Chapter Text
She had never done anything so reckless as this, buying a house, sight unseen. Oh, she had seen a few photographs of the outside, but that was it. She had decided she wanted a fresh start, fresh town, new job, new everything. Marianne wanted to take a risk, something she had never done in her whole life except with her heart and while that had not gone as planned, this was something she felt she could control.
So she had put all her money in an old Victorian that needed a lot of work with the idea that she was going to open her own bed and breakfast, make tons of money, get a sexy professional model boyfriend and rub it all in Roland's face. Cheat on her, would he? Well, she was going to bounce back so hard it would break his nose! Okay, well, she had the house at least. Step one, crazy purchase toward her new future complete. But as she stood there in front of the house, looking at her new home, the thought that she might have just stepped in some deep, deep shit floated across her thoughts as her eyes traveled up the front of the house.
The house was not only a monstrosity in size, it was clearly more than simply a “slap some fresh paint on” fixer-upper. At the moment it looked like a place the Addams Family would have happily called home.
The porch was falling apart, it bowed in the middle, the paint almost completely gone from the wood leaving it a sad dark grey. The roof had a hole in it she could see from here on the porch, the shingles further up looked to have moss growing across them. And the yard was a brown patch of weeds. Just standing on the curb next to her car she could see that the pictures had been taken with a certain angle to hide some of the worst damage or the house had fallen into more disrepair since she bought it. She fumbled to get the keys out of the front pocket of her jeans. She was nervous, not just about the condition of the house, but all of this, her new big adventure. Roland had said to her one time that he would be her adventure, but that had been before he broke her heart. She had sworn off love unless he was a guy that would make Roland look like a bug under a rock and then she could rub it up his nose that she could do better than him. She made a face at her mental ramblings. No men, not even imaginary men.
Taking a deep breath, keys wrapped around her fingers, she reached into the car to haul out the toolbox and bucket of cleaning supplies. Her bags were piled in the back of the car. She could get those later; right now, new house.
Maybe the inside wasn't so bad?
She walked up the short walk, which was made of inlaid bricks that were cracked, some missing. As she approached the house she could see the stairs to the porch looked a little warped. Marianne pursed her lips, adjusting her hold on her bucket of cleaning supplies in one hand, her toolbox in the other. She stepped forward with one foot, feeling out the stairs before she took a step. They creaked and groaned as she made her way onto the front porch. The vibration from the old wood moaning beneath her feet ran up through the muscles of her legs. She hurried up the last couple at a jog, scared they might give out under her weight. When she got to the porch she, turned to look at the stairs with a glare.
“Okay.”
Marianne muttered to herself putting her bucket and toolbox down, the key in her fingers. She approached the door like it might become animated and bite her, the key held out in front of her.
She slipped the key into the door lock. It clinked easily, no explosions. For a moment she snickered at herself thinking about Aunt Josephine from A Series of Unfortunate Events and her fear of doorknobs. Marianne pushed the door open. As she walked in, there was a haze of dust dancing through the air. She reached over, feeling around for a light-switch, flipping it back and forth several times when her fingers found it, but nothing happened. Snarling under her breath, she pulled out her cellphone, dialing quickly. She reached over for her bucket and toolbox, kicking the door open the rest of the way with her foot, the cellphone balanced between ear and shoulder, carrying everything inside before she kicked the door closed with the back of her foot. The bang reverberated through the empty house.
“Yeah, I need help. The power to my house was supposed to be on when I got here. Oh, it is? Well the switch didn't work...Fine, I will check the other switches.”
Dropping the bucket, cleaning supplies and her toolbox in a heap, she quickly learned that the electricity was indeed on, but about half the switches didn't work.
While checking all the switches, Marianne discovered holes in the walls, damage to the floors and that half the furniture looked like she might have to haul it away. A few pieces might be worth saving, but the rest would have to go. She shoved her phone into her pocket, groaning loudly. “What have I done to myself?”
Over the next few hours, Marianne spent her time making a list of everything that needed to be done in the house, from cleaning to fixing. Then she made a seperate list of what she needed done, like NOW, so that she could move in. After a couple of hours, a lot of cursing and a kick to the wall which she quickly learned only put new holes in her house, she drove herself to a local diner throwing herself onto a seat at the counter.
