“The address we’re going to is number twelve,” Juliette said, speaking for the first time since they’d left the dance studio.
He would’ve been able to figure out which house they were headed to without the additional information. At one time, a number of small houses, several of which had only been used as vacation homes in the summer, lined Oak Ridge. Now only three remained: a mini-mansion and two small cottages that had belonged to the same family for four generations. The cottages were so old they had outside showers, or at least they had when he’d visited his friend Bill there as a kid, and no central heat. And if it’d been up to the owners of Twelve Oak Ridge Lane, the cottages wouldn’t be on the dead-end street either.
“I’m surprised the owners are selling this already. They only built the house about four years ago.” He didn’t know how long it had taken to complete or when the owners moved in, but he remembered when his dad refused to sell land to the couple. Roughly a year later, they started construction here instead.
Juliette closed the folder and tucked it on the floor next to her purse. “If I buy this house, I won’t have to worry about any noisy neighbors keeping me up at night.”
“Yeah, no one will be stopping by and asking to borrow flour either.”
“Are there even any other homes on this street?”
Turning onto the driveway, he wondered what the multimillionaires who’d first approached his dad had finally constructed. With it set so far back from the road, curious eyes could only view the home from the water or by driving down the driveway.
“There used to be more. The owners of this place made generous offers to all the other property owners. Only one family turned them down. They own the two cottages at the end of the road. Once the couple owned the properties, they tore down the five or six buildings that were here. They also purchased some land from Camp Evergreen, the kids’ summer camp we passed.”
“Sounds drastic and unnecessarily expensive. They couldn’t find any other land in town?”
A large Victorian-style house complete with a tower came into view, looking about as different from what he’d expected as possible. “There isn’t a lot of land available on the lake. And the few lots that come up from time to time are usually small. The people who built this first tried to get my dad to sell them some land. He refused all their offers. I’m not sure I would’ve said no to their final one, but it wasn’t up to me.”
Since they’d built the house in a style popular over a century ago, he expected the interior to also replicate a home from the same period. He’d never been more wrong. While the main foyer fell in line with what he expected, the kitchen resembled something from a sci-fi movie, while the largest of the two living rooms on the first floor had a whole safari theme going on complete with an animal skin rug. And forget about the music room. It appeared as though someone had plucked it straight out of one of those Gilded-Age mansions built in Newport during the late 1800s. He’d never meet the owners, but either they were the most eccentric couple on the planet, allowed a five-year-old to do the decorating, or simply had no taste.
“I remember when they built this house, Caryn. The owners went through a lot of effort to get a spot on the lake. Do you know why they are selling?” It wouldn’t surprise him if the owners had woken up one morning, noticed what a disastrous mess they’d created, and decided it was easier to sell and start over than to redo what they had.
“Deidra decided she wanted something in the mountains instead. Personally, I’d rather be on the lake, but to each their own. They started construction on a log cabin in Franconia late last summer.”
He loved the mountains, but if given a choice between seeing the lake every morning or the mountains, he’d take the water.
“Deidra and Mateo are motivated to sell, and the price includes all the furnishings. I’m sure you noticed the property has been on the market since September.” Caryn led them down to a set of french doors, and he wondered what decorating faux pas waited for them on the other side.
Rather than find a home office decorated as if it belonged in the medieval period or a game room that resembled an old 1920s speakeasy, two things he wouldn’t have been surprised about at this point, he walked into an indoor pool area more or less devoid of any decoration except for the lounge chairs and a hot tub in the far corner.
“Between the three of us, the unique décor has turned off the few potential buyers I’ve brought through.”
Unique décor. Was that what you called it? “I wonder why?” he whispered into Juliette’s ear when she paused to open the sauna door and peek inside.
“I’ve known Deidra for several years. She likes extremes. I recommended they make some changes before putting the home on the market, but she didn’t see the need. Nina, their listing agent, should have told them the same thing.”
There was no For Sale sign out front, but he’d assumed Caryn’s agency was handling the sale. From the sound of it, Caryn and the owners were friends, so maybe they’d decided to go with someone else rather than involve a friend in a financial matter.
“My guess is Nina didn’t because she’s engaged to Deidra’s eldest son. I know when Gerald and I were engaged, I never would’ve said anything like that to his mother.”
Juliette or anyone else not familiar with Caryn might find it odd that she offered up so much information about the current homeowners. He’d known Caryn and her family much of his life. If the woman hadn’t shared so much additional personal info, it would have surprised him.
Caryn left them standing near the sauna and walked to the far end of the room. “The pool is saltwater.” She pressed a button, and the blinds rose to reveal a wall of glass. On the other side was a manmade beach area and the lake. “This is one of my favorite rooms in the house. I just love the view.”
He had to agree it was spectacular.
“I don’t know if you can see it from where you’re standing, but there’s a boat dock at the end of the beach.”
The house had an indoor pool and a sauna. Naturally, it had a boat dock. Somewhere inside there was probably a private bowling alley.
