Page 158 of Heart Strings & Hotlines
His brows dip low, matching his lips as he stares at me. “Not wanting her to die and loving her are two very different things.”
“Ah, come on, Brad. What’s the big deal? We all know you love her.” Kara’s been teasing him relentlessly, but I’ve yet to figure out what’s changed. “You know she’s going to see it as soon as we walk in there.”
“Kara, zip it.”
The back door opens, and Boone exits the house. “Hey, congrats, guys. This was a shock, but a good one. Come on in. All the furnishings aren’t in yet, but my interior decorator did what she could with what was available.”
“Thanks, Boone.” I barely get the words out before Kara blows past him and into the house.
“It smells so…new in here,” she exclaims.
Thane and I follow Boone’s lead.
“This was obviously a last-minute addition, but we were able to add it without losing too much space from the garage.” As Boone’s speaking, I spin in a circle, not a hundred percent sure what I’m looking at. “So the doghouse façade isn’t ready yet.” He pats a small, enclosed area. “But once it’s on, it will be an exact replica of the home. And the puppy spa is raised, so you don’t have to bend down to give her a bath. The doggy dryer you requested comes down with this button here.”
“The doggy dryer?” I’m trying not to laugh in Thane’s face, but this is over-the-top, even for him.
“Oh my God,” Kara screams repeatedly as she runs through the house.
“Take off your shoes,” Thane bellows.
It’s silent for two seconds before her bare feet hit what sounds like hardwood floors above us.
“Lottie. Lottie, you have to come see this.” Kara’s voice bounces off the walls deep within the house.
Thane nudges me through the door that leads into the kitchen. It’s beautiful. White cabinetry with a leathered granite in grays and blues that remind me of the ocean.
“Up here, Lottie. Come on.”
Boone points to the right, and I exit the open concept kitchen into the grand room, where I lose my breath. Above the fireplace is a selfie that Kara took of the three of us watching a movie, but it’s been turned into a framed piece of art. Fine lines of silver and aqua are a pop of color to the black-and-white photo, and it somehow makes our faces the focal point.
“How did you do that?”
“I may have stolen it from Kara’s room and then searched for the right artist for over four months.” Something in Thane’s voice has me searching his face.
“Don’t be embarrassed about that. This is…really, it’s beautiful.” My words catch in my throat.
“Lottie.” Kara’s never been this impatient for anything, so instead of inspecting every nook and cranny I pass, I head straight upstairs, where she grabs my hand and tugs me toward the end of the hall.
“You ready?” Her eyes are misty, and every ounce of her is flush with happiness.
“I’m ready.”
She sweeps open a door and drags me inside. In the center of a room is a four-poster bed with sheer netting artfully draped, making it something straight out of a fairy tale.
“Over here. Over here.”
Boone has created one of the most magical scenes I’ve ever imagined. Below the large windows is a bench seat covered with pillows and throw blankets. He’s built it out so it’s more of a cubby with bookshelves lining the walls on either side. The bookshelves wrap around to cover the entire wall, complete with a library ladder that slides back and forth.
“Isn’t it amazing?” Tears slip down her cheeks, so I open my arms, and she falls into them for a hug.
“It’s stunning, Kara. Truly.” I look over my shoulder to see Boone standing in the doorway, staring at the floor. “Boone, this is…honestly. This means so much. Thank you.”
“He made it big enough so we can both lounge there, and the cushions are made of the thickest memory foam. It’s like sitting on a cloud.”
His face flushes pink. “I’m so glad you like it. There’s a lot to see still.”
“You both have offices, and there’s a library separating them. How cool is that?” Kara squeals.
