Page 221 of Hidden Nature

“There’s a perfect space for an office over here. Theo said I could take that, and he’d put his downstairs. And maybe…”

Sloan listened with half an ear as she took her own tour, made her own judgments.

She wandered up—nice, sturdy stairs and railing, and knew immediately Drea would soon pore over paint samples. And yes, tile samples, fixtures, lighting for the en suite.

She ran up the estimated cost in her head as she toured, and knew her father and Nash would do the same.

She walked back down. “When do you settle?”

Drea’s ponytail swung as she bounced. “You like it? You really like it?”

“It’s you so I love it. I’ll love it more when you’re finished with it.”

“They said if we make an offer tonight, and it’s accepted, we’d settle by mid-May. We can waive a house inspection because, hello, that’s happening right now. And most of the work would be done before the wedding. But I don’t care if it takes longer because I just knew when we saw it.”

“Like you knew the dress,” Elsie said.

“Yes! I see us here, Mom. In the house, in the yard. I see—I might as well tell you we’re going to start trying for a baby as soon as we say I do. We’re both ready.”

“Oh, honey.” Elsie folded her in. “You’re going to make me cry.”

As she hugged back, they heard the men coming upstairs. And Sloan actually heard Drea inhale and hold her breath.

“Solid,” Dean said, then held up a hand. “Not finished yet. We’re going to take a look outside, then upstairs, the attic space.”

“The roof’s three years old,” Theo began as they went out the atrium doors to the deck.

When they’d finished, Dean nodded. “Solid. Good, solid house. To do what you want downstairs, up in that bathroom, the painting you’re going to end up wanting—and knowing Drea’s got her mother’s taste for those things? Add another fifty, and prepare for sixty.”

“You didn’t factor Theo’s taste,” Nash put in. “I’d make it sixty and prepare for seventy-five.”

“You want this place?” Dean asked his daughter.

“Oh yes, I do. We do.”

“Make your offer. We’ll help with the down payment.”

“Oh, but I can—”

Dean cut Theo off with a look. “It’s what we do.”

“Thank you. I… thank you.”

“Let’s do it now, Theo. Let’s call and make the offer right now.”

“You’re buying a house,” Nash said, and Theo grinned.

“We’re buying a house.”

“Then I’m buying dinner. Dean, Elsie, it’s something to celebrate.”

“It is.” Elsie looked down at herself, then spread her hands. “But I’m in my Saturday run-around clothes.”

“You’re beautiful,” he said simply. “Let’s make it Ricardo’s. We’re probably going to be noisy.”

They made plenty of noise over pizza and pasta. No one seemed to mind. In fact, Nash noted how many people dropped by the table to have a word with the Coopers. It didn’t surprise him. He foundhimself a little surprised when more than one breezed by to greet him, greet Theo.

When Theo’s phone signaled, he picked it up from the table.

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