She went back to the house and attempted to start a fire from the wood stacked on the front porch. When it finally took, she went into the kitchen to call Aidan O’Malley. His answering machine picked up, so she left a message and the phone number at the house. If she didn’t hear back from him in the next day or two, she would ask around about other contractors.

Clare also called the girls and her mother to let them know she’d arrived in Stowe. Tony had warned her that cell service could be spotty in the mountains, and she wanted the girls to have the number at the house.

Finished with her calls, she pulled a down comforter around her and settled into the sofa with a book she’d found on the living room shelf. But instead of opening the book, Clare stared into the fire, trying to identify an odd feeling that had been with her all day. After several long moments spent thinking about it, she decided what she felt more than anything else was relief.

Chapter 12

Clare was bringing in groceries the next morning when the house phone rang.

“This is Aidan O’Malley. You called?”

“Yes, Diana Cummings at McHugh’s recommended you. I need to have some work done on my house.”

“Inside or out?”

“In.” Clare followed his lead by cutting to the chase. “Kitchen, bathrooms, floors, painting.”

“I can come by around three today to take a look. Does that work?”

“Three would be fine. It’s 22 Maple Street.”

“I know that house. An out-of-towner bought it last year. Is that you?”

“I’m from out of town, but I don’t own the house. My brother does. I’m helping him with the work.”

“All right, then. I’ll see you at three.”

He was gone before she could say okay or good-bye. Well, hopefully his renovation skills are better than his phone skills, Clare thought as she unloaded cereal and pasta from a bag on the kitchen counter.

When everything was put away, she donned her heavy parka to walk into town to take a closer look at the stores on Main Street. She wandered through several antique shops, making mental notes of items that would be perfect for Tony’s house when the work was finished. He had given her carte blanche on the restoration and the furnishing, and Clare looked forward to spending his money.

From outside the Book Nook, Clare watched an older woman tape a “Help Wanted” sign in the window. The woman smiled at Clare and waved her inside.

“Come in, come in,” she said when Clare opened the door. “You looked frozen standing out there.”

A fire burned in a corner woodstove in the cozy shop, which seemed to be designed more for reading books than selling them. Sofas and well-worn chairs were arranged around the woodstove. Bookshelves were so unobtrusive they seemed to be almost an afterthought.