Neil slouched in the doorway of Mary’s office and peered over his glasses at her. “I thought you were off on Saturdays.”
“I’ll only be here a few hours today. I want to take one of your classes on the new cash registers. What’s going on with our e-mail? I’m getting duplicates of the same message and I’m unable to send anything.”
Neil sauntered into her office and peered at her computer screen. “I know, I know. I’m working on it. There wasn’t a problem until Alexis uploaded her new and improved inventory tracking system. It seems to be interfering with the e-mail.”
“I’m glad that’s your problem and not mine. Did you get the training schedule I left you?”
“I got it, but you’ll have to do it again.”
“Because…”
“Because the cash registers aren’t working correctly, either.” Neil’s frustration was evident in his voice.
Mary lowered her voice to a near-whisper. “Does Mr. Alden know all this?”
“Not that I know of,” Neil whispered back. “Are you going to tell him?”
Mary’s job description had nothing to do with technology or being the boss’s informant. “I’m sure you can get everything straightened out.”
“Yeah, right,” Neil said with exaggerated sarcasm. “Just like I straightened out my love life.”
Mary smiled to herself. Talking about his girlfriend was the real reason Neil had come to visit. “What happened? Didn’t you have Thanksgiving dinner with Stephanie’s family?”
Neil plopped into one of the cloth-covered chairs in front of Mary’s desk. “I showed up on time. I brought flowers for her mother. I was the perfect, well-behaved guest, but…”
Mary leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs. Neil would get to the rest of his story when he was ready.
Neil ran a hand through his dark hair. “Stephanie told me I didn’t fit in with her family.”
“What does that mean?”
Neil shrugged. “I don’t know what I did wrong.”
“Bet you were nervous.”
“Of course I was. But I tried to be polite. I even helped with the dishes. Now, Stephanie will probably break up with me.”
“You don’t know that. A friend of mine used to say, ‘don’t worry about things that haven’t happened yet.’”
“Yeah, but…it’s just that...I really had my hopes set on Stephanie. I was even thinking about buying her an engagement ring as a Christmas present. Now, I’ll probably be spending Christmas all alone.”
Neil was in his early twenties, the only child of well-to-do parents. It was sometimes difficult for Mary to sympathize with his many problems. “What about your family?”
His face formed an expression of outrage. “Can you believe my parents are taking a river cruise through Austria during Christmas vacation? They said that now that I was grown up and leading my own life, they were going to stop having big holiday get-togethers.”
“Sounds reasonable. After all, you didn’t spend Thanksgiving with them.”
Neil held up a hand to stop her from saying more. “I know, I know. I guess I’m just feeling sorry for myself. Say, Mary, what are you doing for Christmas?”
Neil was always looking out for himself. Mary had yet to decide if that was a good trait or a bad one. “I don’t have any plans for Christmas, but I’m sure something will turn up.”
“Tell you what.” Neil leaned forward in his chair. “If Stephanie breaks up with me, you and I will spend the day together. Lunch? A movie? What do you say?”
As much as she liked Neil, he wasn’t a man to be counted on. If she depended on him to provide an escape from solitary holidays, he’d likely cancel at the last minute. Besides, he offered his companionship only if Stephanie broke things off with him. “Let’s wait a few weeks before we make plans, Neil. Things might turn out all right with your girlfriend.”
He fell back in his chair. “I hope you’re right.”
“Now, back to business.” Mary folded her hands on top of her desk. “The new cash registers?”
Neil got to his feet. “All of Alexis’s new technology is on an indefinite hold. I’ll let you know when I’ve worked out all the kinks.” He tapped the door frame twice as he left, his way of saying goodbye.
Mary turned back to her computer screen. Cruising along the rivers of Austria must be a nice way to spend Christmas. But even if she could afford such an indulgence, she’d still be alone. The historic treasures of Austria wouldn’t be very interesting without a close friend or someone special to share the experience. She had a college education, a job, and a house. Now, she had only one goal left to fulfill. But finding a good man, marrying, and having a family was not something she could do by herself.
She pushed away from her desk and headed toward the elevator. Until Neil fixed the computer problems, she couldn’t proceed with training. Might as well check on the employees before she headed home.
Mary tried to ignore the mermaids as she rode the escalator to the first floor. There was just something wrong with looking at shell bikini tops while listening to Little Drummer Boy.
In the jewelry department, Mrs. Gallagher was still wearing a Santa hat, but today, her sweater was bedecked with several sparkling Christmas pins.
