Shocking Sapphires - Ann Omasta Page 0,44
big announcement.
I got to the bluff early to get situated, but quickly realized that was a mistake, since I couldn’t even get up the stairs to go inside the abandoned mansion. Instead, I found some shade under a large tree, spread a big blanket out for Scout to play on, and looked out over the sea below as I waited for Molly to arrive.
Her Jeep rumbled up and parked beside my truck. I turned to smile at her as she approached. Scout only had eyes for her, too, as he squealed with delight.
As expected, she greeted my son first. She picked up the happy child and smacked loud kisses onto his cheeks before saying, “There’s my sweet boy!”
Once he squirmed and she set him down, I said, “Your other sweet boy would love some of that.”
Her voice was husky when she leaned down and said, “Hi, other sweet boy.”
She started to kiss my cheek, but I quickly turned my head so that her lips landed on mine. The light brush of our lips wasn’t nearly enough, so I deepened the kiss. Molly made an impossibly sexy sound deep in her throat before forcing herself to pull away.
“Wow,” she murmured as she pressed her forehead to mine before standing back up.
“Indeed,” I agreed, thrilled to see that our passion for each other continued to grow even stronger.
Molly plopped down on the blanket to play with Scout. I was sure she had to be curious what we were doing here, but she refrained from asking, choosing instead to let me go at my own pace.
“Are you familiar with this house?” I asked her.
Leaning back on her hands, she looked out over the run-down property and the shimmery water far below and said, “I’ve always loved this old place. It’s a shame that it has fallen into such a state of disrepair.”
“It sure is,” I agreed. “I haven’t been inside it because it’s not even remotely wheelchair accessible, but I’ve seen pictures of the interior. It needs a lot of work, but it’s a solid structure with some original features that are irreplaceable––like intricate ceiling medallions, elaborate spiral staircases, and an enormous double-sided stone fireplace that services the kitchen and living room.
“Wow,” Molly said, sounding truly enamored. “Kids from this area were always half-scared of this old place, but I always thought it could be grand with some elbow grease, ingenuity, and a few buckets full of cash.”
“I’m so glad to hear you say that because I just bought it.”
“What? Seriously?!?” She asked me with wide eyes.
It was difficult to gauge whether she was happy and excited or wary and shocked. I nodded my head to answer her question, then elaborated a bit. “I’m going to have extensive renovations done to bring it up to code and make it the grande dame it used to be, plus some modern conveniences, ramps, and an elevator or two.”
Her face looked dreamy as she stared at the crumbling structure. I was sure she, too, was picturing it being returned to all of its former glory.
“That’s wonderful!” She weighed in, alleviating some of my fear, but almost immediately her expression darkened. “Isn’t all of that going to take a long time?”
“It is,” I agreed. “With my filming schedule, I won’t be able to oversee the construction and renovation. I was hoping that, if you aren’t too tied to your job, that you might be willing to take that on. I trust your taste implicitly.”
I also wanted her to live here with me when it was finished, but I didn’t dare say that just yet. Our relationship was too new to push her that fast.
“Oh!” Molly seemed truly surprised by my offer. She only thought about it for a moment before saying, “Yes, I think I would really enjoy doing that. I appreciate my management position at the bar and grill, but it’s not something I love. Helping fix up this house would be a true passion project for me.”
I noticed the moment her brow furrowed into a concerned look. “Grant, you know this project is going to take several months, right? You’ll probably wrap filming on the movie and move back to L.A. before this house is livable. Are you planning to sell it right away?”
“No, I want to live here on a permanent basis with Scout.” I added the words and you in my mind. “There is nothing left for me in La La Land. My life is here now. Plus, Alex is already planning to