Page 73 of The Summer Plans

“It’s Raven. She wants the name of the inspector.”

“Here.” I extend my hand, and she hands me the phone.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m giving her a fake name.” I tap out a quick text and hit send, then toss the phone on the bed behind me.

“RJ!”

“She’ll keep asking. I told her you found someone and that you’d pay for the inspection since she let us stay here. That’ll satisfy her.”

“That’s not a bad idea. We could knock out a bunch of items on my checklist today.”

“Not exactly how I wanted to spend the day with you.” I lean in to kiss her neck, but she jumps off the bed and pulls on a pair of shorts.

I fall back onto the mattress. As much as I want to roll around in this bed with her all day, getting her list done will make her feel better. And I need to show her that I’m someone she can count on.

After a quick breakfast, we’re sitting at the kitchen island as we form a plan. Summer scribbles quickly in a notebook as I clean up our dishes.

“Okay, I have a list of repairs that need to be done. We could probably get most of these completed in the next couple days, quicker if we have Tony help.” She looks down at her notebook as if she’s finalizing her plans.

“Want me to text him for supplies?”

“Sure. Once we get an actual inspector out here, there will most likely be more that needs to be done, but we’ll probably have to hire a professional if it’s something major. When did you tell Raven the inspector was coming?”

“Today.”

She winces as she paces the length of the kitchen island. “Okay. This could work.”

“What could work?”

“If we pretend the inspector is here today, then we could start on the list of repairs tomorrow. Then it’ll look like we’re doing things the inspector told us to.”

“Good thinking. Do we need the plans for the house?”

“Like blueprints?”

“Yeah.”

“No, not unless we’re doing new construction or a renovation.” She keeps pacing for several minutes and then stops and turns to me. “I feel awful about lying to her. What if she knows something is up? I usually tell her everything.”

I move around the counter and put my arms around her. “We can tell her now if you want.”

“No. I want to do it in person. This just seems like a lot of work to keep up this ruse all so we could stay here an extra week.”

“I’ll support you either way.” I run a hand up and down her spine.

She nods against my chest. “Thanks. Besides, this stuff will have to be done before she sells the house, so it’s not like everything is a total lie. I don’t like keeping this from her, but I’m also not ready to tell her yet.” She leans back and looks up at me. “I don’t want to leave this little bubble just yet.”

I pull her into a kiss knowing exactly how she feels. I could stay in this house, in paradise with her forever.

When I lean back, she looks at ease and I tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “What do you need my help with today?”

She looks down at her list. “Most of this will require a professional. There are a few outlets upstairs that aren’t GFCI protected, so I’ll need to get an electrician. But we can clear the walkway and make sure all the pavers are even so there’s no tripping hazards. I’d like to get some dehumidifiers in here—I worry about mold in the bathrooms. And the AC unit could use a cleaning so it runs more efficiently. There are a couple loose boards on the deck that need securing too. That should be it.”

“No problem, I can finish most of that today.”

She breathes out a sigh of relief. “Thank you. Overall, the house is in pretty good shape.”