followed Shaw into the spacious main hall, her gaze taking in the high ceilings and the stately staircase rising to the second floor. The inlaid wood floors were dark from years of neglect, making it hard to discern the pattern. The wide center hall stretched to the rear of the home. To the right were two large pocket doors partially open to reveal an empty room, probably the original parlor. On the other side of the entrance was a thick, unattractive door with a sturdy lock.
“I’ll be right back.” Shaw disappeared behind the staircase.
“I want to climb the stairs.” Natalie pointed to the elegant stairway with stately newel posts and carved spindles below a wide smooth banister.
“Not right now, sweetie.”
Lainie’s gaze drifted from the exquisitely carved stairs on one side of the hall to the wall on the other. Two crudely constructed sections stood out like an ugly patch on a pretty face. She guessed the additions had something to do with covering up old doors and sealing off that side of the home. The house had an odd, schizophrenic feel to it. One side grand and stately, the other run-down and hopeless.
“Mommy are we going to live in this castle?”
“For a little bit. Mr. Shaw is going to help us until—” How did she explain to young children the predicament she was in without alarming them? And how did she keep her own fears under control? “Until I can get a new purse.”
A loud bark shattered the silence. A black-and-white blur darted from behind the stairs and charged at them. Natalie screamed. Chrissy stood still, clenching her little hands into fists at her side. Lainie’s heart pounded violently as a large dog barreled down on the children. She pulled her girls close shielding them with her arms.
“Beaux. Heel.” Instantly, the Dalmatian slid to a halt, then trotted to Shaw’s side.
Lainie glared at the man as he approached. Natalie pulled out of her arms. Lainie grabbed the back of her shirt to hold her back.
“I want to pet the doggie.”
“Absolutely not.”
“It’s all right.” Shaw commanded the dog to sit then stooped and gestured to the girls. “Want to meet my dog?” They nodded and took small steps forward. Shaw extended his palm. “Hold your hand like this and let him sniff you.”
With the animal under control, Lainie relaxed her hold on her children. Both girls followed Shaw’s instruction, giggling with delight when Beaux sniffed their fingers.
“Now pet his head and he’ll be your friend forever.”
Natalie scratched the dog’s head and ears vigorously, while Chrissy moved to the dog’s side and stroked his black-and-white fur. She smiled at her mother. “He has polka spots.”
Lainie’s heart still pounded, but at a more normal rate now that it looked as if the animal wasn’t going to eat her children.
Shaw rose and joined her. “He’s a very gentle animal, but rambunctious.”
“You should have told me you had a dog.”
“Would it have made a difference?”
“Yes.” She crossed her arms and glared at him.
Shaw raised an eyebrow, challenging her statement.
Lainie turned away. She wasn’t in a position to turn down his help. Dog. Horse. Dragon. It wouldn’t have made a difference because she had nowhere else to go.
For the time being, she and her daughters were at the mercy of Shaw McKinney. It was Friday afternoon. It would be Monday before she could sort out her financial situation and meet with the mayor. Time in which she’d have to rely on Shaw. Not a comforting thought.
“You’ll be staying on this side of the house.” Shaw unlocked the bulky door beside her, pushed it open, then handed her the key.
With a hand on each daughter’s shoulder, she urged them into the large living room, pleasantly surprised at what she found. The apartment was fully furnished. Everything was covered with sheets, but she could make out a sofa and chairs, and various small tables. The rooms looked livable despite the accumulation of dust. A little elbow grease should fix that. It was definitely preferable to sleeping in the car.
“The woman who owned the house lived here until she was into her nineties. After she passed, her family removed the sentimental items and left the rest. You should have everything you need.”
The house was the embodiment of Victorian style. The large windows, with intricate moldings, were covered with aged lace curtains, but still allowed in plenty of sunlight. French doors provided access to the front porch. Beside it, the curved walls of the tower added another element of charm to the room. It was a welcome change from the cramped apartment she’d shared with her mother, and the small garage apartment her former employer had provided. The girls ran to the tower, peeking out the long narrow windows.
Natalie smiled over her shoulder. “Mommy, this can be our Princess Club.”
Shaw gave Lainie a puzzled look. “Princess Club?”
“It’s a game the girls like to play. They find a cozy corner and pretend it’s their special castle where they can play dress up and do crafts.”
Chrissy pushed her glasses up, her expression serious. “It’s only for girls.”
Natalie ran back to Beaux and hugged his neck. “And cute dogs.” Chrissy smiled and nodded in agreement.
Shaw ran a thumb along his jaw. “Uh, Beaux is a boy dog.”
The girls looked at each other. Then Natalie whispered in her sister’s ear, generating an enthusiastic nod that sent the little girl’s ponytail waving. “Boy dogs are allowed. But not real boys.”
Shaw led them to the rear of the apartment into a large kitchen. The once-white cabinets were yellow with age, the laminate countertops worn and scratched, but there was a cozy quality that appealed to Lainie. She could envision a large family gathered here for a hearty meal, discussing the day’s events, and sharing laughter.
Shaw rested a hand on his hip, glancing around the kitchen. “Everything works. I keep it up in case I have to rent it out. I’d hoped to restore the place and get it on the market, but that’s on hold now.”
“You were going to sell it?” How could anyone not want to live in this lovely home? Even divided in half it was amazing.
“A single guy doesn’t need a place like this.”
“But you’ll have a family someday.”
He drew his eyebrows together in a frown, one corner of his mouth lifting in a sardonic smile. “Me? And give up my unencumbered bachelor life? Not in this century.”
She should have known. His statement reinforced what her husband had always said about him. He was the stereotypical self-absorbed bachelor, a man who liked the ladies, but wanted no part of the responsibility that came with a real
