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“You don’t want to offer less? This house has a lot of potential, but it also needs a lot of work.”
Curt had no idea what it cost for assisted living, but if what Peter told him was correct, the couple needed the money. Besides, it wasn’t like he didn’t have it. “I see no reason to waste time negotiating a figure. I’ll offer the full asking price. Hopefully, we can get the sale done quickly. I’m eager to get started.”
***
Rather than go straight back to Boston after leaving Peter’s office, he headed to his aunt and uncle’s house so he could wish Aunt Marilyn a happy birthday. The call from his real estate agent confirming the owners had accepted his offer came as he turned in to Aunt Marilyn’s driveway. According to Peter, the owners were just as eager to get the sale finalized, and the closing should happen within the month.
Curt parked next to two other cars. One had New York plates; he guessed his cousin Scott had driven up for a visit. The other had Rhode Island plates, so it could belong to any number of his relatives.
When he rang the doorbell, Scott answered, confirming Curt’s original assumption. He held his nine-month-old son, Cooper, in his arms, and Curt noticed right away how much the baby had grown since he’d last seen him at Christmastime.
“Paige and Courtney are in the living room with my mom. I’ll be back. Cooper needs a change,” Scott said, referring to his girlfriend and younger sister.
“Better you than me,” Curt said, slapping his cousin on the shoulder.
“Just wait. Your day will come, my friend.” Scott carried his son upstairs, leaving Curt alone.
Curt didn’t doubt it. When it came to marriage and having children, his cousins had been succumbing at an alarming rate. It’d started with his cousin Callie about three years ago and had continued steadily ever since. The most recent to tie the knot had been his cousin Derek. His cousin Gray’s wedding was right around the corner. Curt guessed Scott and Paige would soon follow. While Scott hadn’t asked Paige to marry him yet, she’d moved in with him the month before.
When Curt entered the room, the conversation paused, and all eyes focused on him. “Happy birthday, Aunt Marilyn,” he said before greeting anyone else. He made his way through the minefield of baby toys on the floor so he could give her a hug.
Aunt Marilyn kissed his cheek and returned the embrace. “I’m so glad you stopped by. Scott’s upstairs with Cooper. He’ll be back in a minute.”
“Yeah, I saw him. He let me in.”
“Can you stay for dinner?” Aunt Marilyn asked. “Harrison isn’t home yet, and he’ll be disappointed if he misses you.”
He had no place to be, and he wouldn’t mind seeing his uncle today. He hadn’t seen the man in several months. “Definitely.”
Aunt Marilyn patted his knee and smiled. “Excellent. Judith said you’ve been house hunting again. Any luck?”
He’d never told Mom he was looking for a new project. It just hadn’t come up during their last conversation. But he’d mentioned it to Dad. It’d been during the same conversation that he’d told the man he’d decided to leave his position at Nichols Investment in Boston. News his dad hadn’t taken well.
“I made an offer on a place today. The closing should be soon.”
“Where’s this one?” Courtney, Curt’s younger cousin, asked.
“New Hampshire… not far from the Massachusetts line.”
“Why would you move all the way up there? Driving in and out of Boston when you want to work on it will be a pain the butt,” Courtney said. “Couldn’t you find anything closer?”
“I don’t need to be in the city anymore. Friday was my last day at Nichols, so I’m going to live in this house while I do the renovations.”
Scott walked in as Curt spoke. “You left the firm?” He set his son down amongst the toys. Cooper immediately crawled over to a stuffed dolphin and grabbed it. “I thought Burke was grooming you to take over his spot someday. Where are you working now?”
Jim Burke, the current CEO of Nichols Investment, had been disappointed when Curt delivered the news. He’d offered him countless incentives to get him to stay. None had swayed him, though. He’d made up his mind. He, as well as the ulcer in his stomach, had had enough of the financial world and all the stress that went with it.
“Nowhere. At least for the foreseeable future, I’m going to work on the house I’m buying and finish my next novel.”
“Next novel?” Courtney asked, pulling her attention away from her nephew. She’d moved from the couch to the floor to be with Cooper, and once he’d gotten the toy he’d wanted, he’d crawled into his aunt’s lap.
Curt cringed.
“You still haven’t told everyone?” Scott asked, noticing his expression.
“Tell everyone what?” Courtney demanded.
She was the only one in the room who didn’t know that truth. When his first book came out and hit all the major lists, he’d shared the news with Scott as well as a few other members of the family. He’d written the novel under a pen name, and he worried that if too many people knew, his true identity would come out.
