Restorations (Book One Oregon In Love) Read Free Page B

didn’t
know what he’d have on hand.”
    “Thanks, Hattie,” Sara said, glad she was no
longer alone with her disturbing thoughts.
    Smiling in her comforting way, her aunt went
into the bedroom. Sara followed, feeling ill at ease about
strolling around in Brian’s living quarters. “I gave him some
Tylenol to bring down the fever.”
    “Good, good. Sounds like you have everything
under control then.”
    She smiled wryly. “That’s an understatement,
and you know it.”
    Hattie took her hand and gave it a squeeze.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about him sooner. I really was trying
to figure out the best way.”
    Sara shrugged, her gaze
darting toward the bed. “But why is he here? Why in Grandpa’s
cottage in this town?”
    Hattie tucked a strand of hair back into
place. “About all I know is that Eli ran into Brian, who showed up
here looking for work. Brian is a construction contractor, you may
remember. Anyway, Eli had several projects around the house and so
he hired him. Apparently, Mr. Farris had no place to stay so Eli
rented out the cottage to him as well.” She smiled. “He and your
grandfather became very good friends, you know.”
    And you did,
too . Sara passed her hand wearily in front
of her eyes, ignoring the feeling of betrayal rippling through her
at the thought. “Well, he’s here and now I’m here. My goal is to
get him better so he can get out as soon as possible. Whatever he
had planned with my grandfather is nothing to me. And if Brian
causes any fuss, I’ll have him legally evicted.”
    Hattie clucked her tongue. “Just listen to
yourself. You’re still shocked. You don’t know what you’re saying.”
She gently pushed Sara down into the chair next to the bed. “Get as
much rest as you can, and call me if you need anything.”
    Sara offered a wan smile. “Thanks, Aunt
Hattie.”
    After bussing her on the cheek, Hattie went
out the door. When Sara heard her drive away, she looked at her
patient with all the reluctance of coming face to face with a
lethal snake.
    After a moment, she decided she might as
well get comfortable. Seeing several blankets shoved down at the
end of the bed, Sara gently pulled one off and draped it loosely
over herself. Settling onto a hard wooden chair, she noticed the
subtle hint of Brian’s cologne on the fabric. It was the same he
wore when...
    Quickly averting her mind from the following
thought, Sara squirmed in the chair. She closed her eyes, then
realized she wasn’t sleepy. She checked her watch. Barely eight.
Too early for sleep. Sara clambered out of the chair, fighting a
sensation of claustrophobia.
    She prowled around the room for something to
get her mind off the current situation and, for the first time,
really perceived her surroundings.
    The cottage appeared fairly
tidy for a bachelor. At least she assumed Brian was unmarried. He
wore no ring and so far no concerned female materialized except
herself. Not concerned, just
dutiful .
    Outside the bedroom door was the combined
kitchen-living area. The bathroom made up the third room of the
cottage. On the table in the kitchen she saw a laptop next to a
stack of paperwork.
    Sara resisted the urge to start snooping.
The less she became involved in this unlucky situation, the better.
In the bedroom, however, she took in every detail. A bookshelf
across the room housed a small TV, piled high with building
magazines. A loaded tool belt hung from the back of another chair.
As her gaze came full circle around the room, she saw a small
picture frame on the nightstand near the bed next to the chair.
Sara picked up the frame.
    The photo showed Brian with a beautiful
young woman by his side. He appeared to be much younger and stood
next to an upright surfboard. He had his arm slung around the
girl’s shoulders. The girl had waist long blonde hair and wore a
halter top with shorts. For some reason she seemed vaguely
familiar.
    Probably one of his many
girlfriends, Sara thought, biting her lip. Just