First and Only (Callaghan Brothers #2)

Despite her protests, Jack insisted on driving Lexi over to look at the property. All she really wanted to do was head back to the hotel and soak in a hot tub for a day or two until she returned to her senses and could make a rational, practical decision based on something other than pure emotion. But after standing up and letting the whiskey circulate a little, she had a lovely, warm buzz going and didn’t have the heart to tell him no.

What would she do with a house, she mused on the way over? Houses required maintenance, upkeep. Who would do all that? She liked her apartment. When something broke, she called Aidan and it would be fixed right away. Beyond changing a light bulb or jiggling the handle of the toilet when it ran, her knowledge of home repairs was non-existent.

As they drove farther out of town, it dawned on her that it wasn’t just a house, but a house that most likely had property associated with it (she blamed the whiskey for the slow uptake). What about mowing the lawn and trimming shrubs and that sort of thing? Outside of the kitchen, she stayed far away from anything that included a motor and sharp blades, or, Heaven forbid, both. She shivered just thinking about it.

But it would be nice, some little voice in her head said, to plant your own flowers and have a nice little herb garden, wouldn’t it? She shushed the voice away, earning a curious glance from Jack.

The property was located about ten miles past the outskirts of town. She hadn’t even noticed the turn-off. It was well concealed by massive trees and mountain laurel in full bloom. A strong sense of déjà vu came over her as they wound their way down the long, overgrown drive.

The feeling grew stronger as the ancient-looking stone cottage came into view, and it had nothing to do with the Irish whiskey. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it; the place seemed so familiar, and yet somehow different, if that made any sense.

The trees outside seemed bigger than they should have been. The overgrown gardens should have been neatly tended and weed-free. Blossoming vines grew unchecked over stone that had once glistened in the sunlight, and the slate roof was badly in need of repair. Without looking, Lexi somehow knew that if she walked around the exterior, she would find a huge flat-stone patio in the back. And beyond that, a creek that bisected near the edge of the property, forming a tiny island in the middle, perfect for childhood adventures.

Without conscious effort, her mind transformed the reality of the property’s present state into long-forgotten images. Visions of bright yellow and white flowers appeared, blossoming all around the wrap-around porch. There had been roses once, too, but after she’d gotten tangled in them, they had all been ripped out and replaced with less thorny selections. Baskets had hung from the roof of the porch, spilling blooms downward like soft-petaled waterfalls. Dark reddish-brown shutters, painted to match the hues of the natural stone, framed windows opened wide to capture the summer breeze. The picture of a gallon of sun tea on the wide, southerly facing kitchen sill and a basketful of ripe peaches from the little orchard on the right was too clear, too detailed to be just a dream.

“You probably don’t remember,” Jack said, watching her reaction carefully, “but this was your Grandmother’s place – your dad’s mama. It was where you and your mom used to stay when your father and I got called out.”

Jack took the keys from her trembling hands and opened the door for her. Memories flooded back in earnest.

“I remember!” she murmured, retracing the steps she had taken years and years ago. Off to the left was a huge sitting room, where her Grandma would rock back and forth while she played on the floor. To the right was a kitchen – a massive room that had once held a wooden table the size of a car and a fireplace so big she could walk into it. Farther back were the bedrooms - she remembered the three of them used to fit quite nicely on the enormous poster bed in the largest one - and a bathroom with a big claw-foot tub that she’d needed a wooden box to reach. By today’s standards, the house was small and ancient. But to Lexi, it was about the most perfect thing she had ever seen.

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