She made her way into the kitchen, which was spacious, but also had white laminate countertops and faded oak cabinets. And white appliances.
She grimaced. “The only thing this room has going for it is space. It needs to be gutted.”
“Yeah, I’m not really happy with it, but the one thing I liked about it was the size.”
She took photos and made notes on her tablet. “Do you cook?”
“I can cook. I’m not a great cook, but I know my way around a kitchen.”
“Enough to know the difference between a gas stove, electric and an induction cooktop?”
“I’d rather have a gas stove. With six burners. And double ovens. If my mom comes to visit, she’s going to want to do some serious cooking. I want to make sure she has the kitchen to do it in.”
“Or that you might get lucky some day and have a woman come cook for you in your fancy new kitchen?”
“I would never insist a woman cook for me. My mom just loves to cook. And if a woman I was dating came to my place, I’d share in the cooking duties.”
She gave him a dubious look. “Sure you would.”
He looked exasperated with her. “I told you I can cook.”
“Many a man has uttered those words and failed me, Barrett.”
“I’m not that guy.”
Again that look. “Now you’re challenging me.”
She waved her hand at him in dismissal and walked away.
He followed. “Fine. I’ll cook for you. But if you’re going to gut my kitchen, it won’t be here.”
She enjoyed the fact he was pissed off about the whole cooking thing when it had been nothing more than a throwaway comment.
“I’ll invite you to my place, Barrett. You can cook for me there.”
“Wait. What? How did this conversation turn into a me cooking for you at your place event?”
She turned around. “I don’t know. How did it?” Deciding to let him think on that one for a while, she asked, “Tell me what you like in terms of countertop surfaces. Granite? Quartz? Marble? Concrete, or something else?”
“Granite. Dark. Solid wood cabinets. Also dark.”
She made notes, then motioned to the wall separating the kitchen from the other rooms. “We’ll also take down this wall to open the space into the living room.”
“You know best,” he said.
With a smirk, she nodded and made a note as they made their way into the family room.
Mirrored walls in the family room. And carpet. Yuck. With two sliders—and drapes.
Who decorated this thing? It was awful.
“It’s so dark in here,” she said, grimacing. “We need to bring some of that fantastic outside light in here.”
“Any thoughts on how to do that?”
“Yes.” She made a note on her tablet. “You have tall ceilings in here. We’ll knock out some of the walls and add more windows, top to bottom. We’ll do a bi-fold door near the pool to bring in even more light. And all of this carpet has got to go. I’d suggest marble or tile in here because of the pool. The last thing you want is people traipsing inside with their wet feet onto carpet.”
“Agree with you there.”
She opened the sliding glass door and walked outside. It was super spacious, with a pool, a hot tub and a fantastic view of the water, but she had an idea.
She turned to him. “Another option to think about is a sunroom off the formal living area to the side. You have the space, and you could entertain, even when it rains.” She walked over to the slider leading into the other side of the house. Barrett followed.
“Right here,” she said. “I could see a bar over there, lots of tables and chairs and we could mount a TV. You’re on the water and you want to extend your outdoor area as much as possible.”
He could envision what she said, could already see the bar, could see his friends there watching sports or playing poker. “I like the idea.”
“Of course you do. I have great ideas, Barrett.” She headed back outside, past the pool, making notes along the way.
“Landscaping needs a little cleanup and refreshing. Some taller bushes here, a few extra trees there. You don’t want to obliterate your awesome views of the water, but you also need your privacy. You’re well-known in the area. You don’t want every gawker on a speedboat snapping pictures of you partying with your friends.”
“I hadn’t thought about that.”
She lifted her gaze to his, confidence evident in her smile. “That’s why you have me. Trust me. I’ll think of everything for you. All you have to do is play ball.”
He cocked a brow. “Really.”
She tipped her finger under his chin. “Absolutely. I’ll take care of everything and when I’m done, this place will be the house of your dreams, Barrett. All you have to do is tell me what you want, and I’ll make it happen for you. I’ll even give you things you never dreamed of.”
Barrett sucked in a deep breath of humid summer air. Harmony was going to have to stop putting those ideas in his head. Thoughts of her giving him everything he ever dreamed of went well beyond just this house.
She’d shown up in that little red sundress that clung to her curves and showed off her spectacular legs and made him think of her as a woman, not a girl.
He didn’t want to think of her as a woman.
He didn’t want to think about her at all.
He didn’t know why the hell he’d agreed to this. It was painful.