Accidental Bride(52)

“Of course, I want you to come. Why wouldn’t I?”

“I don’t know.”

“So do you think you can come? You’d just have to miss the one class.”

Kelly never skipped classes, but there was absolutely no reason why she couldn’t this one time. The churning of her stomach was warning that it might be a mistake, but she wanted to go with Peter. She wanted to see Eden Manor again. She wanted to talk through plans with him. Even if she wouldn’t be around to follow through with them.

“Yeah. Yeah, I can come.”

Peter’s whole body relaxed as he smiled and lifted her hand to kiss her knuckles. “Good.”

***

The following afternoon, Peter wiped a hand across his forehead and stared out at Eden Manner.

He was exhausted from a long day of traveling and then walking through the entire house, making notes and studying details. But his head was roaring with excitement, which was so much stronger than his fatigue.

This could happen. It could actually happen. It wouldn’t be easy, but it was possible. He could own Eden Manor. He could turn it into a great bed and breakfast. He could do what he’d always wanted to do.

And Kelly might even do it with him.

The last week might have been the best week of his life, ever since he’d heard Kelly admit to her grandmother that she loved him, that she was on his side. He’d always known she loved him as a friend, but he was thinking it might be turning into more than that. He was almost convinced that she might stay married to him after graduation. She was here with him now. She seemed to love this house as much as he did.

He’d never really believed his dreams could come true, but it was starting to look like they might.

“So what do you think?” Kelly asked, coming up to stand beside him. She’d pulled her hair back in a ponytail, and she wore jeans and a fitted T-shirt that emphasized the slim lines of her gorgeous body.

Unable to resist the impulse, he wrapped one arm around her waist. “I love it.”

“So do I,” she admitted. “It’s going to take a lot of work, but I’m sure it would be worth it. It’s perfect.”

The realtor’s name was Missy, and she was young, tiny, and blonde. She’d been locking up the doors to the house, but now she came out to join them.

“Now let me show you the garden,” she said with a bright grin. “It’s the most romantic thing you’ll ever see.

Peter wondered how old she was. She looked about sixteen.

“I knew there would be a garden,” Kelly said, smiling as if she were excited. “After all, the place is called Eden Manor.”

Peter took her hand as they walked around the house. She never seemed to question why he did so. She must know how he felt about her, how close he wanted to be to her. She never pulled away. She must want it too.

She had to.

Behind the house were three outbuildings—a large shed, a run-down stable, and a guest house. Behind the outbuildings was a stone wall.

“It’s a walled garden,” Kelly gasped, as she saw the locked door.

“Yes. It needs work, but it’s so picturesque,” Missy replied, still grinning in that infectious way. “It would be perfect for a B&B. Wait until you see.”

She unlocked the door and gestured them inside.

The garden was completely overrun with weeds, and the bushes and tree branches were tangled into a mess. But Peter could easily see how, with a lot of work, this garden could be one of the most appealing features of the entire property.

“Oh,” Kelly breathed, clasping her hands together, “I love it!”

“It’s just like The Secret Garden,” Missy said from behind them. “I’m always thinking Mary and Colin and Dickon should sneak in and start fixing the place up.”

Peter laughed, torn between studying the tangled foliage for what all needed doing and gazing at Kelly’s awed face. “How long has it been since it’s been worked on?”

“Years. The place has been unoccupied for ten years, ever since Mrs. Travis had to move into the nursing home. She always refused to sell it, though, so it wasn’t on the market until she died a few months ago. Her son doesn’t have time or interest in fixing the place up, so he’s just selling it as is.”

“Okay,” Peter said, realizing he better keep his cool and not let Missy see how excited he was about the place. After all, he’d need to negotiate a good price. “Thanks for showing us around. There’s a lot of work to do, but it might have potential.”

“My pleasure,” Missy said, closing the garden door behind them as they left. “Just let me know if you have any questions or want to move forward on it.”