A woman came over, bright green eyes and beautiful blonde hair with purple streaks in it. “Hello. And what can I get for you?”
Marianne glanced at her name tag, which read, “Lizzie.”
She grinned. “Well, Lizzie can you get me the biggest cheeseburger and onion rings with a large vanilla milkshake?”
Lizzie grinned. “Okay, you got it.”
She started to turn away when Marianne asked. “Hey, uh, do you know if there are any good repair men or construction...”
Turning back around the waitress frowned in thought. “Well, King and King is really good. What are you needing done?”
Marianne played with one of the straws she pulled out of the holder. “Well, I bought this old house up on Hazel Street and...well...it needs a lot more work than I anticipated.”
“Oh! You're the one who bought the old Calliope House!! How exciting!! That could be such a beautiful house! I would definitely call King and King. Hold up, I have a card around here somewhere.”
Lizzie went to put Marianne's order in and then came back with a business card that she handed to her. “Ask for Bog. He is the best around and really knows what he is doing with old houses.”
With a laugh, Marianne took the card. “Boyfriend?”
Lizzie grinned. “Nah, but my guy Pare works for him. Bog is a bit of a grouch but don't let that stop you from hiring him. Seriously, the man knows all about restoration and building. You can't go wrong.”
Marianne looked at the card. “Thanks.”
*
With a full belly, Marianne got in her car and pulled out the card and her cellphone. She put in the number and waited only a few seconds before a gruff, female voice picked up the phone. “King and King, what can we do for you?”
“Ah, yes. I was told you guys were good at construction and restoration. I was wondering if you do free estimates?”
“Sure thing. What's your name, dear?”
“Marianne, Marianne Summerfield. I just bought the Calliope House.”
“Really?! You and your husband?”
“Oh no, I'm not married. Just me and the house.”
The voice took on a higher note. “Really? Well, isn't that just grand.”
Within a few minutes Marianne had am appointment for the next day. The odd thing was that the woman on the phone told her to look her best when Bog King came. Marianne frowned, if she didn't know better she would have thought that woman was King's mother.
*
Griselda slammed the phone down with a wide grin and a bright twinkle. Yes!! A single woman had bought that house Bog was always drooling and grousing over. She knew her boy would love to get his hands on that house. Now, if she could get him to want to get his hands on the woman who owned it too...oh, please let her be the right woman for him. That boy of hers needed someone. She knew he was lonely even if he would never admit it.
*
That night Marianne decided it would be in her best interest to stay in a motel, especially since the forecast called for some rain. Good thing none of her own stuff was in the house yet. The moving van was supposed to be arriving tomorrow; maybe by then she would have at least one room that would be livable.
*
Bog pulled up in his pickup truck. It was an old 1970's Ford pickup truck in fading red. It was dependable, easy to fix and could carry a god awful lot of stuff. The only modern thing about it was the CD player he had put in himself. He had it turned up playing some Deep Purple as he pulled up in front of the house behind an old VW Bug.
Bog leaned over the passenger side of the truck looking up at the old Calliope House. It was a Gothic revival style house, exactly what he loved. It reminded him of a castle with its pointed roofs, windows, the vergeboards...Bog grinned, this house could be incredible again.
He had driven by the house numerous times. He grinned slowly, if he got this job...he grinned wider...if this person had the budget, this was going to be a dream come true. He had loved this house from the moment his family had moved here. He had come by here wishing he could make this house into what it used to be, a grand lady. Of course, if this Summerfield person wanted to gut it and modernize it, he would have to refuse, modernizing things like a kitchen or a bathroom, sure, but keeping the house's integrity he could get behind, ripping it up to make it into a monster....nope, he couldn't do it—wouldn't do it.
He got out, the door of the trunk making that creaking sound of metal with the comforting sound of it shutting. He turned and walked up to the house, slipping his hands into his pockets as he gazed at it.
As he got closer, he could see that this ancient beauty was going to need a lot of tender loving care to get back to what she used to be. He stopped, looking it over. He took his hands out of his pockets rubbing his chin and then walked over to the side where he stood with his hands on his hips, studying the roof. His eyes ran down the wooden siding and the gingerbread trim. It needed some pieces replaced, new roof, paint...he was quickly figuring everything in his head when the front door opened and a fairy stepped out onto the porch.