After strolling through the home library that looked like it’d been ripped from the set of a Jane Austen novel, Caryn led them upstairs and through the six bedroom suites. Much like on the first floor, each room had its own unique decor style. A third-floor game room complete with a pool table and a wet bar rounded out the home's primary living areas. The crazy decorating scheme aside, if he had the money, he’d consider buying the place just to have the indoor pool and game room.
Aaron pulled up the contact number for Bruno’s Pizza in his phone. After looking at the various properties, they’d headed back to the cottage to eat dinner. “Anything specific you want on the pizzas?”
“Not really,” Juliette answered, looking up from the stack of paperwork in her folder.
Her response didn’t help him much, especially since Bruno’s had everything from a breakfast pizza covered with scrambled eggs and bacon to what they called the Belly Buster, an extra-large Sicilian-style pizza covered with fried chicken fingers, french fries, and mozzarella sticks. Personally, he couldn’t imagine eating a pizza topped with such a combination, but he’d heard it was popular.
“Okay, are there any toppings I should avoid?” He’d eat almost any type of pizza set in front of him. He’d even eat anchovies in a pinch, but give him a pizza with pineapple and jalapeno peppers, a strange combination his sister loved, and he’d rather go hungry.
“I’m not a fan of black olives or broccoli on pizza.” She went back to separating the paperwork into four piles, one for each of the properties they’d viewed. “You know what, if you don’t mind, I’d love a pizza with sausage on it.”
He loved meat of any kind on his pizza, so if she wanted sausage, he’d get one with it. “Do you want anything besides pizza?” He planned to order a side of onion rings. The combination might not make the healthiest of dinners, but so what? An unhealthy meal every
once in a while never killed anyone.
Juliette added a plot plan to a pile and shook her head. “I’ll eat whatever you get.”
By the time he’d called in their order, she’d finished separating the paperwork and was reviewing one of the piles in more detail.
“The food should be here in about thirty-five to forty minutes.” He took the empty seat next to her and glanced at the property disclosure she held. “Any thoughts about what we looked at today?” She hadn’t said too much about any of the homes or the old dance studio.
“Except for all the pink, I like the old dance school. It’s well laid out, there is adequate seating for parents who stay and wait for their children, and all the major areas were updated recently.” She pulled out an interior and exterior diagram of the school from a pile. “And if I put an addition onto the building here, I could make a locker room so dancers have a place other than the bathrooms to change and a room for the teachers to relax or eat between classes.” She gestured to the back-left corner of the building. “I might wait on that, though.”
It sounded like she’d made up her mind about opening a business. “You’re going to make an offer on the building then?”
“My mind was more or less made up before we walked into the place today. And I spent some time earlier today working on a business plan. I’d love to be able to open for the summer, but I’m not sure that’s realistic, even if everything goes perfectly. But unless something unexpected comes up, it should be open for the fall, and that’s when most dance schools start their new classes for the year anyway.” Juliette returned the diagrams to the appropriate pile.
Whether or not she opened a business in town shouldn’t matter to him. He’d known her only a few weeks, and during some of them, he’d kept his distance. But her ultimate decisions did matter, and not only because if she reopened the school his niece would once again have a place to do what she loved.
Nope, it had everything to do with her remaining in town because he enjoyed her company and wanted to see where this thing between them went, which would be next to impossible if she returned to Manhattan.
“I can’t live in the dance school, though, so I’d like to find a house before I check out of here,” she said, reaching a pile. “If I don’t, I’ll have to either rent this cabin for another few months or try to find something temporary nearby.”
He left the running of the campground to Mom. But he didn’t need to check the reservation system to know that this cabin, as well as the ones around her, might be available for a day or two here or there, but that was about it. People booked the cottages for the summer a year in advance.
But she could stay with him. It’d be easy enough to add a bed to the empty bedroom, and Candace could use his office if she needed a place to study.
“There’s—” He stopped himself. They’d been in whatever this was for less than a week. Offering to let her stay with him was crazy. No, it wasn’t crazy; it was insane. Especially since he no longer lived alone. Before he invited Juliette or anyone else he got involved with to move in, he needed to consider his niece.
“There’s what?”
“Several motels in the North Conway area and a handful of bed-and-breakfasts in Ashford, if you haven’t closed on a house by the time you check out.”
“I’m not worried about it.”
Before he changed his mind and offered her the use of the spare bedroom, he better move the conversation along. “What did you think of the houses we looked at?” In terms of location, the eclectic Victorian took the number one spot in his book. Its spot on the lake rivaled his house’s.
A playful smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she rested her chin on her hand. “I think they all need a little more of the color pink inside.”
He should keep his hands to himself, at least until they finished their conversation. Maybe even until after they ate. But with her so close and no one else around, he couldn’t do it. Slowly, he brushed his fingers down her arm and over the top of her hand before threading them through hers. “Merry Baxter would probably agree with you there. Either she loves the color or the store had a good sale on pink paint the last time she painted the school. But seriously, did you like any of the houses today?”
