Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 121728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
“C’mon. Let me put the food in the kitchen, then I’ll give you a quick tour before we sit down for dinner.”
As she trailed behind him, she took a better look around at the home’s interior.
The front door led directly into a great room with a high ceiling. Beyond that was an open kitchen with all stainless steel appliances. It had a decent-sized island with stools along one side. A door at the back of the kitchen looked like it led outside.
After placing the take-out bag on the counter, he returned to the great room and tipped his head. “This way.”
They stepped into a short hallway that ran north to south off the main room.
He pointed straight ahead. “That’s the bathroom shared by the two bedrooms on this side of the house.”
He headed toward the room at the front. The door was open and the light was on.
“This is Val’s room if you haven’t guessed already by the abundance of toys and the amount of pink, purple and turquoise.”
While the common area of the house was clean and neat, Val’s room was a disaster area.
“Just a note here, because I don’t want you to panic, cleaning wouldn’t be part of the arrangement. I have a housekeeper come in once a week. Plus, every couple of days, I make Val straighten her room. I just ask that you pick up after yourself.”
Something she normally did anyway. She liked to stay organized and not live in a constant state of chaos.
They headed past the bathroom to the back bedroom. He opened the door and flipped on the light. “This room would be yours…”
It was the same size as Val’s room, but without the colorful explosion. The carpet and walls were a neutral tan and the room itself a good size. If she took him up on his offer, she’d have plenty of space. In fact, the bedroom wasn’t much smaller than her entire motel room.
“You could make it your own. Decorate it how you’d like. I could also hang a TV on the wall so you could have a private space.”
“I figured you used the spare bedroom as your office.”
“No, I’ll show you that area next.”
She took one last glance around the bedroom, trying to picture herself living in it, before he closed the door and they took the short trek across the great room to the other side of the house.
With her eyes following them, Val turned the page of her book and shouted, “J is for jam!” as they passed her. She was no longer on the couch but stretched out on her belly on the floor with Finn sprawled next to her giving himself a thorough tongue bath.
So far, his home appeared much nicer than where she was currently staying. With the exception of Val’s bedroom, the rest of the home appeared clean and very neat.
“She looks like you,” Sloane whispered as they stepped into another area that was a combination hallway/entryway. “Even though you have a beard, I can see the similarities in your facial features and expressions. And even in your mannerisms.”
“My sister and I looked a lot alike.”
“She could easily pass as your biological daughter.”
Instead of responding, he pointed to his left. “Behind that door is a small pantry.”
He hooked a right into a narrow area with a built-in desk and some cabinets. If this was his office, it wasn’t much of one.
“It’s not huge, but it’s functional. If it doesn’t work for you, I can figure out something else. The door to the garage is right there. Unfortunately, there’s no way to close off this space from the main house for privacy or quiet during your meetings unless I install a door to close off this side of the house.”
“Truthfully, I don’t need much space. You saw where I was working. Since I use a laptop, I can work anywhere in the house, even outside if the weather’s decent. But it would be nice to have somewhere to keep any paperwork organized. Fortunately, I don’t have much since we do almost everything electronically. It’s more efficient and creates less waste.”
“No surprise. I hardly get any mail anymore. Everything can be paid online and my paycheck is direct deposit.”
It was the same for her. She thought about getting a post office box after moving out of her condo so she could receive mail but all bills and statements were now available online.
“Anyway, the internet works great, even outside. There’s a screened porch out back off the kitchen. Unfortunately, since the weather’s turning, it won’t be much use until spring.”
She followed him when he turned around and walked out of the office and back into the small entry/hallway. He pointed to a door cracked open. “Behind the office is the laundry room. Finn’s litter box is in there, so I always leave the door ajar. The door across from it is my bedroom suite with its own bathroom. Unfortunately, you’d have to share the other bathroom with Val. And warning, she can be a little tornado. I’ve been trying to teach her to clean up after herself, but it’s a struggle.”