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He led the way to the front door.
It was exactly how she pictured it. A small step down into a living room that ran from the front to the back, with a large picture window that looked out onto the yard. A fireplace was on the left and a wall on the right separated it from the kitchen. The dining area was to the right of the living room, in front of the kitchen area. To the left was a hallway that led to the bathroom and two bedrooms. For its modest size, it had an open feel to it.
“Welcome to my humble abode.” Gaines set down her bag.
“It’s great. The way you made it sound, I was expecting a tumbled-down shack!” Luna replied. “But I see what you mean about brown.” The old walnut-colored paneling was a throwback to the 1950s.
“Wait until you see the kitchen.” Gaines chuckled.
“What’s left of it, that is.” He walked through the living room, skirting the big ugly brown sofa, and turned the corner into the dining area.
Luna set the pastry boxes on the makeshift table. “What a beautiful setting.” Luna noticed the flowers immediately. “Don’t tell me you arranged them yourself,” she taunted him.
“I arranged for them to be delivered. Does that count?”
“Most definitely.” Luna peered through the skeleton walls where he had ripped down the Sheetrock.
“A little renovating?”
“Yes. This is where I’m stuck. I have to remodel this kitchen, but I’m not sure how to approach it.”
“My first suggestion is to eliminate this wall if you can and put an island with a snack bar on this side.”
“That’s exactly what I was thinking, but it’s a load bearing wall, so it would need to be supported.”
“Put decorative columns on each side of the island.” Luna pointed to the two-by-fours. “Then you can put a cabinet with glass doors if you wanted over the island. Or some cool lighting.” Luna was still holding her tote bag and pulled out her sketch pad.
“Hold on there, missy. Let’s get you settled first. Follow me.” Gaines led her to the other side of the house and into Carter’s room. That, too, was just as she had pictured it. Single bed with pennants and posters; a bookcase with trophies; and an assortment of Power Ranger figures; a small desk and a bean bag chair.
Luna laughed lightly. “No mistaking this for anything other than a teenager’s room.”
“I scoured the room for anything, uh, adolescent.”
Gaines was referring to the possibility of girlie magazines.
“They don’t need magazines for that.” Luna laughed out loud. “Remember when water was free and you had to pay for porn?”
Gaines let out a guffaw. “Nowthat’sfunny.”
“Not that I would know about that.” Luna looked quite sincere.
“I don’t doubt you.” Gaines smiled. “Do you need to hang anything in the closet? That’s one area I didn’t check, but there are hooks on the back of the door. I’ll grab a couple of hangers.”
“Not necessary. I can keep everything in my bag.”
Gaines cleared a small bench. “You can put it here.”
“Thanks. You are a gracious host.” Luna wanted to kiss him right then and there.
“Are you hungry?” Gaines asked. “I have some cheese and fruit if you’d like.”
“That would be great. Thanks! I had a scone on my way.” She looked down and noticed a few crumbs on her jacket. “Leftovers.” She picked off the scraps and handed them to Gaines.
“You are too kind.”
“But seriously, I have something for you.” Luna went back into the dining room and handed him the two boxes from the Flakey Tart.
He took a whiff before he opened them. “You shouldn’t have.”
