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“The elderly man who lived here got sick and moved into a home.”
“Do you have a key?”
She nodded and headed up the four front steps to put it in the lock. Dylan got Grace out and followed her in through the front door.
The entrance was small and needed widening, but as he moved through the rooms he saw the old house had good bones. The living area had a huge open fireplace with a carved wooden surround that drew him.
“See that, Gracie?” Dylan touched the old wood. “Someone crafted that by hand.”
“I was thinking of taking that down actually,” Piper said.
“What?” His look of horror made her laugh. “No way, this is a piece of art. It just needs some love, like the house.”
“Okay.”
“Take Grace.” He passed the little girl over, and for the next hour he inspected every inch of the wonderful old house. Dylan wasn’t often excited, but the thought of a project like this made him feel that way.
“So what do you think?” Dylan said when he and Piper were outside again looking at the house.
“Done right, this place is going to really be something.”
“And cost me a lot of money to do is my guess?”
“Sure, but it will be worth it.”
He wanted to do it for her, he realized. Swallowing down the words, Dylan ran a hand through his hair. He’d felt something when he walked inside that house. A longing to own it, a longing to see it restored and have a hand in the renovation.
“So should I buy it?”
“Absolutely.”
“Thanks.” She smiled at him. “I will then.”
“Just like that?”
“Just like that….” Her words fell away. “Crap, I’m a terrible person. I completely forgot to ask you how Ava is.”
“Not good.” He felt it again, the pain when the doctor had told him what he’d found in the blood results. Pain, rage, and yes, guilt.
“But she’ll be okay?”
He wanted to tell her, wanted to talk to someone about what he’d learned. Should he? Piper was good for it, he knew she wouldn’t tell anyone, but if he shared things with her wouldn’t that make them closer? He didn’t need to get closer, because most days he couldn’t get her out of his head.
“Eventually.”
“Let’s walk and you can tell me.”
They headed down the tree-lined drive with him pushing the stroller again.
“I haven’t even told Mom and Dad yet, only Charlie knows.”
“Okay.”
Still she didn’t probe.
“The doctor told me he found cocaine in her system, Piper. Ava’s been doing drugs, and no one knew.”
“Oh, Dylan, I’m so sorry.” She squeezed his fingers, and he battled the urge to open them and take her hand in his.
