that’s affecting large and small cities and towns throughout the country. Even the so-called affluent neighborhoods aren’t exempt.”
“Amen,” Seth confirmed under his breath. He opened a gallon of paint, attached the pour spout and slowly drizzled paint from the can into the pan with a liner, then repeated the action with the second one. “I brought over an extra pan for the paint, so we can both use rollers.”
Natalia glanced around the kitchen. “How long do you think it’s going to take us to finish painting this?”
“Probably about two to three hours.”
“What I don’t understand is the walls in the other rooms are spotless, while the kitchen is a mess.”
The house’s pristine condition and updated appliances, along with a washer and dryer in the unfinished basement, were the reasons Natalia had decided to rent it. When she’d questioned the realtor why the home had remained vacant for a year, the woman said interested tenants complained that the rent, which included a two-month security fee, was out of their price range, but for Natalia it was less than what she’d once paid for her mortgage and maintenance on her condo.
“I’m willing to bet that Chandler’s nephews are the culprits,” Seth said.
“Mrs. Riley at the realty company told me that my absentee landlord is a confirmed bachelor and lived alone.”
“He is and does, but every once in a while, his sister would drop off her twin boys and that’s when chaos erupted. Chandler and his sister were raised by a single mother. They were never allowed to have friends over because Mrs. Evans said she didn’t want them tracking dirt inside. Chandler is also a neat freak, but he’s also a very indulgent uncle when it comes to his nephews.”
Although she was curious to know more about her landlord and her neighbor, Natalia decided not to question Seth further because she wanted them to finish their painting project. Picking up a disposable respirator, she put it on and then protected her hands with a pair of rubber gloves.
* * *
Natalia stood next to Seth admiring their handiwork. They’d completed painting the kitchen in less than two hours. The bluish-gray color was the perfect complement for the stainless-steel appliances. “You did a very nice job, Seth.”
Attractive lines fanned out around his eyes when he smiled. “So did you,” he countered. “And I’m willing to bet that this isn’t your first painting project.”
Folding her arms under her breasts, Natalia nodded. “The year I turned thirteen, I asked my mother if I could paint my bedroom and she said okay as long as it wasn’t black. One year it was fluorescent pink, and another year it was lavender. I was in the pink and purple phase for a while until I left for college. It was only after I graduated medical school that Mom told me since I was a doctor, I’d forfeited the room and she was going to paint it with a color of her choice. My mother liked oyster-white walls, which I’ve always found much too sterile. Although Mom tells everyone she’s a very modern woman in reality, she’s very conservative.”
“There’s something to be said for conservatism.”
Natalia glanced up at Seth. “You’re a conservative?”
He angled his head. “I’m more of a traditionalist middle-of-the-road guy.”
“Is that another way of saying you’re old-school?”
“Not as much old-school as I am a conventional person. Give me the rules and tell me the law and I will follow them without question.”
“So, if you were to stop me for speeding, I’d never be able to talk you out of giving me a citation even if I told you I was going to a medical emergency.”
“That would be the exception because if it’s a 911 call, I’d escort you to see your patient.”
Natalia knew without question that Seth was inflexible when it came to bending the rules, and she wondered if it was the reason why he wasn’t married or had a girlfriend. That it was his way or the highway.
“Well, let’s hope I don’t have too many medical emergencies,” she said in a quiet voice.
“Are you going to alternate hours with Dr. Franklin?” Seth asked.
“Not initially. We’ll work together for a couple of months until we’re able to establish a routine where we may be able to have at least two late nights to see patients. Speaking of patients, let me look at your thumb again.”
“It’s okay.”
“It can’t be okay if you’re massaging it,” Natalia said accusingly.
* * *
Seth let go of his left hand. He hadn’t realized he was manipulating his thumb to ease some of the tightness in the digit. Some of the swelling had gone down, but now it appeared to have stiffened. “I hit it pretty hard so it’s going to take a few days before I stop favoring it.”
Natalia reached for his hand, cradling it in her much smaller one. “Do you want me to spray it again?”
He snatched his hand away. “No! I’ll ice it again when I get home.”
“You can apply a warm compress after you ice it again.”
Seth smiled. “I’ll do that. I’m going to clean up here—”
“Please don’t,” Natalia, said, cutting him off. “You’ve done enough. I’ll clean up everything. And dinner tonight is my treat.”
Seth shook his head. “No, it’s not. I never allow a woman to pick up the check when we go out together.”
“I’m not your date, Seth.”
“Whether you are or are not my date is irrelevant. I still won’t let you pay for my meal.”
“What if we go dutch?”
Not wishing to engage in a verbal confrontation, something he’d done much too often with some women in his past, he forced a smile that did not reach his eyes. “It’s almost three o’clock now, and I’d like to pick you up at six. Is that too early?”
“Oh... I mean no. It’s not too early.”
“If that’s the case, then I’ll see you later.”
Turning on his heel, Seth walked out of the kitchen. It had been less than twelve hours since he met his new neighbor, and there was something about her that intrigued him. He was more than curious about the woman driving a top-of-the-line luxury SUV bearing Pennsylvania plates, and why she was renting a house in The Falls. Seth knew he could easily find out more about his new neighbor by entering her vehicle’s license plate number into a national database accessible to law enforcement but that would be the same as snooping. After all, she wasn’t a suspect or a person of interest in a case he was investigating. And he hoped, after sharing a meal with Natalia, she would answer some of the questions that had him wondering why she had come to The Falls.
* * *
Natalia dipped the sable brush into the
