Free Three Minutes to Happiness by Sally Clements Page B

cup of herbal tea. She opted for peppermint, and carried it with her as John and Elizabeth gave her a tour. Finn left them to it and brought in her camera equipment from the car.
    The south facing windows cast a warm daylight into the hallway, and as she ventured further into the house, Val saw more and more that piqued her interest. John proudly opened a little door under the stairs. “This is the clever bit.” He pointed at equipment. “We have a heat recovery ventilating unit, which takes the heat from the stale air and transfers it to the fresh air coming into the house. I have data loggers that reveal the energy usage. When Finn suggested all this stuff, I was skeptical…”
    “But he was right. Our bills are a fraction of what they would be in a normal house,” Elizabeth said.
    “So, what do you think makes this house unique?”
    Elizabeth considered for a moment. “Well, I love that the house is so well integrated into the environment. We’ve used local materials, and even though we have triple glazing on the north windows to keep the wind out, the appearance of the house gives no indication it is a modern build. We wanted something that looked as though it had a history.”
    “It’s beautiful.” Val meant it. The house and its inhabitants were a perfect match. “Did you know Finn before he started working for you?” Every additional detail she noted hinted that he knew and understood these people and what they would like.
    “No. We met and discussed our requirements, and he drew up the plans.”
    The curved staircase had ivy leaves carved into its bannisters. Val traced them with a finger as she climbed the stairs.
    “Those are fun, aren’t they? Finn found a local craftsman who had done similar work and suggested the design. I remember he said he thought with the leaves would reflect our love of nature.” Elizabeth beamed. “He was right of course. We love them.”
     

Chapter Eight
     
    Much as Finn would have liked to shadow Val for the morning, assessing her reactions to his design, and more importantly, discovering more about her mysterious husband, he kept away. There were four photographers vying for the contract. He knew what aspects showcased Logan & O’Donoghue’s skill, and it wouldn’t be fair to inadvertently give her an advantage.
    John kept him captive at the kitchen table for most of the morning anyway. He was interested in adding a windmill and had a ton of questions. By noon he was keen to escape, but it took another half hour before Val came to find him.
    “I’m done.” She was smiling. The satisfied smile of someone happy with their work.
    “Did you get everything you need?”
    “I did.” She handed over her tripod, and slung a bag full of extra lenses over her shoulder. “What time are we due at the next place?”
    “Two. We have plenty of time. Let’s grab some lunch.”
    They said their goodbyes, and headed out. Connor called while Finn was on the motorway, heading back into Dublin. He didn’t make small talk, just jumped straight in. “The project manager on the Dunne job called. There’s a problem.”
    Finn swore. “What is it?”
    “The windows have arrived from England, and they’re the wrong size. The supplier is on site, but being difficult. We need to get there before he leaves.”
    There goes lunch. “I’ll handle it.”
    Finn disconnected the call and turned to Val. “We’ll have to just grab a sandwich. I need to take you to the next place early and leave you there.”
    Val tucked her hair behind her ear in a nervous gesture that was becoming familiar. “That’s fine. I don’t want to take up your entire day. I can get a taxi home when I’m finished.”
    With any luck, he’d be able to sort the problem and pick her up afterwards. “I can swing back around for you—” His phone rang again. Damn . “Sorry.” He flicked the phone to answer, and a familiar voice filled the interior of the car.
    “Hi, baby. I’m back!”
    Shit. Alison .