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  She flopped in her chair again. “I’m not scowling.”

  “Yes, she is. Her inspection this morning was with a college professor.” Daphne’s phone pinged and she looked down at the screen. She lifted her phone and pointed at it. “And according to Ben, it was a pretty lady professor.”

  Sandra gave Joss an exasperated look. “Joss.”

  “Mom, I’m fine. It was fine. We might get a pretty big project if she buys the house.”

  The look of exasperation softened. “I know you’re fine. I just wish you wouldn’t let them get to you.”

  Joss shook her head. She’d had the bad fortune of falling for an environmental engineering grad student when she was in her early twenties. Her name was Cora and, eight months into their relationship, she got a fellowship working on a conservation project in Belize. She left town without looking back and Joss never heard from her again. It certainly wasn’t the only reason she didn’t care for the academic types, but it hadn’t helped matters. “Mom, really. It’s all good. She rubbed me the wrong way a little, but it’s not a big deal.”

  “Okay, honey. We’ll let it go.” Sandra glanced at Daphne.

  “Right. I’ve already forgotten what we were talking about.” Daphne turned back to her computer and started typing away.

  Joss looked back at her mother, who’d already put her headphones back on. That, apparently, was that. Joss set down her coffee and logged into her computer. Although she always got inspection reports out within twenty-four hours, she wanted to get this one done immediately. She was a professional, after all. She also wanted to put the very beautiful and very irritating Olivia Bennett out of her mind.

  It took her about an hour to type everything up, complete with photos and coding for the seriousness of the various issues and concerns. She attached the nineteen-page document to an email and then spent another twenty minutes constructing the perfect four-sentence message. In the end, she thought the result was professional, friendly enough to ensure Olivia considered Bauer and Sons for the renovation job if she bought the house, but devoid of any of the flirtation she may have otherwise been tempted to throw in.

  She might not like the woman, but she’d be damned if she’d lose a job because of it. She hit the send button, then kicked back in her chair and crossed her feet on the desk. It was, she decided, a very productive morning.

  *

  Although tempted to linger at the house, revel in it, Olivia dutifully locked the door and returned the key to the lockbox hanging from the doorknob. Hanging around wouldn’t make it hers any quicker. She drove to campus, noting with pleasure that it only took about twenty-five minutes to get to her usual parking lot. Even with morning traffic, she should be able to do it in a little over half an hour.

  Olivia didn’t feel the need to wait for the inspection report to call Scott. She dialed his number as she started the walk to her office. When he answered the phone, she barely waited for him to say hello before launching in.

  “No major surprises or problems at the inspection. What do we do next?”

  “Slow down, honey. Back up a minute and tell me how it went.”

  Olivia ran through the highlights of what she’d learned. Scott listened, throwing in an “okay” and “mmm-hmm” here and there. She concluded by adding, “And the company does remodeling, too. I might be able to hire them to do the work.”

  Scott chuckled. “You don’t waste any time. Before you start ripping out kitchen cabinets, let’s go over your options.”

  Olivia rolled her eyes, but smiled. “Yes, sir.”

  “Technically, you can ask the sellers to do some of the repairs, or to credit you back some of the purchase price to cover them. Given that there wasn’t anything unexpected, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it, but it’s my job to make sure you’re informed.”

  “I appreciate that, Scott. I think I’m good. The price is reasonable and most of the work is getting folded into the renovations I want anyway, so it seems wrong to split hairs.”

  “I couldn’t agree more.”

  “So how quickly can we close?”

  “I get the sense that the sellers are ready when you are. Call your mortgage agent and your attorney and they’ll get the ball rolling.”

  “I’ll do it right away. I’d hoped to be moved into a new place by now.”

  “I know. You’ll get there. Keep me posted and I’ll have champagne chilling.”

  “Thanks, Scott. You’re the best.”

  “I know.”

  Olivia laughed and ended the call. She paused outside her building to send a text to her friend Gina.

