Page 46 of My Soul for Sale

My dad whistles appreciatively as he takes in the scope of her plans. "Do you have all the materials?"

"I have the lighting for the whole house, tile for the kitchen and baths, and I've ordered appliances. The bathroom vanities should be here Monday, according to the shipping log. But trim and kitchen cabinets and counters? Not yet. I can't use a tape measure to save my life," she admits, a blush tinting her cheeks.

"Okay, well, we'll need a sander for the floor, and you'll need to pick out a stain. Let's go to the store and get that. Before we go, we’ll measure the house for trim and cabinets," my dad suggests.

"Okay!" Sloane's excitement bubbles over, and she practically bounces with enthusiasm.

"I'm not asking to be an ass, Sloane, but do you have the money for these things? I don't know what you paid for the house," I question, wanting to ensure she's prepared for the expenses ahead.

“Yeah, I have like two hundred thousand left. Will that be enough?" she replies.

"Yeah, that is more than enough," I assure her with a smile.

"Okay, let's go then. I'm excited," she squeals, darting down the stairs and leaving us alone in her bedroom.

I exchange a glance with my dad, knowing that we're both thinking the same thing. "She's not paying us a dime. I'll put the materials on our company card, we’ll write it off on taxes," he suggests.

"Agreed." I nod in approval. "I can't believe she did all that to buy a house."

"I can," he replies. “The girl has always been a go-getter and independent. She wanted this house, and she made it happen, no matter what. There's respect in that. She also did it so she won't have a house payment. Smart."

I smile as I head downstairs, the echo of my dad's words lingering. He may not want to admit it, but he's impressed. And who wouldn't be? Sloane is a force to be reckoned with. He wants her. I can see it in his eyes and the way he looks at her, and hear it when he speaks about her. He just needs to separate her from Ali and lighten up.

With measuring tape in hand, my dad and I set out to tackle the task of measuring the house for trim. Sloane joins us, armed with a notebook and pen to document every detail.

As we move from room to room, Sloane's excitement remains infectious, her love for this house evident. With each measurement taken, the vision for the house begins to take shape, and I can't help but feel pride knowing that we're helping Sloane bring her dream to life.

With our task complete, we head to Sloane's car to make our way to the home improvement store. As we approach her car, I can't help but laugh when I see a little PT Cruiser parked in the driveway.

"No fucking way am I getting in that thing," my dad grumbles.

"Well, your van can't fit three people, so yes, you are," Sloane retorts, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Fucking hell," my dad groans. "I'm driving."

Sloane shrugs and tosses him the keys. I climb into the backseat, and before Sloane can move to the passenger door and open it, I pull her into the backseat with me, snuggling her into my arms.

She doesn't resist, just melts into my touch. Dad starts the car and pulls out onto the road. I can't help but notice the way his eyes keep flicking to Sloane in the rearview mirror, his gaze lingering a little too long each time. I know he's lying to himself, trying to deny the attraction he feels toward her, but it's written all over his face.

He's an asshole for pretending otherwise, and he knows it.

With Sloane nestled against me in the backseat, the car ride to the store passes in comfortable silence. I relish the warmth of her body pressed against mine, savoring this moment.

Once we pull into the parking lot, my dad brings the car to a stop and we all climb out, eager to get started.

Inside the store, we split up to tackle our lists. My dad heads off to find the materials for the trim and floor, while Sloane and I make a beeline for the kitchen section to pick out cabinets and countertops.

Sloane's eyes light up as she checks out all the options, running her fingers over the countertops and opening cabinet doors to inspect the storage space inside. With my input, she narrows down her choices, selecting cabinets in a sleek rich wood, modern style, and countertops in a dark green marble pattern.

Afterward, I lead her to the stain aisle, where she quickly chooses a dark oak stain for her floors. It will be a nice contrast to the white trim she wants.

With our shopping complete, we meet up with my dad at the checkout counter, where he's busy ringing up the materials for the trim. I distract Sloane with questions and kisses in line so she doesn’t notice when Dad swipes his Duttin Construction card and doesn’t ask her for money. She’s giggling and swatting me away from her, and doesn’t bat an eye when we leave the register.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Ripley

The delivery truck pulls in behind us as we get to the house, and we work to unload everything. Sloane insists on lending a hand, her determination evident, but I can’t help but chuckle softly as she struggles to keep pace, breathing hard.

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