Sophie opened her mouth and then closed it. She looked me right in the eye and said, “Listen, I think it’s best if you just steer clear of the main house. Nick Daire is fine, seriously, but you don’t need to meet him, befriend him, or know him in any way other than to send him your rent check on the first of every month, okay?”

“Do you even know me?” I asked. I pointed to myself. “Extrovert. I like people. I like to be friendly.”

“Yes, I know,” she said. “And since I do know you better than most people do, for once, listen to me. Steer clear of your landlord and all will be well.”

Clearly, she did not know me as well as she thought she did if that was her idea of keeping me away from my mysterious landlord. Now I was irrationally curious to meet him.

She turned on her heel and led the way into the small house. I was about to continue my interrogation, but I caught sight of the interior and completely forgot about my new landlord, the fact that I was exhausted, or that I needed to call home and check in.

The place was perfection. The glass front doors opened up into a large living room that had two squared-off couches in a pale blue-gray with black and white accent pillows, and a large-screen television was over the glass-enclosed gas fireplace. I could absolutely picture myself under a chenille throw with the fire blazing, a glass of wine in one hand, and a book in the other.

A door on the right led to a compact kitchen with granite counters, stainless steel appliances, and a matching sink deep enough to bathe a golden retriever. I wasn’t much of a cook, but this setup would certainly do.

The far wall was made up of floor-to-ceiling windows, which bracketed a set of French doors that led out to a divine patio. The wall of windows let in the natural light, which came from the north, making it perfect for painting. I took it as another sign that it might be time to revisit the fine arts. I crossed the room and gasped as I took in the stunning backyard full of lemon and lime trees, which circled an in-ground azure pool and hot tub. Both of which looked so inviting, I almost grabbed my swimsuit and forgot all about unpacking.