Page 55 of Searching for Love

“He wants us to move in together.” She glanced around. “Speaking of, where’s Avery? I was hoping to thank her for everything she and her family did for us.”

“She has the day off. But if I know her, she’ll drop by at least once sometime today. I think she’s become addicted to this place.”

“More like she’s addicted to you.” Sophia laughed.

“I can take a break and go see the house with you?” he suggested.

“We were hoping you’d come along,” Sophia said, leaning on his shoulder.

“Sure, let me just tell Rico I’ll be back in an hour. We can stop and grab lunch while we’re out.” He disappeared to find Rico entering all of the menu items into the sales system.

He’d printed off a menu while they waited for the official ones to be delivered from the printing company. Rico volunteered to enter each item and their prices into the new system Josh Williams had set up. There were touchscreen computers and printers behind the bar and at the two wait stations. However, since it was easier for Rico to enter all of the items using Avery’s computer system, he sat at her desk while she was out for the day.

He looked like a giant in a dollhouse, sitting behind the desk.

“Hey, I’m going to head out for an hour with the family. You got things here?” he asked.

“Sure thing, boss.” Rico smiled up at him. “Are they done hanging the sign yet?”

“No, they said another hour. They’re having to rewire it and change out the fuses after they get it connected up there.”

“Can’t wait.” Rico wiggled his eyes. “It’s going to be nice knowing where my paychecks are coming from instead of just your name on them.”

Lucas laughed. “What’s wrong with my name?”

“Not enough flair,” Rico joked.

Lucas rode in the back of his mother’s car while his sister drove them the short distance to Hidden Cove.

This time, besides meeting Hannah at the house, they followed her up the hill and allowed her to show them the entire facility. The clubhouse, pools, changing rooms, and bathrooms. The tennis and pickleball courts. She had a map of the entire neighborhood and the pathways that surrounded it for hiking or biking.

There was more to Hidden Cove than he’d known about, and now he desperately wished he could move there himself.

When his mother still didn’t seem interested, Hannah stepped up her game and showed her the potential sales price she could get for her home in Edgeview. That seemed to do the trick, except his mother didn’t want to be down near the water. They walked up the street to a different home. It had four bedrooms and another room that could be used as an office.

His mother and Sophia instantly fell in love with the home. When she mentioned that there would be enough room for Graig and his daughter, he understood what was going on and was very happy that they had decided to make the big change.

She put an official offer on the place, subject to her house in Edgeview selling. This home was still being built, which meant they couldn’t move in for a few months. That gave her plenty of time to sell her place and for Graig’s lease on his apartment to run out.

All of this took a lot longer than an hour, which meant that he’d made three calls to the restaurant. Every time, Rico told him to take his time and assured him that everything was under control.

They were just about to leave when he asked about making an offer on the other place.

Hannah smiled and told her that she’d talked to Todd already.

“He says make him an offer. Just so we’re clear, there’s no possibility of personalization any longer. The house is complete.”

“I like the place as is,” he answered. “How about twenty thousand under asking?”

Hannah leaned closer to him and whispered, “Welcome to the neighborhood.” She held out her hand to him. “I’ll draw up the contract and email it to you this afternoon.” She gripped his hand a little firmer and leaned in again. “Oh, and if you hurt Avery in any way”—her eyes narrowed—“I’ll know just where to find you.”

He chuckled. “Gotcha. You have officially scared me.”

Hannah shook her head and smiled. “You should be very afraid.”

“With friends like this, I know she’s worth the fight.”

“Good answer.” Hannah winked at him. “Now, go have lunch with your family. Your sister looks like she’s about to expire from starvation.”