by M. C. Cerny
“I know, but I loved that house. Hunter, I was thinking that maybe, I mean, whatever happens, I don’t….” My rambles were interrupted by the phone ringing.
“You better answer that, love.”
“I….”
“Answer the phone.” He nudged me, taking the coffee from me so I could hold the phone in my shaking hands.
“Hello?”
“Taylor Bryant?”
“Yes, this is she.” Nerves rattle me and Hunter moved to sit behind me in the bed, hugging me, his head resting on my shoulder, listening in on the call.
“This is Rodger Culvers, the head of the contest committee.”
“Hi, great, I guess you have news for me then.”
“I do.”
Nerves threatened to make me hurl and Hunter rubbed my back, comforting me.
“Unfortunately you didn’t win the contest although the house was exquisitely beautiful in design and concept. We loved the video, adorable really. It just didn’t meet the mark for the contest itself.”
My heart fell, but it also bounced back up, knowing there was no decision to be made now. I would stay like I’d planned after all and now that I recouped my money, Dad would be okay. Taking a deep breath, Hunter continued to rub my shoulders reassuringly.
“Okay, I mean, that’s not terrible. I already sold the house and made my money back.”
“Oh, that’s fantastic. The committee reviewed the house portfolio and while it was absolutely stunning, we just felt the millions of tiny details wouldn’t translate to the broader market.”
“What does that mean?” I had to know.
“Well, all the crown molding, the handpicked fixtures and space saving shelves, teal accents, everything was just too you. I mean, it was great, but you presented us with your perfect house, not a house meant for another couple out there.”
“Oh.” So basically because the house was everything I imagined and more it wasn’t mainstream enough. It probably explained why I was having separation anxiety since selling my beautiful house. I got what Rodger was saying even if not winning kind of sucked at the moment.
“Listen, I do have another prospect for you, though.”
“What’s that?”
“My producers and I watched the video you had made of the project and we loved the chemistry between you and your boyfriend.”
“Boyfriend?” Did he mean Hunter? We weren’t dating at the time but I guess it was a safe assumption.
“Construction partner, then.” Mr. Culvers implied.
I hadn’t sat to watch the video, so overwhelmed that I slipped the finished DVD into the mail in the nick of time. I trusted Matt and Logan with the final cut of the video. I figured it was what it was and whatever happened would happen, or not.
Hunter snatched the phone from me and spoke to Rodger. “Whatever it is, she’ll say yes and do it.”
“Hunter!” I was grasping at the phone, and Rodger was chuckling, rattling off details I couldn’t hear.
“Baby, I can’t let you not follow your dreams. I’ll be here and the house will be here.”
Confused, I grabbed the phone from him, speaking to Rodger. “I’ll have to call you back and see what the details are. Thanks for the call.” I hang up the phone, looking at Hunter. “What the hell was that about?”
“Taylor Jane, I love you, I love that crazy house, and I want you to pursue whatever offer Rodger has because you’ll make one hot house flipping designer or whatever it is they want you to do.”
“But I’m not leaving.” I grabbed onto his thick arms, getting his attention, but it wasn’t enough. He thought I was leaving? How could I do that when I just got him back? My heart wasn’t leaving New Paltz ever again.
“Oh, baby, you’re going to be the next queen of home design television.”
“Um, Hunter, I love your enthusiasm, I really do, but I’d already decided I wasn’t leaving you. I’m staying here, wherever you are. You are my heart and this is my home.” Turning on the bed, I straddled him and cupped his cheeks to lean over, kissing him deeply. Hunter got all alpha male, flipping me over to exactly where I wanted to be, with him over me, keeping me safe and loved.
“Then it’s a good thing I just bought our starter house, huh?” From his pocket he pulled out a silver chain. A set of new house keys dangled from them along with a diamond platinum ring.
My mouth and eyes rounded out in wonder. Hunter had done the unthinkable but most wonderful thing.
“Hunter Hart, what have you done?” I was speechless. Obviously. Only Hunter had the ability to do this to me.
“Hopefully, made you the happiest woman for the rest of your life? Taylor Jane Bryant, will you marry me?” The man who pushed me away and ran off to the Marines was getting down on one knee to make the forever kind of promises after living a life with a wounded heart. Okay, so he was the one straddling me now, but probably so I didn’t freak out and lock myself in the bathroom for an hour hyperventilating. I loved him more than sunrises, mint chocolate chip ice cream from our diner and all the EpiPens in the world. Hunter Hart would be mine.
“Yes! Yes! Yes!” I pulled him down by the ears and kissed every inch of skin I could get to. We didn’t call Rodger back for three days and we didn’t leave the bedroom the rest of the weekend, too exhausted making love and ordering take-out from the diner. We weren’t exactly fit company, too busy rutting like rabbits to catch up for lost time. Happiest woman ever… Hunter might have made an understatement with that one. I was busting at the seams with joy and now we had a house to fill with all the love we could make.
And apparently a video to watch… just not the kind you’d find on a porn site and for that I was grateful. We could leave that stuff to Kristen and Damien.
34
Taylor Jane
“So can you tell us how the two of you started Hart Construction and Design?”
We looked at each other, and Hunter took my hand in his, retelling our tale or at least the brief version that was PC enough for daytime television. I didn’t think I would ever get tired of hearing this part, the part where Hunter confirmed that he did in fact want me all along. If only my loving caveman had given up a little earlier, although I didn’t think I would have changed anything for the world.
“Well, Ellen, it all began in high school. I took one look at Taylor Jane and I knew deep down she was mine once I got past all the denial and cooties.”
