AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Perhaps one of the local college students grabbed the empty parking spot due to being late to class, sprinting down the street to the campus.
Before climbing out of his truck, Wade did a quick check of his appearance. He wanted to make a good impression so Mrs. Sutton would make an official offer to him of handling the sale of her home.
He took a moment to stand on the sidewalk and gaze at the majestic mansion. It was certainly a beauty.
Grand pillars and wrap-around porches set off a rose garden along with fountain and lawn chairs on the side of the house.
“Magnificent,” he said under his breath, then strode to the front door, jumping the brick steps and crossing the porch to knock on the mahogany door.
Within seconds, the heavy door swung wide.
Marina stood before him, one hand still gripping the inside doorknob. Her eyes widened in shock. “W-Wade?” she stammered.
“It’s you,” he said softly. “Who would have thought. . . but after yesterday, I probably should have predicted it.”
She laughed softly, shaking her head in disbelief.
An elderly lady came forward. “You two know each other?” she asked, glancing between them. “Andwhoareyou?”she asked Wade, blinking her eyes.
Wade stepped forward. “I’m Wade Kennedy, ma’am. We have an appointment to meet to discuss your estate.”
“Yes, of course,” Mrs. Sutton said with a smile as she glanced between him and Marina. “How do you do?” she asked, extending a hand which Wade reached out to shake. “Dorothy Sutton.”
“Pleased to meet you, ma’am, thank you. I trust you are well this beautiful spring morning.”
“Perfectly. Please come in.”
Mrs. Sutton stepped back while Marina opened the door wider, and Wade stepped inside.
The elderly lady continued, “You didn’t answer my question . . . Mr. Kennedy? Marina?”
“Yes, we know each other,” Marina said, a small smile on her lips. “From a very long time ago.”
“What happened yesterday?” Mrs. Sutton asked next, obviously referring to their brief conversation when Marina opened the front door.
Wade realized that the owner of this home had all her faculties perfectly intact. “We ran into each other yesterday. At Marina’s antique shop and then at a restaurant last night.”
Mrs. Sutton’s eyes glittered with intrigue. “How unusual. And you met up for the first time in a long while, then?”
Marina nodded. “A very long time. Since college. In Alabama.”
The older woman smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “How perfectly wonderful. No need for introductions, and we can all work together splendidly. Let’s begin, shall we?”
Mrs. Sutton spread her arm, indicating the open library doors off the foyer where the original house plans lay on the desk. She sat in a wingback chair while Wade and Marina huddled around the desk, gazing down at the layout of the three-story home, as well as the original architectural plans that included the plumbing and heating layout, and the location of the six fireplaces.
Wade gave a low whistle. “This is stunning. I love seeing all the behind-the-scenes details that went into building such a beautiful home. Including the faded notes written in handwriting from a hundred and fifty years ago.”
“It can be hard to read, even with my glasses,” Mrs. Sutton said with a wobbly laugh. “But I like your enthusiasm, Mr. Kennedy.”
“Please call me Wade, ma’am.”
“Done,” she agreed immediately. “But I’ve been Mrs. Sutton for so long, I’m not sure I’d answer to my given name.” She gave a small chuckle, then went on, “I’ve commissioned Marina to take care of all the antiques, including the appraisals and potential buyers. There isso very muchto get rid of—or shall I say dispose of. There are one-of-a-kind pieces and a few things I will give to my grandchildren and great-grandchildren. I’ll mark those the next time you come, if you will help me, Miss Marina.”
Wade glanced up from studying the old house plans. “Did both of you already know each other, or am I being presumptuous?”
“Your instincts are partially correct. I knew Marina’s grandmother. The famous Ruby Rose of the antique store. Wewere classmates, and secretly became friends back in the time when people from different societal status did not mix much.”
“That’s fascinating,” Wade said. “Even big cities can feel like a small town at times.”