The most beautiful woman stood there, short brown hair, wearing a black tank top, purple leggings, and with a cute little figure. Bog knew his mouth had fallen open when he saw her. He quickly snapped it shut before he started to walk closer. As he approached, he noticed she had amber eyes and a cute little mouth. She put a hand on her hip. “You from King and King?” Now Bog could understand why his mother insisted her put on a clean shirt.
The man standing at the bottom of her porch steps was tall, like ridiculously, stupid tall. No one should be that tall, she thought. He smiled and his teeth were crooked. Well, that was stupid-tall, crooked teeth that made his gruff face look...cute. On top of being so stupidly tall, he was lean, almost too skinny, but she could see wiry muscles in his arms. From the t-shirt he wore, she could see those muscles extended along his chest. Marianne frowned. Nope, not going to notice any of that, she told herself, giving her head a quick shake to knock those thoughts away.
“Aye, I am. You the owner?” Bog lifted his eyebrows in question.
She frowned. “Yes, I am.”
Oh fucking shitty shit! He has an accent?? The bastard, how dare he! Tall, lean, cute crooked teeth, nice lips and an accent. She hated him already. He was not the sexy model boyfriend she had imagined humiliating Roland with, but he was a tall, lean, interesting looking guy with a long pointed nose and with an accent.
She was not instantly attracted. Nope. Not happening. Nope. But that other voice, the one she was currently ignoring, poked at her asking her if she noticed how nice, thick and black his hair was, so completely different than Roland, oh and did you get a gander at those eyes?? Blue eyes, like, not just a regular blue, but BLUE...apparently her inner voice was not good with adjectives. Marianne wanted to smack that voice right in the mouth. Real smooth, get the hots for a guy she just met. Stupid.
*
She shook her head again. Bog watched her shake her head a second time, which made him wonder what was wrong with her. He decided to take a chance though, he could put up with crazy if it allowed him to work on this house and the owner was nice to look at least. His inner voice didn't bother to rise up and say much more about how gorgeous she was because gorgeous women, women at all, were not interested in tall, ugly Scotsmen with rough hands. They wanted doctors, lawyers, smooth men with wavy hair and gym produced bodies. So Bog's inner voice just simply reminded him of his unlovable state, but it did tell him he might get to work on the house of his dreams. Hopefully, she was loaded too—this house deserved the best.
*
He put his long fingered hand out to her. She grasped it impressed with the callous and the strength of his grip. Roland's hands were always soft, something she thought she liked at first, but after a while it became...weird. Then, when he had tried to stop her from leaving him, it had become disgusting.
Bog noticed that her hands were calloused. He grinned, a woman who worked with her hands. He could respect that. “So, how about a tour? Name's Bog, by the way.”
She nodded. “Oh, yeah of course. Just follow me and it's Marianne.”
She turned around going into the house. Bog's eyes ran down her back once immediately mentally slapping himself. Women like that don't like men like you. He reminded himself. Why even torture yourself with looking?
*
By the end of the tour Bog had a mental list and a rough estimate. She wasn't going to like it, but he thought maybe they could come up with something if she was willing to work. “Okay, what's the damage?”
She looked up at the tall Scotsman and by the look on his face she wasn't going to like it. “First, this is going to take a lot of work to get her back to her old glory. Second, if you are willing to help with some of the work yourself that would cut down on the price considerably. Third, you ain't going find another contractor willing to give you a deal like I am. And lastly, I have wanted to restore this house for a long time so I am willing to help, but I still have to make something off of this or I would go out of business.”
Marianne stared at him for a long time, letting what he said register then she blurted out the next coherent thought that came to her numb mind. “I want to make this into a bed and breakfast if you are willing to help with the restoration and yes I will work on it too. I will make you half partner in my business.” As soon as the words her out of her mouth, she slapped her hands over her mouth.
Amber eyes stared at him in shock.
Bog chuckled, blushing. Damn, she was cute. He really wanted to work on this house, his mother probably wouldn't have a fit about becoming a business partner with Ms. Summerfield...then it occurred to him, he would be part owner in a house that he had always admired...Bog gave her a crooked grin putting out his hand.
“I think we may have a deal, Ms. Summerfield.”
She grinned with all her teeth, taking his hand. “Call me Marianne.”