Finding Ms. Right Box Set

Chapter 4-1

Chapter 4

Edie knocked on the front door and heard muffled giggling inside the house. She knew the McConnells had children, but had assumed they would have been in school by now. It was after eight already. A full minute passed, but no one answered the door. She knocked again.

More giggling, this time right up against the other side of the door. The knob turned, and finally the door opened a crack. A young girl of maybe ten stared up at Edie with large, guilty eyes.

Edie gave her a bright smile. “Hey there, missy. Are your parents home?”

The girl shook her head quickly. From somewhere behind her, a boy’s voice called out, “Who is it?”

“Hush, Mikey,” the girl snapped. “You’ll wake Jo.”

Mikey pried the door open farther and ducked his head out under the girl’s arm to take a look at Edie. Definitely brother and sister, and he was a good two or three years younger than she.

Concerned they had been left alone, Edie peered around them into the darkened living room beyond. “Shouldn’t you two be in school?”

The boy giggled into his fists. “Not today!” he shrieked.

His sister shushed him again, but not before Edie heard a sleepy moan from somewhere inside. With her hand on the front door, she peeked into the house and saw a woman stretched out on the sofa. Short dark hair swirled around the woman’s head like a nimbus, and she wore slacks and a patterned pull-on top, the kind of clothing Edie always thought of as business casual.

“Now you’ve done it,” the girl muttered darkly. “When she gets up, we’ll have to go to school and it’ll be all your fault.”

On the sofa the woman stirred, then sleepily rubbed her hand across her face. “What time is it?” she mumbled.

Edie took a step inside. “Ms. McConnell?”

“What?” The woman sat up, blinking, and frowned at her surroundings. “Yes, that’s me. Who are you?”

Before Edie could answer, Ms. McConnell noticed the time display on the DVD player and let out a small gasp. “Damn it, Ava! Why’d you let me sleep?” She ran a hand over her hair to smooth it down and frowned at the children. “Don’t tell me you missed the bus.”

Mikey lowered his hands from his mouth long enough to cry out triumphantly, “We did! Ava said if we didn’t wake you up, we wouldn’t have to go to school today!”

Edie felt the moment slipping out of her control. Clearing her throat to turn everyone’s attention her way, she ventured, “Ms. McConnell? I’m here to review the renovations, but if now isn’t a good time…”

“What? No, no, it’s fine.” The woman turned away and yawned. “Let me get some coffee or something first. I’m sorry, what was your name again?”

“Edie. Edie Davis.” Hoping to jog the woman’s memory, she added, “With Davis Contractors.”

“Right, right.” As she stood, the woman stretched her arms towards the ceiling, then smoothed her shirt back into place. She had large dark eyes that looked like pools of ink in the paleness of her face, and a cute pixie cut that made her look younger than she probably was. Though Edie tended to prefer femme women with long hair and curls, she had to admit this one was cute in a pert, perky kind of way.

And polite, too. Despite her lingering sleepiness, she invited Edie inside, and once Ava had closed the door, Ms. McConnell asked, “Can I get you some coffee? Or something to drink?”

“No, I’m good.” Edie trailed behind her into the dining room, setting her portfolio on the table while Ms. McConnell continued to the kitchen. As Edie spread out the documents she wanted to review, she heard the tell-tale sounds of a coffeemaker starting up, and within minutes, the rich aroma of hot java filled the home.

The children stayed in the living room, and now that the woman was up, they turned on the television in search of morning cartoons. When Ms. McConnell came back into the dining room, a steaming mug of coffee in one hand, she hollered over the loud television, “Don’t get too comfortable! I’m taking you to school in an hour.”

“Aww!” Ava groaned from out of sight.

Her brother quipped, “Do you have to?”

“What do you think this is, a holiday?” Ms. McConnell gave Edie a pretty smile and, lowering her voice, explained, “Kids. Give ‘em an inch and they take a mile.”

Edie nodded sympathetically. “Your husband said you were expecting another?” she asked, with a pointed look at the woman’s slim frame.

Confusion clouded Ms. McConnell’s face. “My what?”

Quickly Edie checked her paperwork. “Michael McConnell. We spoke last week about the renovations. I’m sorry, I assumed—”

“Wait, no.” The woman laughed, a deep, rich sound that set Edie at ease. “There’s been some sort of misunderstanding. I’m not married, and I’m sure as hell not expecting.”

“Aren’t you Ms. McConnell?” Edie asked, also confused.

Suddenly the woman’s brow cleared. “Ah, I get it. Yes and no. Yes, I’m a McConnell, but I’m Joanne, not Shelly. Michael’s my brother.”