that not everyone gets worked up for…” He stripped back the protective materials to reveal a…window.
“Windows?”
Travis laughed. “Not just any windows, Nick. These windows block exterior hot and cold and are soundproof. They’re top of the line.”
Nick couldn’t help but shake his head and laugh. “I’ve got to say, I’m glad you’re so excited with them. As long as they’re the best.”
“They are.”
“Then I’m happy.” He glanced down at Amelia, who was starting to stir from her nap. “Only the best for her, okay?”
“You got it.”
“Okay.” He turned to leave. “I should get her home. But I totally understand it if you need to keep Stephanie happy while she’s in town.” He paused at his choice of words. Despite himself, he chuckled and shook his head. “Sorry, that’s not what I—” He looked at Travis, who was watching him with a completely unreadable expression. “Well, as far as Steph goes,” he tried again. “You do what you feel is best. I can be flexible, to a point. But I am going to need a solid move-in date soon.”
Remembering the meeting he’d just had only concreted his need for the house to be completed. Especially if Susan was going to pop in for a visit.
“I’ll nail it down ASAP.”
Nick started his walk home. Any sense of calm he’d had while he’d been distracted by his new home vanished the closer he got to his vehicle, and he realized for the first time what having a pop-in visit from his caseworker would really mean.
The one-bedroom guest house at ElkView was about to get a whole lot cozier.
“I wasn’t sure if I should knock.” Charlotte put her biggest, brightest smile on her face when Nick answered the door. “I mean, we are engaged to be married, right?”
After her meeting with Steph, when she’d once again remembered the predicament she’d put herself into, she’d run through a million different scenarios for how she could possibly approach things with Nick.
She didn’t even know herself what she was going to say until Nick answered the door to his guest house at ElkView.
Apparently humor had won out.
It was the right choice. Nick burst into laughter and gave a shake of his head before ushering her inside. “I guess you’re right,” he said as she walked into the small space.
And it really was small.
Well, in comparison to her childhood bedroom that she was currently staying in, it was spacious. But for two people and a baby, especially when those two people weren’t really a couple, it might as well have been one of those tiny homes that were all the rage.
A tiny home crammed with baby equipment of all kinds. Char spotted a play pen, a swing, a play mat, one of those bouncer things, a high chair, and more stuffed animals and plastic toys than she could count.
“It looks like a toy store blew up in here.”
“How was your meeting with Steph?”
Char turned around and open-mouthed stared at him. “Seriously? You want to talk about that right now?”
He pulled his glasses off and pinched the bridge of his nose. It was a surprisingly endearing action and Char felt a twinge of guilt for her sarcasm.
“Yes,” he said after a moment as he put his glasses back on his face. “And also, no. I mean, we have a lot to talk about, don’t we?”
“Sure do.” She tugged the strap of her tote bag up onto her shoulder a little higher, suddenly uncomfortable in the space. “Look, Nick. I’m really sorry—”
“I want to thank you for—”
They spoke at the same time, tripping over each other’s words.
“Sorry,” Char said with a smile.
“No. You go first.” Nick waved toward the couch and gestured for her to sit, but Char moved instead closer to the swing where baby Amelia rocked gently, sound asleep.
“She’s so sweet,” she said more to herself before taking a deep breath. “I really do need to apologize, Nick.” She turned around and her breath hitched in her throat. She wished she didn’t have such a physical reaction to him every time she saw him. But it didn’t seem to matter what he was doing or saying; it always seemed to catch her off guard a little.
“I shouldn’t have jumped in like that at the coffee shop. It just…she asked who…well, it was presumptuous and risky and I’m really sorry if I’ve messed everything up. I know how important Amelia is to you, and I know I don’t know the situation, and it’s none of my business either. But