“Have these ever been used?” I ask Taylor quietly.
Robert’s just asked Vito what he does for a living, so Taylor seems a little more relaxed talking with the homeowner distracted.
She leans in close and says, “I don’t think he cooks much.”
I nod, wondering why on earth he’d put in such a gorgeous kitchen and not use it, but then I remember he mentioned a late wife, and my stomach tightens.
I don’t ask anything more and follow Taylor’s lead. She shows us the downstairs powder room, and Vito takes a look under the sink and lifts the lid off the toilet tank. He flushes the toilet once, then looks up at me with a sweet, wide smile.
“Nothing to report, chief,” he says. “Carry on.”
He and Robert haven’t stopped talking about the house and safety issues since Vito revealed he’s a firefighter, so I guess that could be a good thing.
The house has a dining room to the right of the entryway. We passed it to go toward the kitchen, and we head back there after I see the laundry room and the powder room. The dining room is a little empty of furniture and pictures, which seems a bit odd, but the size is fine. We walk past the staircase and front door to the left, coming to a family room that is open to the kitchen. The family room has a fireplace, and it’s clear there’s been some more renovation here.
“This was originally a Georgian,” Taylor explains, “so the living room off the kitchen had that wall to keep it separate. But the family room has been renovated to open up the floor plan a bit. Permits were pulled, of course. The home passed all its inspections, and only licensed contractors were used.”
There was a time when I might not have cared at all about that, but after the fire in the rental house, I’m relieved to hear that things were done to code here. I flick a glance at Vito, who looks like he’s half listening to me, half listening to Robert. He lifts his eyebrows at me as if to ask how I’m liking it, and I give a short nod, trying not to give too much away.
He slowly nods back, all casual and chill so that it looks like he’s just mulling over something Robert has said.
Our little nonverbal exchange prickles the hairs on my arms. The easy intimacy with this man makes me wonder what else could feel easy and right with him.
“There are four bedrooms,” Taylor says loudly, dragging my attention away from Vito. “And two full baths. Shall we take a look?”
This is the biggest of the homes that we’re looking at today. Four bedrooms, two full baths upstairs and the powder room downstairs. There’s a basement, a backyard, and a garage.
As we take the carpeted stairs, I realize that moving to Ohio was a really smart move financially.
The upstairs of this place could be a house of horrors, but based on that kitchen alone, I already know the truth in my heart. I want it. This is a place I could make a home for Junie and me. I can just imagine a dog running in the fenced yard, breakfasts at that eat-in area. I haven’t had holidays in the Midwest before, so picturing the leaves changing, snow drifting over the thick limbs of the mature trees…
My heart rate starts to pick up, and I begin to grin uncontrollably. For the first time since I got pregnant, I feel like I can have fun with my life. I have a little money. I have a beautiful baby. I might have a house.
After everything I’ve been through on my own these last couple of years, I am beginning to see a path to something that feels real. That feels like mine.
I can’t stop myself from looking over at Vito and imagining him being here with me. Not just for support. Waking up with him. Washing dishes with him beside me.
A sudden flush creeps up my neck, and I have to wave my hand in front of my face to cool off. That kind of thinking is way too much. We’re just friends, and barely that. And with my track record, a new house is more than enough reality to manage.
I clutch Junie tighter and follow Taylor’s perfectly pedicured toes up the stairs.
When we hit the landing at the top, Vito rests a light hand against my lower back. “You want me to carry her?” he asks. “You look flushed.”
I shake my head and sputter, “I’m good.” I’ve got to put some distance between him and me.
I follow Taylor into the bathroom at the top of the stairs. I’m half tempted to splash cold water on myself, but I don’t.
I clear my throat and push past Vito’s stupidly sexy arm, which he’s using to lean against the bathroom door.
“Master bedroom?” I ask, using every ounce of willpower not to think about the fact that the master bedroom is going to have a nice, big, beautiful bed.
* * *
By the timewe’ve finished the walk-through, Robert and Vito are talking in the driveway. Robert is pointing up at the roof, and Vito’s got a pair of sunglasses covering his face. He’s looking up where Robert is gesturing, which I hope means he’s trying to point out something about the roof that’s positive, like it’s been repaired or replaced recently.
“So,” Taylor asks, placing her heels back on as I’m setting Junie on the tile foyer floor while I slip my shoes back on. Taylor’s grin is huge, and she lowers her voice. “What do you think? Did you like it? Is this a place you could see living with your family?”
My heart catches in my throat at her question. Even though I told her that Vito is just a friend, I’m sure she’s not really interested in the specifics. She just wants to know if I’m interested enough to make an offer on the house.
