Chapter 10
To Riva’s relief, Kitty Brinson wasn’t as chatty as Laurel had described.
As they had coffee in the library, Riva decided she liked the woman.
She was a little quirky perhaps, and her platinum hair, hot pink lips, and short skirt were outside of Riva’s personal comfort zone, but the woman seemed sincere.
“I want to be totally forthcoming,” Kitty said finally.
“I’ve had bad luck with men. So much so that I’ve sworn them off.
But I have one hanger-onner. My ex seems to think he’s going to get me back.
I gave up my apartment because he kept showing up there.
I sort of felt he was stalking me, so I started staying in my salon.
I park my car at a friend’s house, and she drops me at work.
It seems kind of silly, but I feel safe there.
” She sighed. “And my finances are a bit of a mess, but rest assured I can afford what you quoted for that room.”
Riva felt a tinge of concern. “Is your ex, uh, dangerous?”
“Oh, I don’t think he’s dangerous. Just obnoxious.
And I’ll have my friend drive me up here as well so my car won’t be visible, just in case.
In fact, your house isn’t far from my salon.
I could walk back and forth in good weather.
” Kitty’s eyes got misty. “I have been feeling like I’m such a mess.
I’m actually a pretty good businesswoman and have a good reputation as a hairdresser.
It’s just that I’m a terrible judge of character with men. ”
“You remind me of my roommate Shayla during my first semester in college,” Riva told her.
“Like you, she was blond and pretty. Men were always attracted to her, but they always turned out to be the wrong guys. And she never could quite figure it out. One night, she was in tears, and I suppose I was fed up, so I told her she was a jerk magnet.”
“A jerk magnet?” Kitty looked amused.
Riva shrugged. “It was probably not a nice thing to say, but it felt true at the time. Shayla’s appearance was kind of like Farrah Fawcett, who was a big deal at the time, and men seemed drawn to her like moths to a flame.
But they tended to be superficial and only interested in a good time and some arm candy. ”
“I get that.” Kitty rolled her eyes. “So what happened to Shayla?”
“She dropped out of college and married a jerk.” Riva grimaced. “Well, he was a jerk at the time, and the marriage didn’t last a year. But maybe the guy grew up. I’m hoping Shayla figured it all out. I lost track of her.” Riva stood to get a book from a shelf. “Have you ever read Jane Austen?”
“I’ve never been much of a reader,” Kitty confessed.
“Well, this Jane Austen book—Pride and Prejudice—has a character that reminds me of you. She’s a secondary character, a younger sister of the protagonist of the story, but she’s sort of a nineteenth-century jerk magnet.
” Riva studied Kitty. “I’ll tell you what, if you promise to read this and then talk to me about it, I will rent you a room. ”
“Really?” Kitty’s turquoise eyes got big.
“Absolutely.” Riva smiled, handing her the book. “Maybe the book can help you improve your discernment about men.”
“I’d like that. Good grief, you’d think I’d have figured it out by now, but I keep falling back into it.” Kitty ran her hand over the cover. “Thank you.”
Riva handed her a copy of the rental agreement she’d printed from online. “I’m having my tenants sign this rental contract,” she explained. “My husband was an attorney, and I think he’d want me to do it like this, but I’m using the simplest one I could find.”
“I don’t mind a bit.” Kitty slipped the papers into the Austen book and slid it into her Gucci bag. “Thank you for giving me a chance, Riva. I wasn’t sure what a landlord would say if I confessed my bad luck with men.”
Riva hoped she wasn’t making a mistake, but for some reason she wanted to help Kitty.
“The last page on the rental agreement includes the house rules I put together. You need to sign it too. It does stipulate no overnight guests. I hope that gives you some boundaries for any overly pushy male friends.”
“Hopefully I’ll be pushing the overly pushy ones away.” She pulled out a checkbook. “Is it okay if I pay you with a check?”
“Absolutely.”
“I’m kind of old-fashioned that way. Helps me to keep better track of my finances.” She wrote out a check and handed it to Riva.
“Thank you.” As Riva gave Kitty a house key, she heard the doorbell. “That’s probably my next tenant interview. Did you decide which room you prefer?” She stood, pocketing the check.
Kitty shrugged. “They looked so similar, it doesn’t really matter to me. I’m very minimalist, so I won’t be moving too much in here. Well, except for clothes. I’m a bit of a clothes horse, but the closets are on the small side, so it’s good motivation to do some sifting and sorting on my wardrobe.”
