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I nodded.
At the end of the hall, we emerged into a kitchen. It was attached to a family room that looked distinctly different than the rest of the house and featured another fireplace and much more comfortable-looking furniture. It was a room that looked lived in.
The kitchen was gleaming, with fancy appliances and a big island that held four stools. “Oh my goodness, this kitchen is huge!”
Alice nodded proudly. “It is. Do you like to cook?”
I nodded back while running my hand over the granite. It was cool to the touch. “Yes, very much so.”
That made her smile. Finally, something she liked about me.Small miracles, Emma.
“Thank goodness. Aiden isn’t much of a cook, and most mornings, poor little Hadley gets a Pop-Tart and a SunnyD.”
I scrunched up my nose.
“Yes. He tries, but some things he hasn’t mastered…and that includes mornings.”
Chuckling, I let Alice show me the pantry, the laundry area, and the upstairs, which housed three bedrooms. Aiden’s master bedroom was downstairs, and she didn’t show me that room, but she did mention his room had been the original cabin on the property, along with the family room. The wood in the family room was unlike anything I’d ever seen before. You could tell it was old, so I could only imagine how beautiful Aiden’s room must be.
Upstairs, a loft area with comfortable seating and a large-screen TV led out to a sizable connecting balcony. Alice nodded across to the old carriage house.
“It’s unlocked, the key is on the counter. I’ll let you get settled while I start cleaning Hadley’s bathroom.”
“Thank you, Alice. I appreciate you giving me a tour of the house.” It seemed as we went along through the house, Alice had warmed up to me a bit. It was probably weird for everyone that another woman was taking up residence in the house.
“If you need anything, let me know. I’m not sure when Aiden and Hadley will be home. I normally clean the house on Sundays, so that I can make Aiden a few meals for the week, but now that you’re here I’m turning that over to you.”
“Okay,” I said with a nod.
“Now if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.”
“Thank you again!” I called out as she headed back through the loft area and into Hadley’s bedroom.
I walked toward the door that led to my new home, passing an outdoor table and chairs and a fancy-looking telescope. Taking a deep breath, I turned the handle and walked in.
My breath caught in my throat.
The living area was one huge open room with a big picture window that overlooked the mountains. The kitchen was the perfect size for me. A large island with two stools separated the kitchen from the living room, a fireplace sat in the corner, and cozy French country-style furniture filled the space. I made my way into the kitchen and inspected the cabinets. They were stocked with all the cookware and dishes and everything else I needed. There was even a Keurig on the counter. I couldn’t wait to make a cup of steaming hot chocolate and sit in front of the fire with a good book.
Grabbing my suitcase, I walked down the small hall and to my bedroom. It was huge as well. A queen-size canopy bed sat in the middle, with an end table on each side. A matching dresser was placed opposite the bed, and two closed doors completed the space.
I opened the first door and gasped at the size of the walk-in closet. “Wow.”
I made my way to the other door, tossing my purse onto the bed. When I entered the bathroom, I squealed like a little girl. A big claw-foot tub was the first thing I saw. I raced over to it and immediately climbed in. Sinking down, I let out a sigh.
“I’m officially in heaven.”
“So…I see you’re easy to please, Emma.”
CHAPTER FIVE
EMMA - GAME NIGHT
A loud scream flew from my mouth as I jumped up and attempted to get out of the tub. My foot caught, of course, and I fell right out of the tub and onto the floor with a loud thud.
“Shit! Sorry, Emma.” Aiden reached for my arm and carefully helped me up.
Ignore the tingles on your skin. Ignore them.
