body before landing on his eyes. But, as Chase does, he looked over at her and smiled the most beautiful smile, you know, one of those panty melters, and she felt like the only woman alive on earth.
"We're anxious to see the inside," he then said.
Leslie pulled her phone from her purse, tapped a couple of times, then turned to walk to the front door. They dutifully followed her and as they climbed the last step to the porch, the bottom of the electronic lock box slid out revealing the key.
Pulling it from its hiding place, she quickly unlocked the door then stepped aside to let them in first. Chase leaned forward and twisted the knob on the door, then with his hand at the small of her back, he ushered her inside first, then stepped in before Leslie.
Her first impression was that it was darker than it should be and certainly some fresh paint and newer furnishings would make a difference. The old, worn, orange sofa, which looked to be a blast from the past, as in the 70s, made the place look much older than it was.
There was an olive-green recliner alongside the sofa which had seen better days. The curtains were worn and looked tattered in places. But, overall, the space was nice; it could be easily freshened up and the good thing was it didn't smell.
Turning to see the kitchen, which was open to the living room, the cabinets were an older wood, had been painted a few times as the chipped spots showed. But this last coat was a dark gray, which really darkened the room. She'd paint them white and the space would feel fresh and clean.
There was ample space in the cabinets and a view of the lake from above the sink, the sliding doors from the dining area and the windows in the hall were breathtaking. Imagine looking out of those windows at that view every day.
They completed their tour by looking at the bath and a half, the two bedrooms and the storage area alongside. There wasn't a basement in this house; the storage area served as that with a washer and dryer, the hot water heater, furnace, and circuit box. But it was somewhat neat, and they would keep this room so much neater, she had no doubt.
Walking back to the living area, Leslie asked, "What do you think?"
Chase looked at her again, his voice was soft when he asked, "Do you want to step outside and chat a minute?"
"Yes."
She didn't. It was clear he was in love with the place. She wasn't quite there yet, but she knew she would be. It was quiet here; they'd been there close to an hour and she’d barely heard another car. It was very different from where they lived in Green Bay. No one would just drop by here. Once they made friends though people would come out to the lake.
"We'll be back in a few minutes."
Then he took her hand and they exited by way of the patio doors. There were two old yellow-mesh lawn chairs facing the lake along the water's edge. He motioned to them and they walked toward them and took a seat. Chase inhaled a deep long breath, then exhaled slowly.
"I like it here, Lu. But, it won't mean anything to me if you aren't here with me. What do you think?"
He took both of her hands in his then, kissed the knuckles on each hand, then stared deeply into her eyes. Who was she kidding, she'd go back to prison if it made him happy, sort of.
"I can see the potential. We're both hard workers, we can make this place look amazing with some sweat and a lot of effort. Likely a little bit of money, too, but it won't be that bad."
His smile. God, it practically made her dizzy when it shined on her. "Thanks, Lu."
Then, he got down on one knee in front of her.
50
His heart raced in his chest to the point that it was almost painful. He'd been thinking about this for a long time now. Probably the last year. He'd even had the ring design in his head for that long. But, the first time they made love again, after she'd come home, he knew it then. The first time she'd told him she loved him, that sealed the deal. He had the ring made. It was unique. One of a kind. A Chase Matthews Design. All for her.
He fished that