Page 35 of Call It Home

He turned and walked toward Chelle, pausing to ask her something.

Maybe I was reading too much into his words, but maybe I wasn’t the only one who was fighting an attraction.

* * *

We were back to going through the house, this time to develop a new design and budget. I eagerly explored every nook and cranny, my head filling with ideas so fast I couldn’t write them down fast enough. I finally started dictating on my notes app on my phone. I was excited about opening up walls and giving the house a more open floor plan, adding details such as French or accordion doors, and expanding storage space and a new powder room. I envisioned stonework on one wall and modernizing the fireplace that already existed.

I’d hoped Mac would have his own suggestions of what he’d like to see. Instead, he quietly moved from room to room, pulling out his tape measure and marking on walls. As we continued our journey from the main floor to the second floor, Mac’s frown deepened, and his occasional comments became more like grunts. I continued to make notes before we returned to the kitchen, which Chelle informed us would be the first challenge. I laid out my thoughts, using a dry-erase marker on a laminated floor plan to illustrate my thoughts.

“Let’s go over this room by room,” I suggested, “starting in here since we know that’s a major feature of any house.”

“Agreed.”

“I think the entire layout is wrong. Since we’re going to have to gut it anyway, I’d like to switch things up. There isn’t enough light in here.” I pointed to a wall to our right. “I’d like to remove that wall and make a cased opening to open it up and make it feel less cut off. I’d like to flip the kitchen around, add a window here,”—I moved around the space to make sure he knew what I was suggesting—“make this the dining area, and add French doors here that open out onto the deck. That way, everywhere you work or sit, you have a view and lots of natural light. What do you think? Is this possible?”

Mac paused as he sized up the room. “Yes,” he said slowly. “It’s a ton of work and money, though.”

“Well, if you think that’s a lot, then you’re going to love my next suggestion.”

I proceeded to explain my ambitious plan to expand the kitchen by pushing back an entire wall so it extended into the front hallway. I sketched it out on my tablet to show him exactly what I wanted, including where I wanted to put a new island and a hot beverage bar.

“You’re kidding, right? How much kitchen space do they need?”

I heard the skepticism in his tone. “But the kitchen is still the heart of the home,” I explained, determined to make him see my vision. “Whether they cook, just make snacks, or bring in a personal chef, the kitchen is still a major hangout. I can picture everyone spending time here to warm up after a cold day on the slopes.” I tilted my head at him. “Didn’t your family gather in the kitchen?”

“No.” He glanced at the camera, then back at me. Clearing his throat, he added quietly, “Guess no one was much for cooking.”

We weren’t the best cooks in my house either, but that didn’t stop the kitchen from being a gathering place. Chase and I would sit at the counter and do homework, and Bristol would color while Mom put together dinner. Even after she left, Dad would do his best to keep that going. One of my favorite memories was watching Dad make his famous pancakes. Each of us got a turn telling him what shape we wanted, then watched with eager eyes as he tried to create them. Chase’s had almost always been a horse, Bristol’s a car, and mine was always a flower. He’d gotten pretty good at them over the years.

Even though it had been nearly two years since my dad passed away, it still stung. I really missed him. But at least I had good memories; the pancake ritual was just one of many. Looking at Mac, I wondered what kind of family he’d grown up in. Why was he the one working so hard to help his brother? Where were their parents? But now wasn’t the time to ask.

I returned my focus to the plan I’d laid out. “My vision is to turn this into a home away from home. And that means a gorgeous kitchen with an open concept to the rest of the home because no matter the reason someone is in the kitchen, no one wants to feel cut off from the rest of the group.”

He nodded, but his lack of enthusiasm irked me. His recent perpetual frown deepened.

“Why do you keep frowning?” I demanded.

“Don’t get me wrong, I think your plans would be great if…”

I threw the marker onto the counter. “If what?”

He ran a hand through his tousled, dark blond hair. “It looks like you’re making this more about a family who’s going to live here permanently,” he answered with a note of hesitation. “Anyone who comes here is going to stay, what, a week? They don’t need the same amount of storage—not for food, not for clothes, not for miscellaneous stuff. Maybe there are other things to do with the space. That’s all I’m saying. Just something to consider.”

I glared at him. Now he was bringing this up? “What kind of other things?”

He blew out a breath and pointed to the drawings I’d sketched. “I don’t know. This is an upscale resort. People are going to pay a lot of money to stay here. Why would they pay all that money to do nothing but sleep here? There needs to be something special about this, not just a lot of storage and a nice kitchen. Maybe we could add things they can have right here in the house, rather than having to leave to go over to the main building. Like some kind of spa or something. Storage for ski equipment more than for clothes. That’s all I’m saying.”

His words hung in the air, a challenge to everything I’d laid out. I continued to stare at him, blinking as I thought through what he said.

I glanced back at my current vision.

He was right, damn it.

I had planned two walk-in closets in the primary bedroom, his and hers, that were huge. Perfect for a house of this size and areaifyou were bringing your entire wardrobe. But, with the right design, one should be more than enough for two people to put their clothes.

I picked up a cloth and wiped away most of the plans, all except where I wanted to tear down a couple of walls and lose a small bathroom so that the main floor was more open.

“All right. Let’s rethink some things.”

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