Page 106 of Here & Now

“Someone mentioned that you were putting the house up for sale, and I thought I’d swing by. I happen to have the perfect buyer for it.”

Pushing aside her irritation, Bree said, “You do?”

“Yes. I’ve been working with a retired couple from Iowa who wants to relocate here. This house would be perfect for them.”

Bree stared at her and absorbed the news. If Justine had stopped by a few weeks ago, she would have been thrilled, but now…

“Would you mind showing me inside?”

“Oh, um…”

“If this is a bad time, I can come back.”

Bree shook her head without meaning to. If she was going to show Justine the house, she might as well do it now.

“Great.”

Bree went past her and unlocked the door, her head spinning. Just because she comes in, it doesn’t mean I have to sell the house, she reminded herself.

Justine followed her inside. “Ohmigod, it’s darling,” she gushed.

Judging from her expression, Bree believed she meant it. This woman was completely different from Kayla and Scott and was probably the perfect person to work with.

“It needs a few updates,” Bree said. It didn’t escape her that she was sabotaging herself.

Justine glanced around. “It doesn’t look like anything major, though. Everybody expects to make some changes when they buy a used home.”

I was thinking the same thing earlier.

“Which way to the kitchen?”

Bree led her through the living room and into the kitchen/dining room. She assumed Justine would change her tune once she saw the outdated cabinets and older appliances.

Instead, she said, “Glass knobs, how charming.”

Bree gaped at her, but Justine wasn’t paying attention. “They just don’t make things like they used to,” she said wistfully.

Scott and Kayla could take a lesson from her. “Wouldn’t buyers think this was outdated?”

Justine shook her head. “Not necessarily. Some people are willing to look beyond the surface to the bones of a place, and I can tell this home has good bones.”

Bree watched her move around the L-shaped kitchen and run her hand along the cabinets and countertops. Is this lady for real?

Justine peered out the sliding door at the lanai. “Do you mind if I step outside?”

“Go ahead,” Bree said. She followed her out the door and onto the lanai.

“The pool is a perfect size, not too big or too small.”

Bree agreed, but she didn’t say so.

Justine wandered across the patio to the screen door on the left side. “This is nice and private too. I bet you can hardly see your neighbors.”

Bree had seen plenty of her neighbor in and out of the lanai, but Justine didn’t need to know that. “Yes, it’s very private.”

“Let’s have a look at the bedrooms.”

Bree nodded and led her back inside. It didn’t take long for Justine to tour the bedrooms and the rest of the house since there wasn’t much more to it. She was right; it was the perfect size for a retired couple and their grandchildren if they had any. Bree thought of her own grandparents and got a lump in her throat.