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Builders were in short supply. As Noah had kindly pointed out, COVID had seen the building industry collapse at first, and now, anyone who could hold a hammer was in high demand. Ava didn’t have many options.
‘Best to get some plans drawn up, not only of the work inside but also of the property to delineate where important pipes are laid and sewerage etcetera. I can recommend someone.’ He pulled out a card.
‘And you’re available to commence work immediately?’
He stood too close and she smelled his unpleasant blokey scent. ‘For you, I am.’ His tongue swiped across dry lips.
Urgh! Damn it. She might have no choice but to hire this guy, but not today. ‘Okay, thanks. If you can please send through your quote, I’ll get in touch after I have some plans prepared.’
Ava followed him down the long drive to the gate and latched it before the dust had settled behind him. First priority: get a working lock for the gate. Access was too easy with the old clunker currently keeping people at bay. Next stop, the hardware store.
Striding indoors to drink a cool glass of water and wash away the sins of the visitor, Ava paused mid-step as the television blared with a breaking news story.
For months rumours have been circulating about the disappearance of the wife of the most rich and powerful man in the Arab community. The millionaire’s spouse of ten years has not been seen in public at community events or engagements. It seems the mystery can now be solved, of her whereabouts at least. She has resurfaced in London and has filed for divorce in the Old Bailey commencing proceedings for property settlement and parental custody. Court documents reveal she is seeking safety and refuge alleging a life of harassment and distress including threats to her life, and those of her loved ones, mistreatment, abuse and being retained against her liberty in an environment she describes as hostile.
Ava’s hands shook so much it took three attempts to flick off the television.
Rushing to the back door, she searched outside for Ish. He’d ventured into the yard to give the dog some mild exercise. Gripping the door handle and standing on tiptoes, she spotted him near the old, rusted windmill. Racing, her feet barely touched the ground, she reached him, crushed him in an embrace and lifted him off the grass. The dog wagged its tail at her sudden appearance.
‘Let’s get back to the house now, the bugs are out and the dog needs its dinner. Plus, we need to name her, don’t we?’ Only hours before she’d refused to name the dog in case it already had one.
Ish arched his eyebrows in question. Yes, Ava knew she was acting manic. Moreover, there was still hours of sunlight left and usually Ish played outside under her supervision until the last rays of light had disappeared.
‘And we’ll have a milkshake.’ Now he definitely knew something was up. A milk drink before dinner? Never happened. Her son’s mouth fell open as he reached for her hand and gestured to the dog to follow. In the weeks since they’d run, Ish had become adept at not only reading her moods, but at obeying. And at times like this, she was grateful. They strode toward the house. Once he was nestled inside with a cold Milo, Ava closed the windows, drew the curtains tight and bolted the doors. They weren’t going out again today.
Noah pushed aside the other items on the shelf and searched for what he needed. Bugger. He knew that particular type of screw was outside the realm of renovation hobbyist, but he was sure he’d seen them stocked at Hardware Heaven before.
Karma was a bitch, right? This was the only tool shop in town. He’d been instrumental in preventing the expansion of a national hardware store into Bellethorpe only a few short years ago. It would have killed a business like this one; Trevor Fletcher, owner and operator, would have been forced into early retirement, well, perhaps not that early, already in his seventies, he’d been around these parts for as long as Noah retained memories of Bellethorpe. But that wasn’t the point; the point was that Trevor would be forced into a position against his will as a result of a big conglomerate coming to town.
Noah glanced around at the other shelves and noticed the empty gaps where products should be stocked. A little niggle at the back of his mind suggested he wasn’t always right, and that made him uncomfortable. Studying the packets of screws on offer, he sized them up. Could he make them work? Nah. Whatever was right or wrong, either way, he now had a two-hour round trip to a larger hardware store to purchase a bag of screws he needed to finish a job.
Light conversation drifted down the aisle.
The new owner of his property walked down the aisle pushing a shopping trolley as if she was purchasing her groceries. The cute little boy walked beside her with his hand secured to the side of the cart. Except, it was no longer his property, was it? The idea was hard to get used too after years of dreaming.
Noah didn’t usually run from situations but he didn’t want to be rude and ignore her, so better to avoid a confrontation. It might be childish but he wasn’t yet ready to forgive her. There’d be time for that when she hung around and contributed to their little township, until then she needed to earn her stripes.
Glancing over his shoulder, he saw the coast was clear. One more glance back, but no, it was too late. She was upon him and offered a tight smile.
‘Noah,’ she nodded and kept moving. Okay, he could offer polite pleasantries too and he smiled saccharinely in reply.
‘Oh, and Noah,’ she said just as he’d taken his first step towards the exit. He swivelled on the spot, turning back to face her. The boy looked up at him with soulful dark eyes that made him look older than his years. His eyes were matched with a head of dark, thick hair grown a little too long; it covered his forehead and flopped into his eyes. His skin was dark olive. Noah did a double take between the pair but couldn’t identify any resemblance. Unlike his mother though, the boy’s lips curled into a full smile revealing milky white teeth.
Where was his father? It was a fleeting thought lost as he turned his attention to Ava. Such a pretty name for an attractive woman. He couldn’t deny she was striking even though he wanted to, very much. Didn’t want to think about her at all, actually. Today she wore more casual jeans and a pale-coloured long-sleeved top as if she’d planned a day in the yard. Yet, she wore ornamental boots that wouldn’t withstand hard yakka in the paddock. Her nails were long and red but he noticed the nail on the left pinkie had snapped away and was jagged with a rough edge. And now that they were parallel, an intoxicating musky scent that reminded him of the exotic spice stall at the markets drifted across to him. He loved that aroma.
‘I’m sorry you’re not able to help me but I’ve located another builder who can, though. He sent through his quote this morning and can start straight away.’
‘Who? There aren’t any other builders in town.’
‘He’s not from Bellethorpe, from Amiens, I think he said.’
Noah shook his head. ‘I know who you mean. You can’t use him. He’s notorious for overcharging and under delivering.’
‘What? Well, what am I supposed to do? I need renovation help and you’re not available. The one person I’ve found is not good enough.’ Her eyes searched his. ‘Look, I’m really sorry you thought the house was yours and you were planning to purchase it. I’m sorry I’m responsible for crushing your dreams. But however unfortunate you find this situation, the house now belongs to me. And it’s not very nice to sabotage my attempts to restore it.’
Her manner was cool and aloof, and oh so irritating. He really was trying but it wasn’t easy to recover from stolen dreams. His toes curled in his work boots.
‘Yeah, I’m sorry about our misunderstanding, too. Mac knew I was saving to buy the place. It was a long-term, standing arrangement. Well, so, I thought. Until it wasn’t. Until you bought it …’ He screwed his hands into tight balls.
