Page 74 of Summer Nights

"I can't believe I finally get to see inside one of the Captiva mansions. I've seen pictures when they're for sale, but I've never been inside one. They don’t hold open houses for these places."

I pushed open the door for her. "This has always just been my grandmother's house."

She smiled softly. "Are her things still here?"

"Generations of my family's items are here. It doesn't make sense to remove them when they hold so many memories." That was another reason why most of my siblings weren't interested in the house. They wanted something more modern they could put their own touch on. Shep had to contend with keeping the old and modernizing. Not an easy task.

We walked into the grand foyer with the staircase. A study was to our right, and a formal living room to our left. I took Ivy through the living room where she stopped to run her fingers over the piano. "Do any of you play?"

"We all had to sit for lessons with Grandma."

"That's sweet." She smiled, her gaze wandering around the room. "I can't even imagine living in a place like this."

"You haven't even seen a tenth of it yet."

"Let's get going then. I'm going to be hungry soon."

I'd noticed that Ivy ate several meals throughout the day. She'd started calling them her second breakfast, second lunch, and so on. It was adorable.

"He hasn't touched anything in this room yet."

"It's grand. Maybe a little dusty." Her nose scrunched.

"He has someone who comes in to clean. But it's tough to stay on top of such a large house."

We moved through the formal dining room with its mahogany table and chairs. There were a few side pieces filled with various sets of plates and serving dishes. Each one had some significance, whether it was Grandma's set or her mother's. None of us wanted to get rid of the things in this room.

Ivy looked up. "I think I'm in love with this chandelier though. I've always wanted one for my future walk-in closet."

"Your future closet?" I asked, curious to hear more about the things she wanted in life.

"When I allow myself to dream. But I don't do that often." Her expression fell, and she tried to move past me, but I stopped her with a hand on her wrist.

My thumb swiped over the delicate skin where her pulse kept a beat. "What do you mean? You rarely dream?"

She sighed, her gaze meeting mine. "It's a waste of time; don't you think?"

"Uh, no." I'd been dreaming about Ivy naked for the last few months. It was most definitely not a waste of time. "What do you mean?"

"In my experience, dreams don't come true."

I frowned. "Didn't you dream of being a secure, responsible adult at one point?"

Her brow furrowed. "Does anyone dream of that?"

I wondered if she was referring to her father coming home. I had a feeling it might have been a strong desire of hers, and she was hurt when it didn't happen. "It's okay to dream about things. Sometimes they come true."

Ivy snorted. "Not for me they don't. I work hard and save everything I can so that I can take care of myself. I want something; I buy it. That's not a dream. It's hard work."

"Dreams do come true. I'll show you."

She rolled her eyes but didn't tug her wrist away. "How are you going to do that?"

"You've always wanted to live in the beach house, and my house is your favorite. Now you're living there."

She sighed. "I'll give you that, but it's temporary."

"Mmm." I'd leave that alone for now. "You have to tell me what other dreams you have before I can make them come true."

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