  Inspection great. Inspector seriously hot. Fingers crossed I’ll be out of your guest room soon. See you this evening.

  During the summer, G.S. Hall was a bit of a ghost town. Even the tables near the entrance—bustling during the week with students and faculty meeting, working, having lunch—were empty. Olivia walked up the staircase to the second floor and down the hall to her office. When she opened the door, the smell of old books mingled with the almond oil diffuser she kept on the windowsill. Books, old and new and everything in between, filled the four bookcases she’d managed to cram into the space. It was the epitome of a crusty old literature professor’s office and she loved it.

  She sat down at the chunky wooden desk and booted up her anything-but-crusty laptop. She drafted an email to her mortgage adviser at the credit union and the real estate attorney she’d hired to handle the legal aspects of the closing.

  Once they were sent, she looked at her phone and sighed. She’d put off calling her parents for more than a week. At least now she had good news. She initiated the call, then closed her eyes and took a deep, calming breath. “Hi, Mama.”

  “Hello, darling. How are you?”

  “I’m doing well. And you?”

  “Oh, I’m just fine. Your father’s playing an early round of golf with Beau. Tara and I are going to meet them at the club for brunch. What about you? What are you up to?”

  Of course her perfect sister and her husband would be joining her parents at the club. If she felt a hint of jealousy that she was never included in such things, it was overshadowed by relief. “I’m at the office, doing a little work.”

  “The office? I thought one of the points of becoming a professor was that you wouldn’t have to work in the summer.”

  “I’m trying to finish revising an article so I can submit it to the Journal of Southern Literature before the semester starts.”

  “Oh, honey, I’m just teasing. I know you’re like a little mouse in a wheel until you get tenure.”

  Even though Olivia knew her mother was trying to be playful, it was hard not to bristle, at least a bit. “It’s really not so bad. I’m on track according to the two-year review I had in the spring. I just want to have this article accepted by the end of the year.”

  “And you will. You accomplish everything you put your mind to.”

  Although her mother didn’t necessarily mean it as a compliment, Olivia took it as such. She decided to change the subject while she was ahead. “So, I finally found a house. The closing should be in a couple of weeks.”

  “Oh, darling, that’s wonderful. Did you find something in that cute little neighborhood you were talking about? Small Creek?”

  Olivia smiled. “Fall Creek. Not exactly. This one’s a little ways out in the country, but still less than a half hour from campus.”

  “The country? Are you sure that’s such a good idea? A young woman, living on her own.”

  Olivia rolled her eyes. “It’s fine, Mama. Perfectly safe.”

  “If you say so. I still don’t really like the thought of you—”

  “It needs a bit of work, so I’m going to get to design it exactly the way I want.” Olivia hoped shifting the conversation to decor would distract her mother.

  “A bit of work? How much work?”

  “It’s an old farmhouse, so it’s very solid. Mostly freshening up, but I’m going to put in a n
ew kitchen, update the baths.” She opted not to mention the collapsed front porch.

  “Olivia, that sounds like an awfully big project.”

  “I’m going to hire professionals to do most of it.” She had a flash of Joss standing in her kitchen, wearing a tool belt and cutting wood.

  “Still, an old, run-down house in the middle of nowhere. I just don’t know what on earth you’re thinking.”

  The scolding tone pulled Olivia back to reality. Even though her mother couldn’t see her, Olivia straightened her posture and squared her shoulders. “It’s a great house and a good investment. It’s going to be beautiful when it’s done.”

  “Okay, darling. I’m sure you’re right. I need to get ready to go meet your father.”

  “Okay, Mama. Give him my love. Tara and Beau, too.”

  “Of course. Don’t you work too hard. Bye.”

  “Bye.”

  Olivia ended the call and drummed her fingers on her desk. Despite the fact that she was thirty-two, her mother had such a way of getting to her. It wasn’t like she needed her parents’ approval. But still. She didn’t like having her choices, her judgment, questioned.