Olivia Bishop stepped away from the display case and smiled when she saw Mary. “Better today,” Olivia said. “I took your advice and now, my oldest employee is in charge of greeting customers.”
“How are sales?”
“Good. The weatherman is predicting light snow and that’s sure to put people in the Christmas spirit.”
“I hope you’re right. Anything else I should know about?”
“No. Everything is ship-shape in the jewelry department.”
Mary gave a quiet sigh of relief. One of her duties was to help employees who weren’t doing a good job and, if unavoidable, to fire them. She didn’t want to have to dismiss Mrs. Gallagher.
Just as Mary was about to step away from the counter, Mrs. Gallagher called to her. “Mary! Oh, Mary!”
Mrs. Gallagher’s wrinkles disappeared as she smiled. “How are you doing?” Mary asked.
“I’m having a grand time. But I wanted to talk to you about my schedule. Would it be possible for me to work longer shifts?”
In consideration of the time they’d spend on their feet, Mary had scheduled the older part-time workers for four-hour shifts. “Are you sure, Mrs. Gallagher? I wouldn’t want you to push yourself too hard.”
“I know, dear, but once I’m here, I have such a good time I forget my aches and pains and next thing you know, it’s time to go home. And, to tell you the truth, going home to my empty house is such a letdown after being with all the friendly people here.”
Mary could certainly sympathize with that feeling. “I’ll remember your request when I make the next schedule, but you must let me know if it’s too much.”
Mrs. Gallagher didn’t reply. Instead, she wiggled her fingers and smiled at a toddler in a stroller. “Isn’t he the cutest thing you’ve ever seen?” the older lady asked. “I just love children.”
Another characteristic that Mary shared with the older woman. “How many children do you have?”
Mrs. Gallagher’s cheery smile never faltered. “Oh, I wasn’t blessed that way. The good Lord gave me a wonderful husband, but children weren’t in His plan.”
No husband. No children. No wonder Mrs. Gallagher wanted to fill her days with work. “Mrs. Gallagher, what are you doing for Christmas?”
“Oh, I usually find something to do.”
“Would you like to share the day with me? We could have lunch.”
She wouldn’t have thought it possible, but Mrs. Gallagher’s face brightened even more. “That sounds like such fun! Do you ever watch Christmas movies? That’s what George and I used to do.”
What had she done? Whether by temperament or circumstance, Mary had grown accustomed to being alone. Plus, her house was barely habitable, and by the twenty-fifth of December, she’d be living in the middle of renovations. But Mrs. Gallagher’s need had been so obvious, Mary couldn’t simply ignore it. “Feel free to bring your movies,” Mary said as she walked away. “We’ll iron out the details later.”
* * *
A light snow drifted lazily in the darkening November sky as Mary drove home on Monday evening to meet Will. Today, she’d receive his estimate and decide how much she could accomplish in making her old house new again.
Just as she exited her car, Mrs. Kaminski hurried down her back steps and called to her. “Mary! Do you have a minute?”
Mary walked to the low brick wall that separated her driveway from her neighbor’s property. Before she could offer a greeting, Mrs. Kaminski spouted a stream of questions.
“When do you plan to start renovating your house? Before or after Christmas? I’d like to know because I need to make plans with my family for Christmas day. If there’s going to be a construction mess, we might have to go to my sister’s place this year.”
Mary wanted to laugh at Mrs. Kaminski’s rapid-fire delivery and point out that her neighbor’s holiday plans really didn’t concern her. But she also wanted to be a good neighbor. “There’s a good chance the contractor will be in the middle of renovations by the time Christmas comes around.”
The middle-aged woman tightened her gray sweater around her body. “That’s what I thought. I don’t mind putting up with the noise and the mess because I’ve been living next to that sorry old house for too long. Besides, it won’t kill my sister to host the family. Goodness knows I do it every year. Time for her to share in the fun.”
Will’s dark blue truck pulled into her driveway. “I have to go now,” Mary said to her neighbor. “That’s my contractor.”
Mrs. Kaminski squinted to read the writing on the truck. “I’m not familiar with that name. Let me know if he does good work.”
Mary walked away from her neighbor, but Mrs. Kaminski stayed in her spot. Apparently, eavesdropping and spying were her hobbies. “Where’s Robin tonight?” Mary asked as soon as she reached the truck.
Will had a paper cup in one hand and his portfolio tucked under his arm. “Her big brother has babysitting duties tonight. I promised him I wouldn’t take more than an hour.”
