“I know you’re trying, Scottie,” he says as if he can read my mind. “You should know that you don’t need to know everything about her or this home to take care of what she left behind.”
I’m ready to thank him for that when a loud crash rattles the ceiling. My hands come up to cover my head and Tucker hovers over me as if we’re both bracing for the blow.
But it doesn’t come.
He stands, extending his hand to help me up. “We should probably go rescue the rest of the house from Nan.” He snatches his hand back quickly, bringing it to his chin as if deep inthought. “Unless we leave her be and she can go at that vintage tub with the hammer.”
“Don’t talk about my tub like that.”
He laughs and I do too.
He extends his hand again, this time leaving it there. “Come on, Scottie.”
I nod, carefully closing the box and pushing it back into the storage space before I take his hand. The moment our palms connect, the warmth surges through me.
This time when I walk toward the crew and where everyone is, it’s not because of a schedule or a cue. I step forward because,finally, this house feels like it’s opening itself up to me.
I stand in the middle of the bathroom with my hands on my hips.
The tile is finally gone. We let Nan stay to take out some of her built-up rage on those, which means we got them removed in record time. The dumpster outside is now full of pink debris that felt impossible this morning, but is now gone, giving me a fresh slate for this room.
Before Nan left I wanted to ask her questions, but she claimed a hot shower and recorded soaps operas were calling her name. I don’t blame her because she put in a lot of work helping us get rid of the tile.
I wipe sweat from my eyebrows with the back of my wrist. The bathroom feels naked, like it’s showing us its bones.
The heels clicking in the hallway force me to turn my head to the empty doorway. Seconds later, Andrea fills the space, phone in hand, clicking away. She finally lifts her head. “All right. We’ve got the demo footage we need. The chemistry and banter are reading well on camera. I figured we could tackle installing the single sink and the flooring tomorrow. Does that work?”
I bite my tongue so hard, I almost taste blood. I’m so sick and tired of hearing about the chemistry between Tucker and I instead of the good progress we’re making on the house.
“Yep,” I settle on.
“Perfect! See you tomorrow, Scottie.”
I watch her leave and listen for the click of her heels to fade before I sigh, relaxing my shoulders. I take a few steps to the window over the toilet, leaning forward to look out and notice the incredible view from up here. It’s been so long since I’ve stayed this late after filming—embracing the quiet of this house without any drills or hammers around me.
It’s peaceful in a way I’m not used to. The lake in the distance sits low and glassy, catching the last streaks of sunlight in its reflection, and the mountains rise behind it in soft blue layers that don’t even look real.
This house feels like my home, even half torn apart.
But could I live here?
When I first came to Bluestone Lakes, I didn’t know if I saw myself staying here when the project was over. I knew I wanted a place to call my own, but could this really be it? Do I want it to be it?
I stand upright and step away from the window, my body crashes against someone, and I let out a shriek. When I turn around, I see Tucker standing there, arms crossed and grinning.
“You scared the shit out of me,” I tell him. “Don’t you have to leave to go to work?”
“Griffin is covering the bar tonight.”
My heart kicks into overdrive again. He’schoosingto stay here with me. Or maybe I’m just looking into it too much. Oh my god,what is wrong with me?
“The plan is flooring tomorrow?” he asks, and I nod. “I hope you’re prepared to pick a grout color so we don’t have to argue about it.”
I aim to kick him in the shin, but he dodges, laughing under his breath. My stomach does a traitorous flip at the sound. It’sthe kind of laugh that screams trouble and tells you to stay away before you’re sucked in too far again.
Before I can say anything back, he points to the tub. “Want to start scrubbing the tub? It’s going to take a while, and we can at least get it cleaned up at least before we need to re-glaze it.”
I swallow. “Uh. Yeah. We can do that.”