“If you need to store anything, my basement has some room. But I’ll warn you it’s a little creepy down there, and there are steep stairs.
” Riva led her to the front door. “I’ll introduce you to Fiona.
Her family owns O’Malley’s downtown. She may be occupying the bedroom next to yours and sharing the bathroom. ”
Riva opened the door and introduced the women. “Kitty owns Mirabella Salon,” she told Fiona, then turned to Kitty. “Fiona is a musician from Ireland.”
“We’re a Celtic folk band,” Fiona explained. “I play fiddle and mandolin, so I hope you won’t mind if I practice sometimes. It won’t be late at night.”
“I love folk music,” Kitty told her. “I won’t mind at all.”
“That is, if Riva decides to take me in.” Fiona looked hopefully at Riva. “I brought references with me.”
“Well, come on in and let’s talk.” Riva told Kitty goodbye and led Fiona inside for a quick tour of the house.
“It’s a perfectly glorious home,” Fiona said as they came back down the stairs.
“Let’s sit in the library,” Riva suggested. “Can I get you a coffee?”
“No thank you. I already consumed far too much caffeine this morning. I think I was nervous.”
“I hope you’re not nervous now that you’re here.”
Fiona frowned as she handed Riva her references.
“I’m still a wee bit jumpy. Might be the caffeine .
. . or because I’m so eager for you to like me so I can get out of my brother’s flat.
” Her smile looked stiff. “And it would be wonderful to stay in your lovely home.” She looked around the library. “Oh, my! You do have a lot of books.”
“Do you like to read?”
“I must admit I’m not too well-read.”
“Maybe we can change that.”
“I used to read mystery books when I was young.”
“I have plenty of those on the shelves.” A moment later, Riva looked up from Fiona’s references.
“Well, this all seems in order. Can you tell me a little more about yourself? I’m curious as to why you left your homeland.
I realize you wanted to be near your brother.
But leaving Ireland, well, that seems like a big step. ”
“Ah, there were a multitude of reasons.” Fiona pursed her lips.
“For starters, when my sweet husband passed nearly ten years ago now, bless his soul, I was bitter lonely. To be honest, Jamie was a bit of a yoke, but he was truly good at heart—and a fine musician. He died suddenly. Made total hames of my life.”
“Hames?”
“Ah, yes, it means he left me in a bit of a mess. Lots of pieces to pick up.”
“I know how that goes.” Riva thought of the medical bills she was still paying. “And I’m sorry for the loss of your husband.”
Fiona nodded. “Earlier in the same year Jamie died, my big brother Ryan relocated to Boston. So I missed him too. And my daughter Claire was restless and bored with Northern Ireland and eager to see the world. She joined Ryan and Mae in Boston to help with their first restaurant there. Claire’s thirty-two now, married, and lives in Louisiana.
She and her husband Vance own a coffee house in New Orleans now.
I considered moving down there, but I don’t like the climate—or the snakes and alligators Claire tells me about.
Oregon feels a wee bit like Ireland to me.
And, of course, Ryan and Mae were already here.
So when Ryan told me they needed a new fiddler, I decided to take the big leap and here I am now.
I’ve been sleeping on their lumpy sofa bed these last three months. ”
“That’s quite a story.” Riva tried to imagine what it would feel like to make a huge life change at this stage of life.
Fiona’s references let her know the woman was almost the same age as Riva.
For Fiona to reinvent herself in a different country was admirable and brave.
Just taking in tenants was more than enough of a challenge for Riva.
“Well, if you still want to live here, you’re most welcome, Fiona. ”
“Thank you so much! Ryan and Mae will be thrilled to hear that.”
“I’m curious though. Perhaps you don’t know, but have you left Ireland for good? Will you remain in the US permanently?”
“That’s a good question, but you’re right that I don’t know what the future holds. I have a visitor’s visa for the time being. I’ll see how it all goes and decide when that’s up.”
“I suppose I’m extra curious since I’ve always wanted to see Ireland. It seems like such an enchanting country. I had hoped to go with my late husband.”
“Truly?” Fiona looked surprised. “’Tis a lovely place for certain, but your Oregon is so similar.
Ryan has been good to take me sightseeing.
I’ve been to see your gorgeous beaches and amazing forests and stunning mountains and such.
It’s a beautiful country, indeed. The farmlands and vineyards around here are so lush and green.
It reminds me of my homeland. So for now, I don’t feel terribly homesick.
And I must say, the people here have been just grand. ”
Riva handed her the rental contract, explaining her desire to keep everything above board and legal.