Chapter 13
THIRTEEN
Willow let Maddy in through the front door of the charming little house her grandmother had left her. It smelled clean, was fresh and bright inside. Overall, it was much better than Maddy had hoped.
“It’s bigger than I thought it would be.”
“Yeah, it looks smaller from the outside,” Willow said, slipping her shoes off on the mat inside the front door.
She dropped the end of Rufus’s leash, and he immediately trotted off down the hall.
“Just ignore him. He’s going straight for the patio doors off the kitchen.
Come on through. I’ll show you the rest of the place. ”
There were two decent-sized bedrooms, one slightly bigger than the other with an ensuite.
The guest bath was off the hallway, plus the living room and kitchen.
Sure enough, Rufus was parked next to the sliding glass doors, staring out into the backyard.
He looked back at Willow expectantly, chocolate-brown ears perked.
She sighed. “If I let him out there he’s going to bolt to the back fence and probably bark his head off like a lunatic at every squirrel in the woods. This was his territory before we moved in with Tripp, so he still feels protective of it.”
“I don’t mind.”
“All right, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Willow shooed him aside enough to squeeze in beside him and unlock the latch on the door handle. “Can you at least try to be calm?” she asked him.
Rufus stood there, tail wagging, gaze fixed on the realm that lay just on the other side of the glass.
“Okay.” Willow slid the heavy door open.
As soon as there was enough room for him to squeeze through, Rufus shot through the opening and tore across the deck before racing headlong down the length of the grass to the back fence.
He jumped up and planted his front paws on the wood panels, zeroed in on something Maddy couldn’t see in the trees, and started barking.
“Yep, there he goes,” Willow said with a sigh, stepping out onto the deck. “Rufus! Quiet.”
The dog paid no attention to her at all, barking hysterically for another five seconds before his target suddenly moved. He chased it along the fence line, stare locked on his prey.
“Anyway, so this is the back deck,” Willow added in a dry tone as she gestured around.
“It’s beautiful and private here.”
Willow flashed her a smile. “And normally quiet and peaceful, too. This was my favorite spot while I lived here. I painted out back because the light is so good.”
Maddy noticed the Adirondack chairs placed facing the yard. “Did you do these?” One had an orca in the design, and the other a humpback. They were both magical, whimsical night-time scenes that looked like they’d come right out of a storybook. Just beautiful.
“Yes, but Mae and Bronwyn helped too.”
“Did someone say my name?”
They turned to find Mae coming through the kitchen. Her jeans had mud on the knees and her heavy fleece pullover was streaked with it.
“I was just showing Maddy the place.” Willow hugged her. “You’re so nosy, but I love you anyway.”
“I know.” Mae grinned and nodded at Maddy. “You thinking of renting the place?”
“Yes. Already decided to.”
Willow blinked. “Really? That’s great. I don’t like leaving it sitting empty, and I’d be thrilled to have you move in.”
“Hi, Rufus,” Mae called.
Rufus ignored her, too, now at the side of the fence to their left, nose stuck through a hole in the fence while he stared through two others cut above it for his eyes. His tail wagged so fast it was a blur.
Maddy laughed. That was so cute. “Spy holes?”
“I know, but he was trashing the grass and was frustrated at not being able to see what’s on the other side, so I had Tripp cut them in a few spots so he could keep watch without destroying the fence.”
“It’s adorable.” She pulled out her phone to record some video of it. She sent it to Blaine, Xanthe…and Lachlan too. Easily pictured the smile on his face when he saw it.
Her heart flip-flopped. She couldn’t wait to see how he responded.
“I was telling her how you and Bronwyn helped me paint the chairs,” Willow said to Mae.
“I just slapped a base coat of paint on them and then supervised you two. By the way, where is Bronwyn?”
“She went up to the winery for a tour so she can pick out a bottle or two for our paint night. Are you coming?”
“Oh. I checked my calendar, and it turns out I’m already booked.”
Willow looked surprised. “More house guests?”
“Yes.”
“Well, if you change your mind, you know you’re always welcome.”
Maddy went back to studying the chairs as Rufus started barking again. They were incredible works of art. “When you said you painted, I didn’t realize you could do this. Now I’m intimidated.”
“Don’t be! You’ll be fantastic, I know it. And anyway, it’s just for fun.”
“I could use a little more of that.”
“Couldn’t we all,” Mae murmured, patting her back. “All right, Rufus, that’s enough neighborhood watch. Rufus!”
Rufus hear Old Lady call him but ignored her. Rufus busy looking through his peeper holes.
Rufus go stiff when he saw someone go behind her house. Strange Man, too far away for Rufus’s peepers. Dis bad.
Old Lady and Nice Lady didn’t see. Too busy talking to Small Lady. So he borked.
And borked and borked. Had to make them listen.
“Rufus, that’s enough,” Nice Lady called in the voice that said Rufus being bad.
Rufus borked harder. Hey, Old Lady! Strange Man at your house! Look!
“Quiet, Rufus!” Old Lady said.
He borked twice more. Stuck his sniffer back out the snoot hole and looked with his peepers through the peeper holes at Old Lady’s house. Rufus not see anyone now, but he knew Strange Man still there.
“Rufus, come here,” Old Lady called. “I brought you a treat.”
Rufus whipped around and put his soundflaps up. Treat? Rufus loves treats!
Treats better than looking for Strange Man through his peeper holes.