Page 23 of Taking a Chance on Charlevoix
“Wow, that’s wonderful.” Izzy was impressed but she paused. Did Marlowe ever sayWow?
When they reached the door to the side porch, she held her breath. Would this be a deal-breaker? Would Seth want to tear off the porch, add it to the kitchen or make it into a powder room?
But he said nothing for a while. Just rocked back in his stocking feet and looked at the porch as if it was one of the major marvels of the world. “You are so lucky. What’s a house without a screen porch? Especially up here.” He stepped out and motioned to the double hammock. “You could read a book out here and catch a breeze from the lake.”
“I know.” Izzy expelled a breath, feeling almost dizzy with relief. Mounds of snow still cloaked the woods in back, but she was feeling warm. Seth sat down in one of the rattan chairs, looked up and smiled. You would have thought it was eighty degrees outside instead of twenty-four and dropping. She was shivering by the time they went back inside and climbed the steps to the second floor.
Seth didn't ask her about the attic but he did ask about the hardwood floors. “Do you have anything in mind? Gray is the color right now. But what you have here is classic. This wood will be beautiful if it’s sanded and refinished.”
“Gray?” Izzy could not picture gray floors in this house, but that was just her. “I'll check with my sisters.” That's the way it went as they moved from room to room. Seth asked questions and she gave him what information she had. Izzy hoped that she was representing her sisters and Aunt Cate accurately. Maybe she should be taking notes too. He wasn’t a man who printed his notes neatly like Chase. No, instead he scrawled, humming every now and then. He raised points Izzy would have to bring up with the others, and she sure hoped that they would all agree. Then Seth and Izzy went back downstairs.
While they were standing in the hall talking about the living room and dining room areas, Skipper arrived with Holly in hisarms. Thank goodness he hadn't minded picking up her baby girl from daycare. Finding the service had been such a relief but it was still new. Izzy had decided to stay home that afternoon with Holly and Skipper would lock up.
The pair came in with a cold breeze. Izzy was waiting. “How did my little girl do today?”
Cheeks rosy from the cold, Holly beamed up at her while Izzy unzipped her quilted onesie.
“What a nice little family,” Seth said, smiling.
Looking like a deer caught in the headlights, Skipper hadn’t expected that comment. So Izzy got there first. She didn’t want Skipper to feel weird. “Oh, we're not a family. Skipper works for me.” She left it there. No need explaining.
“What a happy little girl,” Seth said, smiling down at Holly. “I noticed all the baby stuff around the house. Enjoy it. Those years don't last very long.”
“Do you have children?” Seth wasn’t wearing a ring.
“A son. He’s in college now and when he’s home, he splits his time between his mother and me. My ex and I have a good relationship, which helps.”
“That’s nice. That’s what we are. Skipper and me. Ex’s.” Skipper didn’t look very happy with that comment. In fact, Izzy thought Skipper's nose was a little out of joint.
Was Skipper jealous? That was kind of silly. Seth was an attractive guy but he was older, at least that's what she would guess. Probably in his late forties or early fifties, with his hair showing a lot of gray. Some men looked distinguished with gray streaks. Seth was one of those guys but he sure didn’t put on any airs. And he hadn’t talked down to her the way Chase had.
As they stood in the front hall, Izzy heard Aunt Cate’s rental car in the driveway. Thank goodness. Izzy wanted her to meet Seth. Although it was great to pretend to be Marlowe, Izzy did not want to make this decision by herself.
Within minutes, Aunt Cate swirled through the front door in her camel cape. “Hello, hello! My, don’t we have a nice group here.” Her bright eyes quickly took them all in. Looked like she’d had her hair done.
“Seth, I want you to meet my aunt, Cate Conway.” The two shook hands.
“Did Isabel tell you that this is a family project?” Aunt Cate asked as Skipper helped her off with her cape and hung it on the hook.
“She sure did. You have a beautiful house here, ma'am.” Seth was probably good with people. Izzy could see that.
“It’s a great house but my nieces and I think Sunnycrest could be even better with an update,” Aunt Cate said briskly, but her blueish green eyes were sparkling.
“And I agree.” Jamming his feet into his word boots, Seth said, “I've got my notes. Let me know if anyone has anything major to add. I'd like to do a couple rough sketches for some of these rooms so you can see how I work. But I’m not a decorator so it will be rough. If you don't mind, I might run some of this past Gabby…”
“Gabby?” Aunt Cate’s brow wrinkled.
“The woman Marlowe met on her flight home,” Izzy said. “Gabby Driscoll gave us the names of the architects.”
“Oh, right. Right.” Aunt Cate went back to studying Seth. Sure looked as if she approved of him.
“I do a lot of work with Gabby,” Seth said. “She has great ideas.”
Now, the sketches made Izzy a little nervous. She didn't want to run up a bill on drawings that they might not like. Thank goodness Aunt Cate jumped into the conversation. “That would be just great. We're interested in anything you have to offer.”
“The drawings are on my dime,” Seth said matter-of-factly and Izzy liked him even more.
“Fine. Can’t wait to see them.” Aunt Cate was studying his work boots, a little smile lifting the corners of her lips.
