Page 30 of Dancing With Lies

Thirty minutes later they’d discovered a bathroom with antique fixtures that she clearly wanted for her own, six bedrooms on the second floor, nine bathrooms, and an attic that was one long room with another private bathroom. They went back down to the first floor with Roxie taking notes.

“I’ll want an electrician to come in and change some of the lighting, a roofer to have a look at that leak in the attic, and I’ll need furniture.” He rattled off as they came down a narrow set of stairs to the first floor.

“Alright. Anything in particular?” She asked, looking up at him as they came back to the living room with the window seat.

“Whatever will be most suitable in the sea air. Comfortable is most important, but it has to look good too.” He nodded as he looked around the large room with a fireplace across from the window.

“I can find something, I’m sure.” She looked around. “Anything in particular that you want?”

“Have someone come in and install a sound system in here and in the kitchen if there isn’t one already. I don’t see any speakers so I’m guessing there isn’t.” Lincoln turned to her and she nodded again.

“Alright.” She tapped into a note application on her phone and then looked up at him. “Anything else?”

“How about we order some dinner?” He waited for her answer, holding his breath, but breathed again when she nodded her head.

“Okay.” She went in to ask Grace how things were going and came back with the news that the owner would be happy to turn over the keys so long as Lincoln provided a down payment that day.

“That’s settled then, I’ll be a moment.” He moved to open an app on his phone.

“Lincoln, you don’t want to haggle over the price?” Roxie interrupted, surprised that he was so eager to buy the place.

“No. I love the place and want out of Kai’s.” He chuckled with a shake of his head. “I’m not haggling over the price. It’s an investment, isn’t it?”

“I guess,” Roxie said, and he stared at her to try to figure out what she was thinking. From the doubt on her face, he knew she was thinking that wealth was fleeting.

She’d grown up privileged but had lost it all in one night. She could be right, he knew she was on some levels, but his wealth was secure. She’d had no control over what her parents did, so this situation was different.

“It’ll be fine, Roxie.” He murmured and opened the app to transfer the amount the owner asked for to the account number Grace gave him when he went into the kitchen. “All done.”

“Thank you, Mr. Young, I’ll get the paperwork drawn up to transfer ownership over to you and we’ll set up a mortgage if you want?”

It seemed she’d done her homework on him, he thought. She didn’t even hedge what she’d said with an ‘if you qualify’.

“No need for that. I’ll pay cash.” Lincoln dismissed the offer and held out his hand. “The keys please?”

“Here you are.” The woman handed over a keychain that held several keys. “One of those is to the outbuilding, one for the gates, the others are all for the house.”

“Ah, that reminds me, Roxie. Have a security gate installed when the fence is changed.” Lincoln said and turned to see Roxie staring out at the ocean view from the kitchen windows.

“Yep, I’ll add that.” She said and then looked back at him. “Anything else?”

“Know anywhere we can get some chairs and a bed today?”

“Yep, I do.” She said without a bat of an eye.

“Let’s do that then.”

Lincoln gave Grace the information she needed and felt good a little while later as he picked out a bed and some stools for the kitchen. He also bought a huge couch and some chairs for the living room. The store had some bedding on hand, and he got that as it would do until Roxie could find something else.

They stopped to get pizza and headed back to the house. “The delivery truck should be here soon, let’s eat.”

Roxie didn’t say anything, she just took the cheap dishes he’d bought out of their box and washed them, so they’d have plates. Two bottles of water meant they didn’t need glasses, at least. He watched her move around his new kitchen and liked seeing her there. He’d like to see more of her there.

“I have a question for you.” He said after they’d both had their fill of pizza. He took out his phone, pulled a credit card out of the case. “Can you furnish and decorate the place?”

“I don’t see why not.” She looked around and then brought her eyes back to his. “Budget? Style? What do you want?”

“A refuge.” He answered automatically, without hesitation. “I want somewhere I can come home to and not feel as if I’ve got to tread carefully because someone might come in to take pictures.”