Page 30 of Don’t Go Breaking My Heart

She laughed, shaking her head. “You never do.”

I couldn’t help but think that this wasn’t just about helping her. It was about us. About remembering what we had, and maybe, just maybe, finding a way back to it.

14

MERRITT

Kannon drove me back to the house. His guys were gone. We stepped inside and everything looked bare. Naked. They had stripped away the old carpet that had once filled this space. As I walked through the empty rooms, each step echoed. It felt hollow, much like how I’d felt until tonight.

The room I was sleeping in had the carpet pulled as well. Someone had been nice enough to stack my things in the corner and put the bed back in the middle of the room.

“Looks different, huh?” Kannon’s voice broke through my thoughts.

“Yeah,” I murmured. It was beautiful in a cold, impersonal sort of way—nothing like the chaotic warmth that used to define it.

“Do you have an idea about what you would like to put down for floors?” he asked.

I turned to look at him. “I don’t know. You said you do this for a living, right?”

He nodded. “I do.”

“What do you recommend?”

He sighed and looked around. “What do you plan on doing with the house?” he asked. “Flipping it?”

I shook my head. “I don’t want to sell it. I was thinking about renting it out. I don’t know why, but I can’t imagine parting ways with it completely. It feels wrong, like I’m selling my dad.”

“Okay, for a rental, I would definitely recommend LVP for the flooring.”

“What is that?”

“Vinyl,” he said. “Waterproof and fairly inexpensive but it can look nice. You don’t want to risk stained carpets that have to be replaced or ruined hardwood. Renters are not going to give two shits about ruining your floors.”

“Good thinking,” I said.

“We’ll plan a day to get materials,” he said. “I know a guy that gives me a hell of a deal. The house isn’t too big, so I bet we’ll be able to get leftovers from a big build.”

I was so grateful for him and his knowledge. “I would appreciate any help you can give me. What about the appliances?”

He cringed. “I would get rid of them. They are old and sitting in this house for a few years didn’t do them any favors.”

I sighed. “Great. Know a guy?”

He flashed a grin. “I do. If it’s a rental, you don’t need to buy new. They just need to be functional. Once we get a little further along, we’ll do some shopping.”

I smiled, feeling a warmth spread through me. “Thanks, Kannon. Seriously, I would not be able to do this without you.”

“No problem,” he said. For a moment, the silence filled with something unspoken. “I should go. We’ll be here early to remove more trim and that fucking wallpaper.”

I laughed. “Why do you say it like that?”

“Wallpaper is a pain in the ass to remove. I swear it’s easier to just put up new sheetrock.”

“I could help,” I offered.

“We’ll see. I’m sure you have shit to do.”

“I’m not going to let you do it all,” I said. “I think I can be somewhat useful.”