Page 8 of Love's Cure

Whitney said, “I’m glad you’re thinking of making some big changes to the house, Emmett. This property is spectacular.”

“Whitney and I had already talked about putting a skylight in the kitchen, maybe more. But if you’re going to rip out part of the wall, which will give you much more light, you might not need it. Let’s take a look at the living room.”

A red brick fireplace sat in the middle of an outside wall in the living room. Bookcases lined the wall on either side.

“How about brightening up the space, maybe painting the fireplace white as well as the bookshelves,” said Crystal.

“I love that idea,” said Whitney, and Emmett nodded his agreement.

“What would you say to opening the dining room to the living room, making it one large space?” asked Whitney.

By the time Dani arrived, Crystal and Whitney had several notes on the downstairs rooms.

Dani greeted them eagerly. “You know how much I love doing this kind of work. Thanks, Emmett. It’s nice to see you again.”

“I’m told you’re the expert for any architectural changes,” he said.

“I left a decent job in Boston to be here. I wouldn’t change that for anything, and I do like projects like this,” said Dani. “I’m glad you decided to stay right here instead of buying elsewhere. People in this town are used to making a mad dash to Dr. Johnson when they’re in trouble.”

“Yes, he explained that to me.” He waved his arm toward the water. “And you can’t beat a location like this.”

“Okay, let’s talk about this.” She turned to Crystal. “What have you come up with?”

“First floor only. We haven’t looked farther than that,” said Crystal. “The kitchen is the area where we need your input. Adding a porch and perhaps removing dining room walls. Maybe a skylight in the kitchen and master bedroom.”

“Okay, let’s start in the kitchen,” Dani said. She opened her leather-bound notebook and began taking notes as Emmett explained what he had in mind. She tapped on walls and took measurements. Then she went to the dining room and checked the walls.

“I can tell you from similar work we did at the cottage, that the flooring will need to be replaced, and that by replacing the appliances and using space from the back hallway and laundry, we can add a half bath and put in a mud room, which I think will be important.”

Crystal waited for Emmett to flinch at the cost of doing that work, but he didn’t seem upset at all. “Whitney and I are suggesting he use the space of the dining room for creating an open kitchen.”

“Yes, like we’ve done at the cottage,” said Whitney.

“The master suite needs upgrading. Perhaps adding a skylight in that back wing and upgrading the bathroom with new cabinetry and fixtures,” Crystal said. “The rest of what we’ve listed is cosmetic, like painting.”

“Having recently completed the cottage and working with my husband at The Meadows, I can come up with a quick ballpark figure of $150,000 for the first-floor improvements,” said Dani. “Should we proceed?”

“Yes. If this is done the way I want, I know I’d get that value back and more if I ever decided to sell. Again, because of the location and the fact that the house is solid. I’ve taken a full tour of the property with Dr. Johnson, who is, as we all know, very honest.”

“Let’s look at the upstairs, and then, if you wish, I’ll draw up a proposal for you. You’ll want the work done before winter. It’ll be a push, but we can do it because we’re crewed up for the summer,” said Dani. “We can maybe do double time to keep everyone busy.”

“So, you’ve committed to living in Lilac Lake for at least a year?” Whitney said to Emmett.

“That’s my plan.”

“I’m glad,” said Whitney. “It’s always nice to have a new face in town. Right?” She gave Crystal a self-satisfied smile for drawing attention to her.

Fighting the urge to give Whitney a little shove, Crystal nodded, hoping Emmett didn’t notice how flushed she was. Though she was attracted to him, she had a long way to go before wanting a relationship beyond friendship. There was still the matter of trust.

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