The audience made an awed sound, and Hunter charmed them. Sly devil was probably the wet dream of every woman in the audience between the ages of sixteen and eighty. I couldn’t believe we were actually on the Ellen show right now. After Mom died I focused on learning to live again and organizing my life into something that made sense. Hunter made sense. He always made sense even if he seemed like a long shot, but I didn’t realize he was also my future back then.
“And from there the two of you decided to flip a house and make millions?”
“Not exactly. Taylor Jane, my beautiful wife here, picked the worst house in town, and I felt compelled to save her from ghosts, rabid owls, and shady contractors.”
“Oh, please, you loved every minute of it.”
“Sure, honey, right up until the flooring went out in the bathroom and the power washer nearly took me out of the second story window.”
I smiled because as horrific as some of these things might sound, they were actually some of the best moments for the two of us before we hooked up and never looked back. I liked to image Mr. Hooter found a Mrs. Hooter and made lots of Hooter babies.
“As you can see, Ellen, my husband loves these projects.”
“I love my wife,” he told the audience, who clapped and tittered with excitement.
We were here to release our picture book of designs and anecdotes on our favorite projects since beginning this journey together.
Ellen laughed right along with the audience and showed them pictures of some of the house projects we’d worked on together. Hunter did all the con
struction stuff and left me to design to my heart’s content. I dreamed big and Hunter held me back within reason of our budget. We’d built our little empire out of love and a family we wouldn’t have any other way.
“Well, let’s bring out those adorable babies, shall we?” Ellen jumped up and our kids toddled out holding hands and stuffed bears, running right to Hunter.
He picked them up, perching them high on his shoulders, and they giggled. It was the sweetest sound I’d ever hear.
XOXOX
Want more of the Love By Design Series? You can subscribe to my newsletter for exclusive content and teasers, let me know what you think, or leave a review on Amazon. Love Under Construction is a standalone story in the Love By Design Series. Thank you- xoxo M.C. Cerny
Everything After… And The Kitchen Sink
So… whatever happened to… Kristen and Demon? They’re coming in two shakes of a lamb’s tail, and you only have to wait forty-five days! That’s less time than it takes to get a building permit, or so I’ve been told. These two are feisty, filthy, and fun. I hope you enjoyed reading this series as much as I loved writing it. I’ll be releasing the Love By Design series over the course of 2017-2018. Stay tuned for eight books to make your panties melt and your eyes water with laughter. This small town is big on love.
Unlovely Things
And if you want to get to know Whit and Lia, their full length story, Twenty, will be available in April!
Twenty
Acknowledgments
Sometimes at night when my insomnia is getting the better of me, I watch a bit of television. I’ve dubbed it grown up hour, but really it’s my excuse, my dirty little secret, to put everyone to bed early and let my brain decompress for a short time. One hot summer, a bottle of wine and I fell hard and fast for those Canadian Property Brothers snatching up those handyman specials and bringing couples (hopefully!) closer together flipping those hot messes.
Then I wondered what would happen if… there was this contest to flip a house and that house had a lot of meaning for two people who really needed to be together? For a couple who needed to stop the years of denial and sexual tension. Friends are good for that and so are the other friends who all know it, but don’t say it and wait for the day it happens sweetly. It’s like a cherry tart of love exploding in your face, tangy followed by sweet, and unexpected—but so worth the hot mess. Yeah, that’s what Taylor Jane and Hunter’s story is for you, one sticky sweet cherry tart. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading it. These two were one hell of a ride and made me laugh all the way from the shaky foundation to the rooftop. Plus, I’ve always had this fantasy of power washing the crap out of my boyfriend, who deserves it from time to time. This is probably as close as I’ll ever get. I’ve been banned from house projects on account of usually biting off more than I can chew.
This book is for the believers and the authors who craft amazing stories in our indie world. Big love! Especially the fabulous Mrs. Hiddleston, Mrs. Renner, and Bunny. You make me laugh when I need it the most and spank me when I need it more! Thanks for naming the salon Vodka and Wash. Drinks are on me!
A special thank you goes to Emily A. Lawrence. I bow down at her editorial throne for her wisdom and expertise.
There are many people who have my thanks and appreciation each time a project releases. Without your support, it would be impossible to write these stories.
XOXO
About the Author
M.C. Cerny fell in love with books after experiencing her first real ugly cry reading, Where The Red Fern Grows. Her debut romantic suspense novel, Flashpoint was written in a series of post-it-note ramblings that would likely make her idol Tom Clancy and her mother blush. She is a post graduate of NYU, and calls rural NJ home with her menagerie of human and feline fur-babies. When M.C. is not writing, you’ll find her lurking in Starbucks, running stupid marathons, singing Disney show tunes, and searching out the perfect shade of pink nail polish.
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Other Titles by M.C. Cerny
DESIGNED BY LOVE SERIES
Love Under Construction
Unlovely Things
Twenty
Tailwind
Love Actually
Mission For Love
Baby Love
Love On Tap
GOLD BEACH SERIES
Summer Ever After
Remains of Winter
Roman Holliday – A Novella
NIGHT OWL – THE COMPLETE SERIAL
Night Owl
On Air
Radio Silent
Song Bird
Wicked Games
THE REED SERIES
Flashpoint
Pulse Point
THE MONROE MATCHMAKERS
Under The Mist
letoe #1
The Naughty List #2
Own The Night #3
DEFINED SERIES
Deviation
Contusion
STANDALONE NOVELS
Dream Catcher
An Eye For An Eye
Angel
Blackout