Page 47 of Housebroke

But he hadn’t been home in a couple of months. And since he wasn’t full up with meetings with clients and staff, he’d have some time to see his mom while he was there.

She’d never forgive him otherwise.

After landing, they made their way to the rental cars, where he picked up the car he’d reserved, put their luggage in the trunk, and drove to his condo.

He’d bought a condo in the perfect location. He could walk to his office, plus there were several interesting sites for Hazel to see all within walking distance. They pulled up out front, and he gave his keys to the valet, figuring it would be a day or so before they’d need the car again, then walked inside. He’d also invested in a place with full amenities, including valet, a doorman, a gym, and an indoor pool. He made sure Hazel’s name was added to his guest list so she could come and go as she pleased, and make use of all the facilities without question.

Keys in hand, they made their way to the elevator and headed up to the unit.

He held the door while Hazel walked in. She rolled her suitcase to the side and placed it against the wall.

“Wow,” she said as she headed to the slate of windows. “This is really nice, Linc.”

The open floor plan had been his number one requirement. “It’s not huge, but I like to be able to spread out.” He put his suitcase next to hers and joined her by the windows.

“You can see the bay from here,” she said. “Oh, and there’s a balcony.”

“It’ll probably be cool and windy outside. But at least you can get some fresh air if you want to.”

“The sun’s out. Let’s chance it.” She unlocked the sliding door and stepped out, pulling her cardigan together as the wind whipped around her.

Linc was used to the weather in San Francisco. The wind could be blustery, if not downright violent at times. Today it was actually fairly mild, but they were higher up and near the bay. It was sunny, not a cloud—or fog—to mar the day.

“It’s beautiful,” she said. “You must have loved growing up here.”

“I was raised quite a bit inland, but trips to the city were always a treat. As far as working here? It doesn’t suck, and my clients who live here like it. The ones who fly in enjoy being in the city. It’s a win-win.”

She looked around. “I imagine it’s expensive for your employees to commute here. Or live here.”

He nodded. “It’s definitely one of the most expensive places to live in the country. Some of my people telecommute and only come in for critical meetings. Also, they’re paid very well.”

“I suppose that helps, too.” She went inside so he followed, closing the door behind him.

She hadn’t once asked him questions about his income, or how he could afford such luxury. She asked about his work and seemed genuinely interested in what he did for a living. Otherwise, she wasn’t invasive about his money, and he liked that about her. He liked it a lot.

He busied himself with unpacking while Hazel made a call, obviously to the person who was watching the dogs, since he heard her mention all their names. When she finished, she grabbed her suitcase and came into the bedroom to unpack, turning to face him halfway through. “I’d love to explore the city,” she said. “It would help me get my bearings for tomorrow.”

“Sounds great. I heard you on the phone. How are the dogs?”

She shook her head. “Sandy spoils and pampers them. They’ll be ridiculous when we get back and it’ll take me forever to get them on a routine again.”

“Yeah, but worth it.”

“You’re right about that.”

He grabbed his jacket. “Are you ready to head out?”

She changed from her cardigan to a zip-up jacket. “Let’s go.”

He took her for a long walk, telling her where they were and all the places she could wander to tomorrow, like the Embarcadero, the Ferry Building Marketplace, and the Exploratorium, all of which were less than a fifteen-minute walk. Hazel madenotes in her phone, and though he asked if she wanted to stop at any of the locations, she shook her head, saying she was just enjoying the walk and the fresh air for now.

“How about a cable car ride?” he asked as they approached one of the hop-on points during their walk.

“I’d love one.”

They waited until a car arrived, then climbed on, along with several other people. He’d done this so many times since he was a kid, but it was still fun to ride the car, especially with someone who’d never experienced it before. Hazel held on to the pole along with grasping his hand, as if she half expected the car to catapult her like some kind of violent amusement park ride. He wrapped his arm around her to hold on to her, even though it wasn’t necessary. Then again, holding Hazel wasn’t exactly a hardship.

The ride was steady and not too fast as they made their way toward Pier 39 and Fisherman’s Wharf. Along the way he pointed out spots she might want to stop and get off at tomorrow should she decide to ride the cable car by herself and explore. She nodded but didn’t make notes this time. Her body was tense, but she was smiling.

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