Page 21 of Tiffanie

She nodded eagerly. That sounded amazing.

“I’d enjoy that too. Let me show you the rest of the place.”

Tiffanie followed him down a hallway. Phineas opened a door to reveal a neutrally decorated guest bedroom that would be perfect for either male or female visitors. The calming color palette would help anyone settle in and hopefully sleep well.

The next space was a bit fancier but had an older feel with darker furniture and traditional landscape paintings—even some gold gilding here and there. Tiffanie glanced at Phineas and asked, “Who stays in here?”

“My mom. She doesn’t come often—once a year or every other year. I set this up with her in mind. Mom seems to find this bedroom comfortable.”

“I’m sure. It’s lovely.”

“That’s the guest bathroom. There’s a half-bath off the family room. I’ll show you where that is before the movie starts. In here is the main bedroom.” Phineas opened the door to reveal light blue-gray walls with a huge four-poster bed.

“That’s so tall. Do you have to get a running jump to crawl in at night?”

“I haven’t yet. On each side is a small step to boost someone height-challenged to climb inside. Or a Little girl could get her Daddy’s help to be tucked in bed.”

A thrill went through her at the idea of Phineas lifting her up into the elevated bed and cozying the covers under her chin. “Like in the books,” she whispered.

“Exactly.” He paused for a moment, as if letting her imagine him caring for her this way. Darned if her brain didn’t do just that.

“That doorway leads to the bathroom.” Phineas took her hand and guided her into the large, well-lit area.

“Now that’s a tub.” She stared at the huge claw-foot tub with the fancy spigot on the far side. Two people could easily fit inside and lounge against opposite ends.

“Perfect for bubble baths,” Phineas pointed out. “I put in the largest hot water tank available.”

“That sounds heavenly. You have a beautiful home.”

“We’re not done yet. That’s a closet over there. But that door leads to a very special area.”

“Really? A room off the bedroom? You didn’t put a laundry space in here, did you?” Tiffanie searched her brain, trying to think of another option.

“No, Princess. Let’s go look.”

Phineas opened the last door and turned on the light. Tiffanie walked in and stared around her. She snapped her jaw closed when she realized she was gaping at the space. From the soothing, pale blue walls to the gorgeous full-sized furniture, this room appeared to have come directly from an age play book. Toys filled the large chest against the wall, welcoming Biff to come meet new friends. She locked her feet in place, resisting the urge to run around exploring everything. “It’s a nursery for a Little.”

“Hopefully for you, Tiffanie. Could you see yourself napping or playing in here?” he asked. She could hear the slight hesitation in his normally confident tone.

She blurted, “This is the most gorgeous area I’ve ever seen. Can I check things out?”

“I would love that, Little girl.”

Tiffanie headed first for the beautiful bed. Curved wooden rails surrounded the mattress on three sides. Another panel rested inches from the floor and seemed to be on a sliding track. Did the lowered portion rise to enclose whoever slept inside?

Tentatively, she reached out a hand to stroke the bedspread. The material was soft to the touch and thickly cushioned. She wanted to crawl in and pull that around her. The sheets were crisp without being stiff. And a case with a frilly lace edging decorated the fluffy pillow.

“How did you create something straight out of a dream?”

“Sounds like we imagine the same things,” he said, smiling.

Tiffanie forced herself from the crib, hoping with her entire heart that she would get to nap in there later. She walked to a toy chest in the corner. Peeking inside, she saw games, puzzles, toys, and a baby doll with a bunch of clothes. She could play here for hours.

Peeking over her shoulder at Phineas, she caught his delighted smile. “You put a lot of thought into this room.”

“I did. I’ll get a delivery in the next couple of days for some special things. These items are one size fits all. If there are toys you would like to have in your nursery, please tell me.”

“My nursery?” she repeated.