Flirty by Cathryn Fox

decisions lately, considering she bought a heritage home that was going to end up bankrupting her, and make her the laughingstock of her family.
    Tabby squealed when she opened Lex’s gift, and as everyone’s eyes lit with excitement, Lex exchanged a private smile with Skylar. After visiting her shop with Tabby last week and catching the way Tabby admired all the pieces, Lex had commissioned Sky to create a one-of-a-kind multi-colored glass mobile for the baby’s nursery. She couldn’t be happier with how beautiful it turned out.
    As the gorgeous piece played Brahms’s “Lullaby”, Tabby thanked her profusely. After a long time she set it aside and turned her attention to the other parcels. Once all the gifts were open everyone made their way to the spacious dining room, with the long antique table, gorgeous wainscoting and tray ceiling. As they feasted on finger food, veggies and dips, the women laughed and joked. Lex joined in, temporarily forgetting her worries as she became a part of this womanhood.
    She helped herself to a piece of cake and as she bit into it, she ran her hand along the cream-colored panels, admiring the craftsmanship.
    “Isn’t this place gorgeous?” Lila asked, coming up beside her.
    She glanced at the pretty brunette with the long dark curls. “It is,” Lex said, then she cocked her head and asked, “You run the bed and breakfast, right?”
    Lila’s eyes lit. “I do.”
    “I’m curious. Did you renovate it when you took it over?” Lex asked, wondering if she too had faced roadblocks with the restoration committee.
    Lila nodded, traced a longing finger over the rail and said, “Yeah. I love how it turned out but I sure wish Sam had been around. He has an ability to see things others can’t.”
    “What do you mean? Like ghosts?” Good Lord, did crazy old Errol think Lila’s place was haunted too?
    Lila grinned. “Well yeah, but I’m talking about his work, and his attention to the ornamental detailing. He can envision things the rest of us can’t.”
    “I know. I wish he worked with me,” Tabby said, stepping up to the two.
    Lex’s focus went from Lila to Tabby back to Lila again. “You two lost me.”
    “Just look around,” Tabby said, then she called out to Josie. “Hey, Josie, is it okay if I give Lex a tour?”
    “You bet,” Josie said. “Be sure to show her the gorgeous, carved handrail leading upstairs. It’s the original.”
    “Come on,” Tabby said, and both she and Lila followed her into the den, where Tabby began pointing out all the trims, the detailing and the old-time craftsmanship that Sam had respected and adhered to when refinishing the house. Then she showed her the old rolled glass window, much like the ones in Lex’s place.
    “Wait,” Lex said, shaking her head. “Are you telling me Sam did this?” She spun around the room. “He restored this den.”
    Tabby shook her head. “No, I’m telling you he restored the house.”
    Lex’s jaw fell slack. “Sam did all this?”
    “You mean you didn’t know?” Lila asked.
    She gave a bewildered shake of her head. “I had no idea.” She took a moment to think back and remembered his reactions when she talked about changing the windows, tearing out the hearth, refinishing the place from the ground up. He’d looked physically ill. “Sam never mentioned any of this to me.”
    Tabby nodded her head, like she knew something Lex didn’t, but instead of explaining she said, “Well if I were you and had Sam staying with me, I’d be sure to pick his brain. With his help, you could have the most beautiful heritage house in all of Whispering Cove.”
    “He really understands and appreciates craftsmanship reflective of the period, that’s for sure,” Lila added.
    Dumbfounded, Lex followed the two women around the house as they showed her the features. Sam was right when he said he had a talent most didn’t, and it wasn’t just in seeing the supernatural…or in the bedroom. The place was