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“You afraid I can’t keep my hands to myself?” she joked. “I promise to be on my best behavior.”
“Yeah, well, I can’t promise because my best behavior would still have you stripped in no time.”
The veiled promises made her shiver.
“Seriously.” She rested her palms on the granite top and leaned forward. “Just stay. I like talking with you, Zach. This has been good. We can even discuss the Sunset Lake property if that would be better. Just . . . don’t go.”
He held her gaze and said nothing. Finally he nodded. “We’re discussing the property only.”
Sophie wanted to jump off the stool and skip into the living room, but she felt that might be a bit overkill. Still, she felt as if she’d achieved some grand victory. This was such progress . . . Granted, they’d slept together, but they were making headway beyond physical. She wanted more though, and if all she could get was friendship and an evening of working on this project, she’d absolutely take it.
She led him to the living room and took a seat on her favorite oversized floral chair. The pattern was muted, but it was still an accent chair she’d fallen in love with at an estate sale. She couldn’t wait to start finding rare gems for Chelsea’s place. Her late friend wouldn’t have wanted everything to come from a cookie-cutter store.
Zach sank onto the sofa and propped his feet on the coffee table, boots and all. Sophie smiled. Her mother would’ve absolutely died at the sight, but Sophie didn’t care a bit. A home should be a place people were comfortable, and Sophie wanted Zach to feel comfortable here. She wanted him to come back, to let himself in, and think of her as a friend. If that’s all she could get, she wasn’t going to turn it away.
“So what’s the overall plan,” she asked, curling her feet up in the chair beside her. Smoothing her skirt down her thighs, she didn’t miss where Zach’s eyes had gone. “Do you have a goal in mind when you want to be finished, or are you thinking that far ahead yet?”
Zach sighed and tipped his head back. “I know when I’d like to be done, but I’m not sure it will happen. I’d love to be ready to go with the business by fall so we can work on Christmas specials or gift certificates.”
Sophie smiled, rested her elbow on the arm of the chair, and propped her chin on her fist. “Sounds like a true businessman already working. But I agree. If you can get some buzz going and you’re up and running before Christmas, think of all the gift certificates or the New Year’s bookings you’ll have.”
“We have a lot of work, and there’s always unforeseen circumstances as well as shipments that don’t come in on time.” Zach glanced down at his boots and lifted them from the table. “Sorry. Wasn’t thinking.”
“You’re fine. Put them up there. It’s a table, Zach. It’s not white sheets at Buckingham Palace.”
“Talk to me about your vision for the decorating, and beyond, into the actual rooms of the resort.” He shifted, bringing his arm up and stretching it along the back cushions, his boots remaining on the floor. “I just want to make sure we’re still all on board with everything.”
She’d decorated that place over and over in her mind. She’d go from her tastes to Chelsea’s. Sophie had to keep reminding herself she had to do what her friend would’ve wanted. And Chelsea loved all things vintage or Paris-related. Both themes could blend beautifully together and be done in a tasteful way that would appeal to women of all ages.
“I think the main floor should be kept as a community-type area,” she told him. “You have the kitchen, the main bathroom, the foyer, and a beautiful sitting room. Then there’s the room that appeared to have been a library. Why not keep that as such? Women love to read. We can keep the latest copies of popular books in there.”
When Zach didn’t respond she took that as a sign that he didn’t hate the idea.
“The glass room that overlooks the pond, I think we need to make that the eating area. It’s close to the kitchen and the view is breathtaking.”
Zach nodded. “I agree. Braxton had already planned that in his notes that he passed to me.”
“What are your thoughts on the two cottages?” she asked. “Are we planning on renting those for a higher price? Have those as the gold star of weekend getaways?”
“That’s what I assumed we would do. Chelsea’s notes were pretty specific when it came to those houses.” Zach laughed. “She was so laid-back about everything in her life, but when it came to this property, she
knew what she wanted and kept detailed descriptions, didn’t she?”
Sophie ran her fingertip over the tonal pattern of her chair. “That proves to us how important this place was to her. We really need to stick as close to her wishes as possible.”
“I plan on it.”
“I’ve been researching various spas and resorts in my downtime.”
Zach eyed her, quirking a brow. “And when is that? Because as far as I’ve seen, you have no downtime.”
Leveling her gaze, she replied, “Are you the pot or the kettle?”
Shrugging, Zach glanced around the room. She knew what he was looking at. The pencil sketches. She had them all over her home. She couldn’t count the number of drawings she’d done over the last ten years. Some she framed, some she gave away to random people and friends, some she had in a folder in her dresser drawer.
“I want these in the house,” he told her, his eyes coming back to land on her. “No matter what else, I want you to do some sketches for the house. Maybe one in each bedroom, and definitely the entryway. Maybe a grouping or whatever you want.”
She swallowed. Did he realize she’d used the sketches to recover from the accident as a form of mental therapy? If he was aware, Sophie knew he wouldn’t be asking her, but she didn’t mind one bit. She loved drawing and Chelsea had loved the simple designs too.
