"It's also the floor below Kate and Grant's place, which is a drawback."
"Hey!" Grant said.
Allie smiled at Carter. "I’ve got to say yes to a nice piece of real estate," she said.
"Only the real estate?" he asked, feeling a little hurt.
She cupped his face and kissed him. "No, Carter. I'm saying yes all for you."
He beamed, grabbed Allie’s fist, and hoisted it in the air.
"She said yes!"
His family laughed and applauded.
"I hope you didn’t purchase that thing on my account," Allie said to Walter.
"It was a good deal, I think. I hope. I'm not a big real estate person, but the old neighbors would always complain whenever I had events there, so you would actually be doing me a favor by moving in. And keeping an eye on Carter."
"Also, we all like you, Allie," Kate said. "We can’t imagine not having you around."
"Also, let me know if Carter starts running you off," Grant said with mock seriousness. "We’ll get him squared up."
Nancy clapped her hands. "Now you have to start designing!" She left and came back into the room with prints of the plans and a board with material samples and paint colors. "This is what I’ve been thinking," she said as she laid everything out on the coffee table.
"I can’t believe you want to jump into yet another renovation project," Jack said.
"I adore designing. We’ll make sure you two have an impeccably decorated space."
75
Allie
It took months for the condo to be ready. It had taken a while to apply for permits, and it was already early summer by the time she and Carter were finally able to move in.
Allie was very tired of living in the tiny studio apartment.
"Hey there, neighbors!" Grant said when she and Carter showed up early for moving day.
"This is a huge place," Allie said, walking around. She still couldn't believe she was going to live there.
"This is almost nicer than the penthouse," Kate said as she walked around.
"We should put a stair here so that we can all be in one huge penthouse," Grant said, teasing Carter.
Carter grimaced.
"I brought some plants for you," Nancy called out as she swept inside.
"I'd like that," Allie said. "I’ve always wanted a garden. I was a little skeptical that all this antique furniture would fit in with such a contemporary space, but it actually goes really well."
"Yes, it used to look very nineties," Nancy said. "All that modern-type furniture was too much. You need some contrast. You don't want too much of the same thing. That's tiresome."
"Hey, my fish tank is in!" Carter said, walking around the enormous tank.
Margot barked at the large solitary grouper.
"I’m jealous," Grant said, peering into the tank.
