and they dropped the kittens off at her parent's house. Mrs. Kirkland met them at the door, noticed the absence on Rose's finger and sighed. Mr. Kirkland grunted when he realized and pulled Cole aside.

"Son, how long is this going to take you? Because the wife is getting antsy, and I'm the one who has to hear about it."

"My apologies, sir," Cole said, but gave no explanation. He tucked his hands into the pockets of his cargo shorts and met the man's laser beam stare straight on.

When those green orbs narrowed, Cole didn't flinch. But then Rose's father chuckled and nudged him toward the side of the house. "How handy are you with remodeling?"

Cole followed him to the neighboring house. "I do well enough, and I follow directions better."

"Ms. Agnes passed away some years back and left her house to her grandson. He's been renting it out since then, but the upkeep has been too much for him and his wife to handle lately. We put in an offer, and he accepted it." Mr. Kirkland paused at the bottom of the steps and studied the Craftsman bungalow.

Feeling as if there was a hidden meaning behind this story, Cole said, "Does this have anything to do with what I said this weekend? About not being able to give Rose a house of her own yet?"

Again, the man grunted. "Don't get a swollen head. Hannah told me to find a project, and I did. The last renters did a number on the interior. We'll have to gut it and start fresh. Luckily, most of the woodwork and trim is still in good shape. So...wanna help an old man out this summer?"

Going up the steps, Cole felt the give of the ancient wood planks. He peeked into the large front windows, noticed water stains on the ceiling and torn carpet, and detected a faint urine odor. "This will take longer than the rest of the summer."

Mr. Kirkland joined him at the window. "We'll have to see how big of a hurry we get into," he said in the calmest voice possible for such a tall man.

"How many bedrooms?"

"Only two, but there's a large sunroom in the back that can be converted and plenty of room to add another bathroom, if needed."

Cole looked in the window on the other side of the front door and observed that it was an original layout. The dining room was closed off from the living area and kitchen. His mind churned with the possibilities. That dining room looked large enough for a baby grand piano...

He straightened and turned to Mr. Kirkland. "I'm sure I'll have some free time here and there," he said in a similarly moderate tone.

Mr. Kikland smiled. "I thought you might." They heard Rose and Mrs. Kirkland in the yard at their house, and Cole trotted down the steps to meet them.

"What are you two doing?" Mrs. Kirkland asked, seeing him and her husband return.

"Just peeking in the neighbor's windows," Rose's father replied. And Rose frowned.

"I thought the Beale house was empty," she said.

"It is," her mother said, staring at her husband with reproach. "But Johnny asked us to keep an eye on it for a while."

"Oh," Rose said, and jerked back toward the house. "Hang on, I left my purse inside."

As soon as Rose vanished through the front door, Mrs. Kirkland slapped her husband on the arm. "You weren't supposed to say anything!"

"I didn't say anything. Did I?" He directed that last part at Cole.

Cole smiled politely. "Say what?"