Fan The Flames (Man Of The Month Book 3) Read Free

castle?”
    “No,” Scarlett replied, although it felt like it. “It’s just a historic house. That means it’s old.”
    Colleen reached up and touched the lower stainless steel wall oven. “Everything’s shiny. It doesn’t look old.”
    Scarlett had to agree. Back in San Diego, the house she’d finally sold had aging vinyl floors, slightly yellowing white appliances and linoleum countertops that had seen far better days. Here the kitchen boasted speckled gray-and-white granite counters. Shiny eighteen-inch darker gray travertine tile covered the floor. A ten-by-six-foot granite countertop topped a huge kitchen island. There were two stainless steel wall ovens. A deep three-part sink with one of those tall, hose faucets. A six-burner Viking gas stove. “No, I guess this kitchen doesn’t look old at all.”
    “So maybe it’s a castle.”
    “Why not?” Scarlett agreed, trying to hide the fact she was overwhelmed. Brad had told her she could live rent free as long as she wanted, but she’d never planned on living off his generosity for more than six months at the most. There was no way she could ever afford this. However, since Colleen loved Disney princesses, she’d play along. “Brad told me there’s a third floor and lots of stairs.”
    “So it’s our castle?”
    Scarlett hesitated, but answered honestly. “Yes.” No need to tell Colleen they’d eventually have to move.
    Colleen danced her way through the kitchen. “I always wanted to live in a castle. Can we get a kitten? I want a kitten to live with us in our castle.”
    “I don’t know about the kitten just yet,” Scarlett hedged, “but we can go explore our new home.”
    “Okay. But don’t forget to ask Brad about the kitten.”
    They left the kitchen, entered an empty dining room with a beautiful chandelier. Underneath, on gleaming hardwood floors, sat her pathetic excuse for a kitchen table—as if a street ruffian had been let into a ball. She felt as out of place as her table looked. The sliding glass doors to the living room were open, making the two rooms almost seamless. “Look, Mommy! A fireplace!”
    “I see.” Scarlett walked through the doorway. Touched the ornate wooden mantel that surrounded the custom, inlaid tile that wrapped around the fireplace.
    “I wonder if it works?”
    “We’ll have to ask Brad.” She added that to her mental list. During one of their conversations, he’d mentioned he was rehabbing a house and needed someone to stay in it for a while. She hadn’t been expecting this—Google hadn’t done a street view here.
    Colleen started twirling—the only thing in the room a floor lamp. “It’s like our own dance studio. Look at me go!”
    As Colleen made herself dizzy, Scarlett wondered where the rest of her stuff was.
    Colleen regained equilibrium, the large, happy smile on her face one Scarlett hadn’t seen in a while. Her daughter tugged on Scarlett’s arm, already done with the first floor and ready for her next adventure. Except for the small foyer, there were really only three big rooms on this floor, all with twelve-foot ceilings and a multitude of high, thin windows. The side windows looked directly at the brick wall of the neighbor’s house, which was no more than ten feet away. “I want to see my bed.”
    “This way,” Scarlett said, heading to the front staircase. This, too, was wood, all re-polished and re-stained. About seven stairs up, there was a small landing with a beautiful rose stained-glass window inset into the outside wall. They made the turn, climbed the rest of the stairs. At the top of the stairs a small hallway opened into a wide, center sitting room. Here they found their living room furniture and television. Toward the back of the house they discovered the rear staircase—which went down to the kitchen and up to the third floor—and a hall bathroom, a hall closet, and a bedroom, this one filled with the boxes containing their old life. Off the sitting room, toward the