  She turned to her computer and tried to focus. Her mother’s words continued to echo in her mind. Olivia was just going to have to prove that she’d made a good decision, even if it was different from what her parents would have chosen. She’d always been the one to go against their wishes anyway. It made being right—being successful—all the more satisfying.

  Chapter Four

  Olivia sat on a stool at the kitchen island while Gina and Kel bustled around. She wanted to help, but would probably just be in the way. Kel, already dressed for work in gray pants and a slate blue button-down, pulled mugs from one of the cabinets and poured three matching cups of coffee.

  Without a word, Gina, who’d been rifling in the fridge, stuck out an arm holding the carton of half-and-half. Kel took it, added some to each mug, and returned it to Gina’s outstretched hand. Olivia smiled. The way they shared the space was seamless and completely adorable. After another moment, Gina emerged with an armful of bags and containers. She dumped everything on the counter and went back for more.

  “What are you doing?” Olivia asked.

  “I’m making Kel’s lunch.” Her perky tone made Olivia smile.

  Gina added another armful of stuff to the pile. Olivia raised her eyebrow. That was some lunch.

  Kel leaned against the sink and sipped her coffee. “I keep telling her it isn’t necessary.”

  Gina blew an errant curl from in front of her eye. “You say that, but I know you skip lunch more days than not and that isn’t okay anymore. I figure if I slave over it, you’ll eat it to avoid hurting my feelings.”

  “You do need to eat, you know,” Olivia said. Kel was four months pregnant and just starting to show, but her ebony skin had that glow. Between that and her expertly tailored, perfectly butch outfit, it was hard not to stare at just how gorgeous she looked.

  Kel rolled her eyes. “I know. I’ve been told as much by Gina, the nurse at the clinic, my O.B., the doula, and Gina again. I’ll add your name to the list.”

  Gina walked over to where Kel stood and kissed her firmly on the mouth. “So many women doting on you, it must be rough.”

  Kel quickly turned, pinning Gina against the counter. She kissed her long and slow. “You are an amazing wife, and I love you.”

  Gina’s eyes fluttered open. “You’re pretty amazing yourself, and I love you, too.”

  Olivia sighed. She’d never seen a couple with so much mutual love and respect who still had such passion for one another. Her sister didn’t. Her parents certainly didn’t. As much as it pained her not to have it, she liked knowing that kind of relationship was possible.

  “So, what time is the closing again?” Gina asked.

  “Three. Scott said it shouldn’t take more than two hours.”

  “You’re okay going by yourself?”

  “I won’t be by myself. Both Scott and my attorney will be there. There’s nothing left to sort out. It’s just me signing my name a billion times.”

  Kel nodded. “Good practice for when you break onto the New York Times Best Seller list for the first time.”

  “You understand I’ve not actually written a novel, right?”

  “A technicality. I still consider you the most likely candidate of everyone I know.”

  “That’s sweet, I think.”

  “In the meantime, we’ll have to celebrate something else. Gina and I want to take you out tonight after the closing.”

  Olivia found herself oddly emotional. When she left everyone she knew and moved nearly a thousand miles away, she couldn’t have imagined making a better pair of friends than Gina and Kel had turned out to be. “I would love that.”

  “Just a Taste? We can meet right when they open at 5:30, have tapas, a little wine, then decide if we want dinner, too.”

  The restaurant was Olivia’s favorite. “I’ll be there.”

  *

  Scott hadn’t exaggerated. By the time Olivia left the closing, it was a little after five, and she estimated that she’d signed or initialed at least two hundred pieces of paper. The keys were in her purse, though, and the house was hers. She was equal parts giddy and shell-shocked.

  She drove back downtown, parked on Aurora Street, and walked the few blocks to Just a Taste. It was 5:20 and there were a couple of people already waiting at the door. Gina and Kel appeared a moment later. She gave them the highlights of the two hours she spent signing her name and handing over a large chunk of her savings. When the restaurant door opened, Olivia’s attention shifted.

