Page 42 of Suddenly Yours

“Yeah. It was crumbling. I figured if I was going to fix it, I might as well do it right.” I shrugged. “There’s another one in the master bedroom. It’s the same style.”

Her eyes lit up. “You’re kidding.”

“Nope. Apparently, fireplaces were the original flex in homes back then. They’re great during the winter nights around here though.”

She nodded. “There’s one in my place. I love them.”

We moved into the kitchen, which was… a work in progress. The new cabinets weren’t finished yet, but the frames were up, raw wood waiting for doors, which I was building myself out in the garage. The old countertops were gone and replaced temporarily with plywood until the granite arrived.

“The new granite is coming soon.” I showed her the sample of what I’d picked.

She leaned against the island frame, looking down at the sample. “I can already see it. What color will the cabinets be?”

“The uppers I’ll paint a cream.” I pulled out the sample that I’d chosen. “The lower ones, royal blue to match the shutters outside. I’m trying to keep with a theme.”

“I love it. It’s going to be amazing.” She glanced around and I could tell she was imagining it in her mind. “I’m so impressed that you’re doing everything all by yourself.”

“Mostly,” I admitted. “Except the countertop installation. I respect my limits.”

She laughed, then glanced down the hall. “Show me the rest.”

Down the hallway was the formal dining room, a small powder room, and the room I was going to turn into my office. There was a full wall of built-in bookshelves that I wanted to refurbish, and I would possibly add a desk to match. I even thought about adding a window seat in the bay window that overlooked the side yard and the Atlantic beyond. I had yet to start working on any of these spaces, aside from their floors.

At the front of the house was a larger living room with a small sofa and TV set that I used as a temporary relaxation zone.

I took her upstairs, pointing out little things as we went—the rebuilt stair railings, the way I’d reinforced the steps so they didn’t creak like they were fresh out of a horror movie soundtrack.

Besides the floors and the mechanics of the house, upstairs is where I’d spent the most time and effort so far. The master bedroom was the first room that I’d finished, and I finally had real furniture in it and, most importantly, a real bed.

She paused in the doorway. “This is all so nice. You’re almost ready for your feature in Better Homes and Gardens,” she teased.

I grinned. I still had a few touches left to finish, but all the hard work was done. “Mock me all you want, but it’s getting there,” I joked.

She laughed and slapped my shoulder. “It’s much better than last time I was here. I remember that you were sleeping on an air mattress,” she said, eyes dancing. “I think you said that it tried to kill you.”

“Twice. I woke up on the floor more than once. I’m officially done with that phase of my life.”

The fireplace here mirrored the one downstairs, throwing warmth into the space even unlit. The walls were still bare, but the bones were good.

“Show me the bathrooms?” she asked.

“My bathroom’s completely done,” I said proudly. “The second one up here is tiled but still needs fixtures.”

I opened the door to the master bath and watched her reaction.

She didn’t disappoint and gasped with excitement.

The floor was tiled in soft gray stone. The subtle marbling caught the light, making it shine. The shower was glassed in and tiled from floor-to-ceiling with a mix of white and slate tiles. A classic rainfall shower head was mounted overhead. And beside the frosted window, where the light poured in during the day, sat a restored clawfoot bathtub. Its white porcelain gleamed like new, as did the brushed nickel feet.

“Oh, Cade,” she breathed. “This is… incredible.”

I shrugged, suddenly feeling self-conscious. “I wanted it to feel… solid. Calm. Like you could breathe in here.”

She turned to me slowly. “You nailed it.”

“Yeah.”

“You built yourself a home,” she said softly.