Robin had talked of her grandmother during her first visit. Now the big brother was caring for her. Where was Will’s wife?
As they passed Mrs. Kaminski, Will nodded and smiled. “Good evening.”
“Evening,” she said, without moving.
Did her neighbor expect Mary to invite her inside? Mary had business to discuss with Will, and entertaining her neighbor would be awkward, to say the least. Although it might be impolite, she ignored Mrs. Kaminski. She unlocked the back door, hung her coat and purse on the nail, and got a bottle of water from the old refrigerator. “Can I get you anything?”
Will held up the paper cup. “Don’t go to the trouble. I brought my own coffee.”
Mary led him into the dining room which contained a thrift store dining table and four unmatched chairs. “Am I going to need CPR after I see your estimate?”
“I don’t think so.” He withdrew a sheet of paper from his folder and passed it to her.
Mary studied the figures. The price for materials was in line with what she had found at the building supply store and the cost of labor seemed reasonable. Still, it was more than she’d predicted. “Is this the best price you can give me?”
Will stretched his long legs in front of him. “I may be able to save on materials here and there. Your biggest expenses are the roof, the updated wiring, and the plumbing.”
Mary’s stomach clenched like an alligator’s jaws. “I hadn’t realized there’d be so much to do.”
“Oh, yeah. This old place needs much more than cosmetic work. Roof, wiring, plumbing, replacing rotten wood, replacing windows, new walls, refinishing the hardwood floors, updating the kitchen and bathrooms. Its bones are good, though. Otherwise, I’d tell you to tear it down and start from scratch.”
Maybe she could do one repair at a time. But where to start? “How long will all of this take?”
“Six to eight weeks. You’re going to live here through the renovations?”
“I don’t have another place to go. As long as you leave me one working bathroom and a place to sleep, I’ll manage. Plus, I’ll be at work five days a week.”
Will shrugged. “As long as you can put up with the mess, it makes no difference to me. I’ll need a check for half now to buy the materials. You pay me the rest when I’ve finished the job.”
Mary opened her check book, but couldn’t make her hand write the necessary numbers. It had taken ten years to save enough money. It would take one minute to spend it.
It was an investment, she reminded herself. If she sold the house next year or lived in it until her hair was white and her face wrinkled, she’d get the money back someday.
Mary looked at Will’s now purple fingernails as he gripped his coffee cup. She could probably find someone cheaper, but not better. Hiring a contractor was all about trust and, according to her boss, Will Stewart could be counted on. “Did Mr. Alden have this difficult a time writing the check?”
One corner of Will’s mouth rose in a half-grin. “No, but Charles Alden and I had our share of disagreements. Your boss kept changing his mind about how he wanted his guest house to look, but he didn’t want to pay for the extra work. You’ve been very clear about what you want done in this old place, so I don’t foresee any problems.”
That explained Mr. Alden’s portrayal of Will as the hot-tempered sort. “Your estimate is very close to my maximum budget. There won’t be much left for a contingency fund.”
Will looked over the estimate again. “Tell you what, Miss Thompson. When you’ve got time, I’ll take you over to a place I know that does construction salvage. You’ll probably find a lot of the stuff you need there for a lower cost.”
“That sounds promising.” Mary looked around the shabby dining room and tried to envision it with fresh paint and refinished floors. The change would be worth it. If she did the most important things now, she could paint and furnish the house bit by bit. She took a deep breath, remembered her dream, and wrote the check. “There’s one more thing,” she said as she passed it to Will. “I’ll need to use the kitchen at Christmas time.”
Will’s dark eyebrows drew together. “Couldn’t you go out to eat?”
“Perhaps. But, if possible, I’d rather have the kitchen available.”
Will slipped the check into a pocket of his portfolio and got to his feet. “I’ll see what I can do. The roofers will be here in a few days, depending on the weather, and I’ll be in and out, working as I can.”
Mary led him into the kitchen. She pulled out a drawer and retrieved an extra key to the house. “This will open the back door. Will I see you in a few days?”
Will pulled a ring of keys from his pocket and added Mary’s key to the assortment. “By the time this job is finished, you’ll be sick of seeing me.”
Mary allowed herself a few moments to enjoy his handsome face and masculine build, doubting she’d ever get tired of that view. She shook his calloused hand and closed the door behind him. All she had to do was get through the next few weeks. Then she’d have the home she’d always dreamed of.