  M.J., one of the students from her American Lit survey course, was the hostess. After taking the first group to a table near the bar, she returned. When Olivia caught her eye, M.J. broke into a big smile.

  “Dr. B! It’s so good to see you. How’s your summer been?”

  “Really good, M.J. How about you?”

  “Awesome. I’ve been interning at the State Theater and working. I’m so glad I decided not to go home for the summer.”

  Olivia thought back to her summers in college. After her freshman year, she took a job as a summer R.A., in part to be able to take a summer class, but mostly to avoid three months with her parents. “I know what you mean.”

  “Table inside or out?”

  “We’ll take the patio, please. There are three of us.”

  M.J. took menus from the podium and led them through the restaurant to the outdoor seating area in the back. “I signed up for your Southern writers course for the fall. I’m really looking forward to it.”

  Olivia smiled. “I’m looking forward to having you. I know you’re busy now, but let’s catch up. I’ll be in my office most of the week before classes start. Stop in anytime.”

  “I will, thanks. Enjoy your dinner.”

  They ordered a smattering of small plates from the huge selection of seasonal tapas. Kel stuck to water, but both Olivia and Gina ordered from the selection of wine flights. “I’m going for the one with a couple of sparkling whites. It seems the most celebratory.”

  After toasting the house closing, they started sampling their food selections. There was a beet salad, a cheese plate, garlicky focaccia, lamb meatballs. “I always think the portions are going to be small and we should order more,” Gina said, “but I’m stuffed.”

  “Same here,” Olivia said.

  Kel shrugged. “I was kind of hoping for dessert.”

  Gina reached over and patted her belly. “I love that being pregnant has given you a sweet tooth.”

  “Order whatever you want and we’ll have a bite.” Olivia always had room for a bite of dessert. Always.

  Once the order for blackberry gelato was in, Gina turned to Olivia. “Are you sure you won’t stay with us a bit longer, just until most of the work is done? You can’t really want to live in a construction zone.”

  “I really don’t want to think about moving on
ce the semester starts. Besides, it’ll be an adventure. I want to be there, in the thick of it, you know?”

  Gina laughed. “No, I don’t know. I think your house will be lovely when it’s done, but I can’t fathom wanting to sleep and shower there in the meantime.”

  Olivia shook her head. “You’re such a princess.”

  “You bet I am.”

  “I’ve got movers scheduled for the end of the week to get the essentials in—nothing that can’t be worked around. I’ll set up a makeshift bedroom downstairs. I’m excited to get started on the work.”

  “Speaking of work, are you going to hire that sexy contractor who did your inspection? You know, if she’s working for you, you probably shouldn’t sleep with her.”

  Kel lifted a hand. “Wait, wait, wait. No one told me about a sexy contractor.”

  Gina cocked her head. “Well, I haven’t seen her, so I’m only going on what Olivia told me.”

  All eyes turned to Olivia. “She’s very nice to look at. I’ll be the first to admit it. But it seems like her family’s company does a lot of residential renovations in the area. Great reviews everywhere I look.”

  “Wait a minute.” Gina’s eyes narrowed. “Is that why you’re so keen on staying there? You want to hang around so you can watch her work. I should have known you had an ulterior motive.”

  Olivia sighed. “That’s not why I’m staying there. It’s my home. I want to get a feel for it before I make some of the design decisions. I can’t do that if I’m only stopping by for half an hour at a time.”

  “Mmm-hmm. Likely story.”

  “So you aren’t going to sleep with her?” Kel asked.

  “Well, I never said that.” Olivia winked at her.

  “But you are going to hire her,” Gina said.

  Olivia shrugged. “Probably. I did some research and the company has an impeccable reputation. I sent her my general ideas and scheduled a walk-through for tomorrow. If I like what she has to say, and the price, I don’t see why I wouldn’t.”