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~ ~ ~
Xander couldn’t help smiling to himself while Dallas showed them around the house. The inside was nothing like he’d expected from the outside. Although to be fair, he didn’t know what he’d expected, just that it wasn’t this bright, open modern layout. That ridiculous turret made him think of the place as a castle – but as far as he knew, castles didn’t have walls of windows that looked out on spectacular views like this.
After he’d shown them around the main area of the house with its modern bathrooms and high-tech kitchen, Dallas grinned at them. “Isn’t it awesome?”
Xander nodded and waited for Tori to speak; he knew exactly what she’d be thinking.
“It is a lovely house,” she said. “But…”
Dallas chuckled. “I know. I was wondering how long it’d take you to ask; you want to see the turret, right?”
She nodded eagerly.
He led them back into the kitchen and then into the pantry. Xander watched curiously when he took hold of the shelves that lined the back wall. Then, he pushed, and they slid to the side.
“Oh my gosh!” Tori exclaimed. “It’s a secret entrance?! I love it!”
Xander had to laugh as he followed her up the spiral staircase. There was a landing on each of the first two floors. Tori was wide-eyed as she exclaimed over them.
“The first floor one could be a reading nook. For that matter, so could the second – although, with that view, I don’t know how much reading anyone would be able to do.”
“Just wait until you see the third floor,” said Dallas.
When they got up there, Xander was seriously impressed. Not only was there a window looking out in every direction, giving amazing views of the lake and the surrounding mountains but there was a huge circular skylight, too.
Tori grinned at him. “This place is awesome!”
He nodded his agreement. The house was weird and undeniably wonderful. All his breath caught in his chest when it hit him that, if they wanted it to be, this could be their home. He stole a quick glance at Tori. She was totally engrossed in the view. Seeing her so happy only strengthened his hope that she might decide that she wanted to be happy here – in Summer Lake, with him, in this house.
~ ~ ~
“Are you okay?”
Tori jumped when Laura elbowed her. They were standing in Laura’s workshop. Xander and Smoke had turned the TV on because there was some football game on. Tori didn’t know the first thing about football – but she did know that Xander loved it. He always had. Even back when they were growing up in Napa. Everyone said that he could have gone to college on a football scholarship – if he hadn’t joined the Navy.
Apparently, Smoke enjoyed watching it, too. So, she and Laura had come out to the workshop and left them in the living room – though how they could stare at the TV when that room had such a fantastic view, Tori had no idea.
“Sorry.” She gave Laura a rueful smile. “I was just thinking.”
“About how amazing things are between you and Xander?”
She laughed. “No. Not that they’re not. He’s awesome, Laura.”
“I can see that. And he’s so into you it’s almost cute – but I learned from Smoke that guys like them don’t appreciate being called cute!”
Tori had to laugh. “No. They do not.” She glanced over her shoulder. “He is awesome, and things are amazing but …”
Laura frowned and stepped closer. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing! Nothing’s wrong. It’s just … I don’t know. Never mind.”
“No. Come on. If there’s something wrong, you’ll feel better if you talk about it.”
“I suppose. It’s just … when we came to the lake, I was determined that I wouldn’t want to stay here – now I think I might.”
“And that’s a problem? Xander doesn’t want to?”
“It’s not that. I think he likes it here.”
