Smitten by Colleen Coble Read Free Book Online Page A

honeymooners aren’t going to want to cook. The plumbing is already in place, and the tub would have a good view of the fireplace.”
    She was good. He was beginning to catch her vision for the space. “The bedroom is through that door,” he said, pointing to their left. She stepped into the next room, and he heard her gasp. “It’s a little rough,” he said.
    The room held four cots, all with older bedding. The legs on the cots were metal, and some were rusting. The pillows were misshapen and the bedspreads were faded. The space felt dark too.
    “All of this has to go,” she said. “Whitewashing in here too. The floors need to be sanded everywhere and refinished a natural color.” She pointed. “Bathroom through here?”
    “Yep.” He followed her to the small space and glanced around. The china sink was a little stained. The shower was a plain twenty-four-inch enclosure.
    “This all needs to be gutted,” she said. “You need bigger showers, preferably tiled or with marble or granite.”
    “This is all going to be expensive.”
    “You need top-quality materials in here, but it will pay off.”
    “What if it doesn’t? I’ll have to pour a fortune into this many cabins. If your idea fails, we’ll all lose our shirts.”
    She turned toward him, and she was close enough that he could see the gold flecks in her brown eyes. “Catch the vision, Carson. Close your eyes and see it.”
    Her voice was so persuasive that he nearly shut his lids. He forced himself to glance around. For just an instant, he could see firelight gleaming on polished wood floors, the luxurious fabrics on the furniture and windows. “Okay, I’m on board,” he said.

C HAPTER S IX
    N atalie finished her notes at the counter of the larger two-bedroom cabin while Carson watched. She put her pen back into her bag and held out a paper to him. “Here’s the list of things that I suggest.”
    “You’re good at this, Natalie. I can see why you’ve made a success of your business.”
    Before she could respond, her cell phone rang. She dug it out and saw it was Lisa calling. Not now . She was tempted not to answer it, but it might be important. “Hi, Lisa,” she said into the phone. She turned away from Carson’s shuttered expression.
    “Nat, you have to help me.” Lisa’s voice was strident.
    Uh - oh . Natalie hated to deal with her sister when she was agitated. “What’s wrong?”
    “I’m in jail.”
    “Jail? ”
    “In Chicago,” Lisa said. “The idiot cop said I was loitering. I was just sleeping on the park bench. That’s not a crime. I need some money for bail.”
    The only time Lisa called was when she needed money. “Aren’t you even interested in how Mia is doing?”
    “I’m sure she’s fine. She has you, after all. I’m going to need two thousand dollars.”
    “Two thousand! I don’t have that kind of money.” There was something suspicious here. Loitering wouldn’t demand that much of a fine. “Were you selling drugs, Lisa?”
    “Of course not.”
    But there was a defensive note in her sister’s voice that made Natalie’s heart sink. Tough love . Her pastor had told her she had to quit bailing Lisa out. Every time Natalie had resolved to do just that, she’d weakened when her sister begged for help. This time Natalie couldn’t do it, though.
    “Natalie, are you there?”
    “I’m here. I can’t help you, Lisa.”
    “You have to send me the money. I’ll take Mia away from you if you don’t!”
    Natalie’s lungs contracted. Losing Mia was her biggest fear. She should have gotten legal help ages ago, but she’d been busy with life and her shop and hadn’t done it. One year had slipped into the next. Even though she’d made the decision to pursue adoption, she hadn’t called an attorney yet.
    “I don’t have the money,” she said softly.
    “Well, you’d better find it!”
    The phone slammed down in Natalie’s ear. Her thoughts racing, she put her phone away.
    Carson’s brow was furrowed