Torn [SHAWN MENDES]

~67~

Tricia walked Taryn through the charming house she'd lived in with Earl, naming off the various things potential buyers had commented negatively on. "I'm waiting on estimates for having the kitchen cabinets replaced and to have the master bath retiled. I think I can handle the painting myself."

"I'll help you!" her daughter said enthusiastically. "I actually enjoy it and I'm pretty good."

"I was hoping you'd offer," Tricia replied with a grin. "I want to get going as soon as possible."

"I can adjust my schedule and we can start tomorrow. Karen thinks these upgrades will do the trick?"

"She said we can sell it as is, but I probably won't get anywhere near the asking price because it's got some outdated elements. People these days are looking for homes that they feel are move-in ready rather than fixer-uppers."

Taryn shook her head in disdain. "Part of the fun of buying an older house is working on it to make it your own."

"No one who has viewed the place seems to feel that way. After it's all done, there will be a big open house, and Karen is positive we'll get a bunch of offers."

Taryn walked out the back door and surveyed the yard. "You'd think someone would have fallen in love with this home for the gardens alone. Earl's landscaping was beyond compare."

Sighing, Tricia said, "One couple said it was a negative feature because it would require so much effort to maintain."

"Sometimes I hate people," the younger woman grumbled.

"I'm not in a rush, so I'm taking all this in stride. Once it sells, I'll move in with you until I decide on someplace permanent, probably a condo."

"I'm excited to have you as a roomie again!"

"I promise not to cramp your style. If you want to have your new friend over, it's no big deal. I can watch a movie in my room to give you space," Tricia told her.

Taryn hadn't thought that part through. She really didn't want to hook-up with Elijah while her mom was there, so maybe they'd meet at his apartment instead. She wasn't even sure if things would still be going in on a few months, so it wasn't worth worrying about now. He was a temporary distraction. "I don't have much style to cramp," she said honestly.

The two women counted the rooms that needed to be painted, and Taryn estimated the number of gallons of off-white paint, which she added to a list of all the other supplies necessary for the job.

"You're going to need to downsize a lot," Taryn observed.

"I'm having a yard sale after Earl's kids choose what they want. I'll keep a few things, but I'm eager to start over with new furniture. It's kind of exciting to think about picking out things by myself. My whole life I've had either hand-me downs or I had to compromise with a man."

Taryn laughed. "That's one perk of being single; you get to make every decision on your own. I might stay unattached forever for that reason."

"You're way too young to think that way!"

"I don't feel young."

Hours later, Taryn was feeling particularly old when she walked through Ford's, checking on her customers. Most of the clientele were under thirty, which was a very positive things for business since they were more likely to drop lots of money for drinks.

"Make sure the staff is carding everyone," she said to Mina. "I don't want to get busted for serving a minor."

"Will do. Someone presented Darren with a fake ID two nights ago, and he called me over to verify it. Poor kid practically ran out of the bar in fear of getting in trouble."