Page 79 of Summer Kisses

"It has a study." She gestured to the right at the office space which was separated from the foyer with two glass-paned doors, and then we walked through the formal living room which had a couch and a piano. Ivy continued the tour in the family room with its stone fireplace and large windows showcasing the palm trees outside. We were drawn to the windows where the deck was visible.

"There's a small pool and hot tub on the ground floor with an outdoor shower."

Ivy walked through the place at a quick clip. She knew we were experienced and would spend time afterward going through at a slower pace.

The kitchen was dated with worn linoleum, white Formica counters, oak cabinets without any hardware, and a mixture ofappliances, white and black. "You'll need to do some work in here."

"It needs to be gutted," Cooper said, his lip curled in disgust.

"I'm confident you can tackle this project. Maybe it would be a nice housewarming present," Ivy said to Dalton with a wink.

"I don't think he deserves a kitchen renovation for his first house," Cooper grumped.

"What about for my first baby?" Dalton came back.

I exchanged a look with Cooper, knowing we'd make that happen. We wanted him to have a nice house if it meant a safe space for a baby and if it would help him with the court. "We'll talk about it."

Dalton shook his head. "I was just messing with you. You guys don't have to do that for me."

"We'll want it to be completed before the baby comes," Cooper said.

"Let me show you the second floor. The washer and dryer are up here, which is perfect for a baby. I've heard they produce a lot of laundry." She led the way up the steps, her heels clicking on the hardwood surface.

She opened each door, showing us three smaller bedrooms, the laundry room, a guest bath, and then the master at the end of the hall. "You might want some new carpet, and the bathrooms are meh."

Cooper squatted down to check out the tile on the floor, touching it with his hand. "I don't think these would meet code. It's the same as the tile on the wall. They'll be slippery. You won't want a toddler on this when it's wet. They'll fall and hit their head."

Dalton's face was pale. "We'll need to gut the bathrooms then too. I don't want anything that is unsafe."

"You have a bit of time though because the baby won't be walking for a bit," Ivy said, probably wondering if she was going to lose the sale.

"What if you're walking around with the baby and you slip?" Cooper said.

"That's a good point," Dalton said.

"I like how you boys are taking Dalton and his baby's safety so seriously." Ivy led the way into the guest bedrooms. "So we're gutting bathrooms and the kitchen. What do you think about the space in the bedrooms?"

"It'll just be me and the baby, so it's fine," Dalton said.

"Perfect. Let me show you the pool, and then you can take a look around without me hovering." We followed her downstairs.

Outside, Ivy pointed at the house next door, which was fairly close. "I handled the sale of that house. You have a neighbor, but it's a vacation home for them. They're not here all the time, and they haven't been interested in renting it out to tourists."

"That's ideal," Cooper said.

Ivy nodded. "You get the advantage of the lower price tag, and a neighbor that isn't present. What do you think of the pool?"

Dalton wandered the permitter of the pool. "I've always wanted a pool, but I'll need to get a fence to put around it."

Ivy smiled. "You're already thinking like a dad."

Dalton was impressing all of us with the way he thought about his baby. It was his ex's behavior that was shocking.

"I'm going to wait out front for you while you take a closer look. Let me know if you have any questions."

"I'm going to take another look," Cooper said.

"Of course," Ivy said as they walked inside together, leaving me alone with Dalton.

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