“I loved the location and the overall floor plan of the one on Oak Ridge. The interior is another matter, but my cousin’s wife is an interior designer. She would work wonders on the place. By the time she finished, you wouldn’t even know it was the same house. And there I would have enough room for my family to visit.”
He’d noticed the asking price on the house listing. Granted, it was a new house with an excellent spot on the lake, but it seemed ridiculous to spend so much on a place and then dump even more money into it. He was about to share his opinion when he remembered who he sat next to. Juliette might act like the girl next door, but she was as close to being that as he was to being the Tooth Fairy. She could hand over the ridiculous asking price, pay for any renovations, and not make a dent in her savings account.
“Remodeling takes time,” he said instead.
“Yeah, but it’s not like the house is uninhabitable as is. I could live there while the changes are being made.”
“What about the house on Bedford Street?” Located on the Ashford side of the lake, the property's location wasn’t as nice as the Victorian’s and it wasn’t as new, but at least the interior didn’t look like a five-year-old had done the decorating.
She picked up the property listing and glanced over it. “The views of the lake aren’t as nice, and the houses on either side are rather close. But I liked the inside a lot.”
He’d rather not live in a house with neighbors so close. He’d done it when he lived in Boston, and given a choice, he’d never do it again. But Juliette called Manhattan home. He’d think she’d be used to having such close quarters. “It’s also a lot older than the other two we looked at and smaller.”
“The neighbors being so close bothers me more than the age of the house.”
“No close neighbors on Cedar Road.” Also in Ashford, the home on Cedar Road was almost as large as the first one they’d looked at and sat on six acres of land. Although not on the water, the landscaping around it almost made up for not being on the lake.
Juliette reached for the details of the final property. “I liked this one a lot too. But I do wish it was on the lake. Which one did you like better?”
Far too often, when a woman asked a man for his opinion, it didn’t end well for the man. He’d rather avoid saying the wrong thing tonight. “It doesn’t matter which one I liked. I don’t have to live there.” He lowered his head toward her neck as he spoke. “Which one do you like better?”
He kissed the skin just below her earlobe. Like when he’d kissed her there last night, he heard her sharp intake of breath. Wanting to hear the sound again while at the same time not having to answer her question, he brushed his lips over the spot a second time.
“Are you trying to get out of giving me your opinion by distracting me?” she asked, placing her hand over the very spot he’d kissed.
So much for keeping silent on the issue. “Of course not.”
Dropping her hand, she inched her chair away from him. “Good. Then which of the three did you like best?”
Well, if he had to answer, he’d be honest. “In terms of location, the first. As far as the house itself, I prefer the last.” Aaron grabbed the back of her chair and pulled it closer to him again. “What about you?”
“At the moment, it’s almost a tie between those two,” she answered, her breath warm against his neck as she slipped her hand under his sweater and up his back. “The first one is closer to the dance studio.” Her hand changed direction and snaked around to his chest. “And you.”
Between her heat burning into his chest and her answer, his brain struggled to form an appropriate reply. Thankfully, she pressed her lips against his, making it impossible for him to speak anyway.
Chapter 14
Last night, for the third straight Monday in a row, she’d joined him and Tiegan for dinner while Candace was at school. Aaron invited his mom over as well. Not surprisingly, she’d accepted. It had thrilled his mom when she learned they were together. In fact, he half expected her to already be collecting information on possible locations for their wedding reception. Candace and Tiegan had been pretty happy when they found out as well.
Once his mom left and Tiegan retreated upstairs to call friends, they’d moved into the living room and switched on the television. Although they’d settled on a show, they’d spent most of their time talking rather than watching the comedy. It’d been during their conversation the idea for today’s outing came to him. Once he’d verified that Juliette didn’t have any plans already and she left for the night, he’d gone back into his office and worked until almost eleven. Then he’d dragged his butt out of bed early this morning, skipped both his run and breakfast, and spent a few more hours tackling work. But now his work responsibilities were taken care of, and he could move on to more important things—a full day with Juliette all to himself.
After leaving his sister a note letting her know he wouldn’t be around for dinner, Aaron put the cooler he’d packed and some blankets in his truck and drove down to the cottage.
Dressed for the day and holding a coffee mug, Juliette opened the door almost as soon as he knocked. “I thought I heard a car outside.” She allowed him to enter and closed the door behind him. “What are you doing down here?”
They’d seen each other every day since the weekend the power went out and had developed somewhat of routine during the week. He spent the day in his office working. Around five or so, she’d either come up and spend a few hours with him and whoever else was in the house, or he’d go to the cottage. Unless he got a late start on his run and saw Juliette while she was out walking, they never saw each other at eight-thirty in the morning.
The Billionaire's Kiss (The Sherbrookes of Newport Book 14) Page 16