Page 20 of Designing Love
I chuckle. “Of course. Raccoon relocation specialist, paranormal expert, contractor — we’ll need them all.”
She laughs softly, and I can’t help but grin at her playful sense of humor. “Sounds like you have a busy afternoon ahead,” she says.
I rub the back of my neck. “Actually, yeah, I should start calling around.”
She hesitates momentarily, then asks lightly, “Do you need help? I’m not sure I can help with ghost removal, but…”
“You want to handle the infamous realtor or contractors?” he asks with a smirk.
“Are you implying I’m not local enough?” she chuckles.
“Are you sure you want to make calls and not dive into research? I’m happy to let you make them…” I say, putting my hands up in surrender.
“Maybe you’re right…”
I wink. “I’ll handle the calls, and you can do your magic.”
She bites her lip thoughtfully. “No pressure, eh!”
“None whatsoever,” I say, trying to sound confident. Then I tilt my head, a small smile tugging at my lips. “You can focus on sketching some designs? Something tells me you’re already mentally redecorating.”
“You caught me,” she admits, cheeks flushing the faintest shade of pink. “I might already have a few ideas.”
I nod, feeling a surge of excitement. “Perfect.”
A gentle pause settles between us, a hint of comfortable tension in the air.
“Oh!” I snap my fingers suddenly. “You should check out the Purring Page. It might inspire your creative juices.”
She laughs, shaking her head. “Good idea. Do they have coffee?”
“Best cappuccino. And two lovely cats.”
We head outside into the sunshine, and I feel lighter — her enthusiasm making me hopeful despite the ridiculous scale of this project.
“I’ll drop you off at the Purring Page then. It’s not far from Sage’s art gallery.”
“It’s a plan!” She glances back at the house, then meets my gaze with a smile.
I’m in so much trouble.
9
THE PURRING PAGE
Sophia
Stepping into the Purring Page is like falling through a gentle portal into another world. The air smells like books and coffee. A sleepy Siamese cat eyes me lazily from atop a vintage wingback chair, clearly judging my presence in its territory.
I glance around the cozy bookstore, soaking in the whimsical clutter: shelves crammed with colorful spines, mismatched armchairs with crocheted throws, and little wooden signs promising sage advice such as “Life is short, read faster.”
A woman smiles curiously from behind a counter overflowing with paperbacks and porcelain cat figurines. “Hello there! Welcome to the Purring Page. Need help finding anything?”
“Actually, yes!” I step forward. “Ethan recommended this place for inspiration and cappuccino.”
“Ethan, huh?” Her smile widens knowingly, eyes sparkling with immediate curiosity. “Are you the designer helping out with the Miller House? Sage’s niece?”
“Wow,” I say, startled. “News really does travel fast!”
