Free Second Chances by Bria Marche Page B

do it?”
    “I’ll have to call the courthouse and see when I can get in. Have either of you given the interview process any thought?”
    “I think we should post an ad in every Starbucks south of Spring Street, plus I can spread the word at work. We have a bulletin board for employees in the cafeteria. A friend of mine at work can have her husband post an ad in the cafeteria at the hospital, too. There are young doctors and nurses working there that could easily afford to live here. We’re only interested in top quality applicants that will get along with us and each other.”
    “Well, I know what I have to do before anyone moves in. I need to upgrade the water heater in the basement so there’s always hot water on demand, and I need to spruce up the hallway bathrooms a little. All the bedrooms we’re going to rent out need a fresh coat of paint, too. After that is complete, we can start the interview process. With the few thousand dollars I have left, I’m pretty sure I can find somebody to take care of those household issues pretty quickly. Today, Betsy, you and I are going to move furniture and pick out paint colors.”
    Melanie had already left for work, and because it was such a beautiful day with low humidity, Abby and Betsy found a shaded spot outside to use as their work area. With the laptop wedged under her arm, a pencil lodged above her left ear, and a pad of paper in her hand, Abby sat down at the wrought-iron bistro set in the backyard. Betsy joined her with a fresh pot of coffee, two mugs, and two cinnamon rolls. Browsing through a website showing paint samples, Abby and Betsy made their selections. They could be more imaginative with the larger rooms, but the small bedrooms would need lighter colors to make them look bigger. Between the two of them, they chose a light blush for the small rooms and sage green for the larger rooms. Keeping the walls a gender-neutral color would help make them attractive to anyone. Abby found several ads online that offered handyman services. She set up appointments with three of them to compare rates and qualifications. By this time next week, they would be ready to open for business.

Chapter Nine
    The flashing light on Abby’s phone caught her attention. Damn it, I missed a call . She listened as the message from the county clerk told her what day and time to appear in front of the judge for her name change request. Abby was more than excited. It would truly be a new beginning for her, a do-over, and in a way, a second chance to get things right. Going forward, she would determine her own fate, good or bad. She would have nobody else to fall back on and nobody else to blame. Her future rested on her, and she liked it that way.
    Today, three different handymen had appointments to give Abby a quote for the work she wanted. She said she would like to see their qualifications and read a few reviews of their work when they came by. The appointments were scheduled two hours apart, beginning at eleven a.m. The first man showed up fifteen minutes late. Not the best first impression , Abby thought when she welcomed him in. John Beck handed her his business card, mumbled something about hitting every red light in town, and followed her to the basement. He carried a clipboard with a pen, and he looked like a mild-mannered middle-aged handyman. Abby showed him the water heater that needed replacing.
    “This doesn’t look that old. Isn’t is working right?”
    “Well, yes, it works fine, but right now there are only three of us. I hope to fill this house up soon, and I don’t think a forty-gallon water heater would be adequate.”
    He gave Abby a slow, deliberate once-over, lingering far too long on her ample chest. “So what makes you so smart? Aren’t you the little lady of the house? I’d peg you to do more showing than thinking.”
    “What? Excuse me? I think I’ll show you something, Mr. Beck. The door.” Abby headed up the stairs, stomping a little harder than