“My mind was more or less made up before we walked into the place today. And I spent some time earlier today working on a business plan. I’d love to be able to open for the summer, but I’m not sure that’s realistic, even if everything goes perfectly. But unless something unexpected comes up, it should be open for the fall, and that’s when most dance schools start their new classes for the year anyway.” Juliette returned the diagrams to the appropriate pile.
Whether or not she opened a business in town shouldn’t matter to him. He’d known her only a few weeks, and during some of them, he’d kept his distance. But her ultimate decisions did matter, and not only because if she reopened the school his niece would once again have a place to do what she loved.
Nope, it had everything to do with her remaining in town because he enjoyed her company and wanted to see where this thing between them went, which would be next to impossible if she returned to Manhattan.
“I can’t live in the dance school, though, so I’d like to find a house before I check out of here,” she said, reaching a pile. “If I don’t, I’ll have to either rent this cabin for another few months or try to find something temporary nearby.”
He left the running of the campground to Mom. But he didn’t need to check the reservation system to know that this cabin, as well as the ones around her, might be available for a day or two here or there, but that was about it. People booked the cottages for the summer a year in advance.
But she could stay with him. It’d be easy enough to add a bed to the empty bedroom, and Candace could use his office if she needed a place to study.
“There’s—” He stopped himself. They’d been in whatever this was for less than a week. Offering to let her stay with him was crazy. No, it wasn’t crazy; it was insane. Especially since he no longer lived alone. Before he invited Juliette or anyone else he got involved with to move in, he needed to consider his niece.
“There’s what?”
“Several motels in the North Conway area and a handful of bed-and-breakfasts in Ashford, if you haven’t closed on a house by the time you check out.”
“I’m not worried about it.”
Before he changed his mind and offered her the use of the spare bedroom, he better move the conversation along. “What did you think of the houses we looked at?” In terms of location, the eclectic Victorian took the number one spot in his book. Its spot on the lake rivaled his house’s.
A playful smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she rested her chin on her hand. “I think they all need a little more of the color pink inside.”
He should keep his hands to himself, at least until they finished their conversation. Maybe even until after they ate. But with her so close and no one else around, he couldn’t do it. Slowly, he brushed his fingers down her arm and over the top of her hand before threading them through hers. “Merry Baxter would probably agree with you there. Either she loves the color or the store had a good sale on pink paint the last time she painted the school. But seriously, did you like any of the houses today?”
“I loved the location and the overall floor plan of the one on Oak Ridge. The interior is another matter, but my cousin’s wife is an interior designer. She would work wonders on the place. By the time she finished, you wouldn’t even know it was the same house. And there I would have enough room for my family to visit.”
He’d noticed the asking price on the house listing. Granted, it was a new house with an excellent spot on the lake, but it seemed ridiculous to spend so much on a place and then dump even more money into it. He was about to share his opinion when he remembered who he sat next to. Juliette might act like the girl next door, but she was as close to being that as he was to being the Tooth Fairy. She could hand over the ridiculous asking price, pay for any renovations, and not make a dent in her savings account.
“Remodeling takes time,” he said instead.
“Yeah, but it’s not like the house is uninhabitable as is. I could live there while the changes are being made.”
“What about the house on Bedford Street?” Located on the Ashford side of the lake, the property's location wasn’t as nice as the Victorian’s and it wasn’t as new, but at least the interior didn’t look like a five-year-old had done the decorating.
She picked up the property listing and glanced over it. “The views of the lake aren’t as nice, and the houses on either side are rather close. But I liked the inside a lot.”
He’d rather not live in a house with neighbors so close. He’d done it when he lived in Boston, and given a choice, he’d never do it again. But Juliette called Manhattan home. He’d think she’d be used to having such close quarters. “It’s also a lot older than the other two we looked at and smaller.”
“The neighbors being so close bothers me more than the age of the house.”
“No close neighbors on Cedar Road.” Also in Ashford, the home on Cedar Road was almost as large as the first one they’d looked at and sat on six acres of land. Although not on the water, the landscaping around it almost made up for not being on the lake.
Juliette reached for the details of the final property. “I liked this one a lot too. But I do wish it was on the lake. Which one did you like better?”
Far too often, when a woman asked a man for his opinion, it didn’t end well for the man. He’d rather avoid saying the wrong thing tonight. “It doesn’t matter which one I liked. I don’t have to live there.” He lowered his head toward her neck as he spoke. “Which one do you like better?”
He kissed the skin just below her earlobe. Like when he’d kissed her there last night, he heard her sharp intake of breath. Wanting to hear the sound again while at the same time not having to answer her question, he brushed his lips over the spot a second time.
“Are you trying to get out of giving me your opinion by distracting me?” she asked, placing her hand over the very spot he’d kissed.
So much for keeping silent on the issue. “Of course not.”
Dropping her hand, she inched her chair away from him. “Good. Then which of the three did you like best?”
Well, if he had to answer, he’d be honest. “In terms of location, the first. As far as the house itself, I prefer the last.” Aaron grabbed the back of her chair and pulled it closer to him again. “What about you?”
“At the moment, it’s almost a tie between those two,” she answered, her breath warm against his neck as she slipped her hand under his sweater and up his back. “The first one is closer to the dance studio.” Her hand changed direction and snaked around to his chest. “And you.”