Blind Wolf Read Online Free Page B
Author: Aubrey Rose
wiped the sleep from her eyes and rolled out of bed, pulling a robe over her bare shoulders. Who would be knocking at the door at eight in the morning? Today was the one day she could sleep in—the library didn't open until ten—and of course it was being ruined by someone.
By the time she got downstairs, her grandmother was already on the front porch, shushing the intruders. Julia pushed the screen door open slowly. One of the men was thin, with a dark complexion, a curly beard, and glasses. The other one, the blond one, was much younger. Maybe even still a teenager, but with a more muscular build than the older man. They couldn't possibly be related. And yet the way they stood reminded her of a father and son.
"This is a bed and breakfast," Granny Dee said, scolding the men. "You can't come waltzing in here and make a commotion. You'll wake people up!"
"We're here to look at the house," the younger man said.
"It's not for sale," Dee said.
"Granny Dee—" Julia said.
"That's not what the sign out front says," the dark-haired man said, pointing behind him with his thumb.
"Whatever that sign says," Dee spat, "It's my house, and it's not for sale."
"I just spoke with the bank representative," the dark-haired man said. "He told me that open hours were eight to noon on Saturdays."
"They must be wrong," Dee said, crossing her arms.
"Granny Dee," Julia said, pulling her by her arm back towards the screen door. "We'll get in trouble if we don't keep open hours. We agreed."
"I agreed to nothing," Dee said, but Julia could see her shoulders slumping.
"It's alright," Julia said. "I'll show them around and get them out of here before anyone wakes up. Okay?"
In response, Dee simply opened the door and went inside.
"Granny Dee—"
"I'll be waiting in my bathroom until they're done," Dee said, waving one hand in the air dismissively. "Don't let them come in, unless the bank says they're allowed to see my wrinkled rear end."
Julia sighed and turned back to the men.
"Charming place," the dark-haired man said with a smirk.
"Follow me," Julia said. She led them through the kitchen and living room, pointing out the fireplace and guest apartments.
"Is this wall insulated?" the young man asked, rapping his knuckles on the wall of one of the guest rooms. Julia cringed.
"No," she whispered, hoping that they would get the hint. "None of the walls are. This house was built in 1923, and it's never been updated except for the electrical stuff. Air conditioning costs are horribly expensive. You'd probably have to install central air. And the toilets run to a septic tank." She waved them through to the back porch. At least there they could speak loudly without waking up the guests.
"How about the beams here?" the blonde man asked, pointing to the porch supports.
"Yes, any reinforcements?" the older man asked.
"No, it's all wood and brick," Julia said. "Insurance is more expensive, too, because the foundation is unapproved slab. Is there anything else I can show you?" She wanted them gone. She hoped that her answers had been enough to drive them away. The longer it took the bank to find a buyer, the longer they could stay.
"That's all we need, really," the older man said. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Julia said curtly.
They both followed Julia down the stairs and back out to the front yard, where she didn't bother to offer any goodbyes, simply opening the gate for them.
"It's really perfect," the young man said.
"Perfect?" Julia asked, spinning back around. That was the last word she'd use to describe the house.
"Sure," the blond man said. "It would be easy to tear down, no asbestos in the walls or anything. And the septic would be good to run to multiple cabins when we build them out." He nodded towards the older man. "What do you think, Jordan?"
"Looks good," the man said, glancing at Julia. Her face was burning hot, and she was pretty sure her normally fair skin was as red as a summer tomato. "We'll need to check out
By the time she got downstairs, her grandmother was already on the front porch, shushing the intruders. Julia pushed the screen door open slowly. One of the men was thin, with a dark complexion, a curly beard, and glasses. The other one, the blond one, was much younger. Maybe even still a teenager, but with a more muscular build than the older man. They couldn't possibly be related. And yet the way they stood reminded her of a father and son.
"This is a bed and breakfast," Granny Dee said, scolding the men. "You can't come waltzing in here and make a commotion. You'll wake people up!"
"We're here to look at the house," the younger man said.
"It's not for sale," Dee said.
"Granny Dee—" Julia said.
"That's not what the sign out front says," the dark-haired man said, pointing behind him with his thumb.
"Whatever that sign says," Dee spat, "It's my house, and it's not for sale."
"I just spoke with the bank representative," the dark-haired man said. "He told me that open hours were eight to noon on Saturdays."
"They must be wrong," Dee said, crossing her arms.
"Granny Dee," Julia said, pulling her by her arm back towards the screen door. "We'll get in trouble if we don't keep open hours. We agreed."
"I agreed to nothing," Dee said, but Julia could see her shoulders slumping.
"It's alright," Julia said. "I'll show them around and get them out of here before anyone wakes up. Okay?"
In response, Dee simply opened the door and went inside.
"Granny Dee—"
"I'll be waiting in my bathroom until they're done," Dee said, waving one hand in the air dismissively. "Don't let them come in, unless the bank says they're allowed to see my wrinkled rear end."
Julia sighed and turned back to the men.
"Charming place," the dark-haired man said with a smirk.
"Follow me," Julia said. She led them through the kitchen and living room, pointing out the fireplace and guest apartments.
"Is this wall insulated?" the young man asked, rapping his knuckles on the wall of one of the guest rooms. Julia cringed.
"No," she whispered, hoping that they would get the hint. "None of the walls are. This house was built in 1923, and it's never been updated except for the electrical stuff. Air conditioning costs are horribly expensive. You'd probably have to install central air. And the toilets run to a septic tank." She waved them through to the back porch. At least there they could speak loudly without waking up the guests.
"How about the beams here?" the blonde man asked, pointing to the porch supports.
"Yes, any reinforcements?" the older man asked.
"No, it's all wood and brick," Julia said. "Insurance is more expensive, too, because the foundation is unapproved slab. Is there anything else I can show you?" She wanted them gone. She hoped that her answers had been enough to drive them away. The longer it took the bank to find a buyer, the longer they could stay.
"That's all we need, really," the older man said. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Julia said curtly.
They both followed Julia down the stairs and back out to the front yard, where she didn't bother to offer any goodbyes, simply opening the gate for them.
"It's really perfect," the young man said.
"Perfect?" Julia asked, spinning back around. That was the last word she'd use to describe the house.
"Sure," the blond man said. "It would be easy to tear down, no asbestos in the walls or anything. And the septic would be good to run to multiple cabins when we build them out." He nodded towards the older man. "What do you think, Jordan?"
"Looks good," the man said, glancing at Julia. Her face was burning hot, and she was pretty sure her normally fair skin was as red as a summer tomato. "We'll need to check out
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