Romance Rules for Werewolves (Charming Cove, #3)(32)

basket at me. “Here, you look famished.”

I took the basket and carried it to the front porch. The weather was still nice, and the porch was probably cleaner than the dusty kitchen. We sat on the two rickety chairs and I opened the basket to reveal a glass bottle of what looked to be homemade lemonade. I raised it and showed her. “Did you make this yourself?”

“I did indeed. I’ve got some lemon trees in my sun room. In fact, your cat has been in there all morning, sunning herself right next to them. I think that girl likes lemons.”

“Really?”

“She was licking one pretty enthusiastically.”

I laughed at the image of Poa licking a lemon. “She’s a weird one.”

I poured some of the fizzy lemonade into one of the glasses that Judith had included in the basket, then handed it over. Once we had our drinks and biscuits, Judith said, “I’m sorry to say that I didn’t find anything in the attic like I thought I might. Except squirrels.” She grimaced. “However, I have one more place I can check tomorrow.”

“Oh, thank you.” I was disappointed, but not surprised. It would have been too lucky.

We spent the next thirty minutes chatting, and I found that I liked Judith even more than I’d realized. She was everything I could have wanted in a grandmother, and I hoped I’d get to see more of her.

Once she’d departed, there was still enough light left to start on another task in the house. I really ought to get the electricity sorted so I could start working after dark.

I returned to the house and looked around for my next job. As expected, the house grumbled at my arrival, but at least it didn’t hit me in the butt with a loose board.

The hearth in the main living room caught my eye, and I went over to check it out. As expected, it was filthy, clogged with debris that had fallen down the chimney.

“I bet if I clean this out, you’ll feel a lot better.”

There was no response from the house, and I supposed I should have been grateful.

I got to work clearing the hearth and trying to pull the debris from the chimney. I hadn’t got very far before a massive plume of dust and soot exploded from the fireplace, coating me.

“Ugh!” I cried, stumbling away. “What did you do that for?”

The house seemed to cough, the chimney expelling more gross, powdery stuff over me.

“Uncool.” I took a few more steps back, using the inside of the my shirt to rub off my face.

In front of me was a pile of new debris that had fallen out of the chimney, primarily leaves and other bits that looked like the makings of a squirrel’s nest. Or maybe a rat’s nest. I was no rodent expert. I started to clean it up, grumbling as I piled it into a massive bin bag. As I was hauling the bag toward the door, a floorboard popped up and smacked me in the butt. I dropped the bag, seething.

“You know what, I’m leaving.” I turned on my heel and stomped toward the main door, hoping to make a point to the house. I knew in my gut that it wanted me to clean it up. But it was behaving like a toddler, and I was getting sick of it. Maybe I could scare some sense into it. “You’d better be nicer when I come back, or I’ll stop fixing you up. I’ll even install some really hideous lighting and wall fixtures before I leave.”

The house seemed to shudder as I walked out. Was that bad for the structural stability? Crap, I shouldn’t annoy the house too badly.

I walked down the hill. The weather was unseasonably warm for early autumn, with the early evening sun shining down upon me.

When I neared the boathouse, I spotted Rafe to the side of the building. He was washing his car with the hose, spraying water on the big Land Rover–looking thing. I knew nothing about cars, but it was big and rugged enough to suit him. A worn T-shirt stretched across his broad shoulders as he hosed the suds off the vehicle. His jeans hugged his thick thighs in a way that made my heart race a little faster than I liked.

He looked over at my approach, and surprise flashed on his face when he saw the state I was in. A laugh burst out of him. The smile lines that creased his eyes made him look somehow more handsome, and I scowled.

“It’s not funny,” I said.

“You look like a chimney sweep. So it is a bit funny.” His smile hadn’t faded, and his good humor made me forget the last few days he’d spent avoiding me.

“I’ll show you funny.” I grinned and reached into the bucket at my feet, fishing out the damp sponge and throwing it at him. It splattered against his chest, soaking his shirt.

“Hey!” He grinned and turned the hose on me, spraying my right arm. He was careful to keep from soaking me entirely, because it wasn’t that warm outside, and I laughed.

How long had it been since I’d felt this joyful with someone else? I hadn’t felt this way with Tommy in a long time, if ever. Rafe and I still didn’t get on, of course. Despite that kiss, I knew he wanted me out of his place as soon as possible. Hell, maybe because of the kiss. He’d clearly been bothered by it, even though he’d instigated it.

Our moment was there and gone before I realized it, which was for the best. I stepped back. “I’ve got to get cleaned up. Thanks again for fixing my shower.” It was the first time I’d seen him to be able to thank him. I turned to go, then hesitated and looked back. “You know, if you could fix my shower that quickly, you really would be perfect for helping me fix up Lavender House.”