Married for his business.

Chapter 31

Dammit. The game was going to backfire on her.

Dylan turns into the driveway of their new house.

He stops at the keypad and punches in a number, and the ornate white metal gates swing open.

They roar up the tree-lined lane under leaves that are a blend of green, yellow, and burnished copper.

The tall grass in the meadow is turning gold, but there are still a few yellow wildflowers dotted among the grass.

It’s a beautiful day. The sun is shining, and
the salty tang of the Sound is in the air mixed with the scent of the coming fall.

It was such a tranquil and beautiful place.

And to think they were going to be living  there.

The lane curves around, and their house comes into view.

Several large trucks, sides emblazoned with WALKER ENTERPRISE, are parked out front. The house is decked in scaffolding, and several workmen in hard hats are busy on the roof.

Dylan pulls up outside the portico and switches off the engine. Lorraine could sense his excitement.

“Let’s go find Xander.”

“Is he here?”

“I hope so. I’m paying him enough.”

Lorraine snort, and Dylan grins as they get out of the car.

“Yo, Dylan!" Xander shouts from somewhere.

They both glance around.

“Up here!” He’s up on the roof, waving down at them and beaming from ear to ear. “About time we saw you here. Stay where you are. I’ll be right down.”

Lorraine glanced at Dylan who shrugs. A few minutes later, Xander appears at the
front door.

“Hey.” He shakes Dylan's hand. “And how are you, pretty lady?” He picks up Lorraine and swings her around.

“Better, thanks,” she giggle breathlessly, her ribs protesting.

Dylan frowns at him, but Xander ignores him.

“Let’s head over to the site office. You’ll need one of these.” He taps his hard
hat.

The house is a shell. The floors are covered in a hard fibrous material that looked like burlap; some of the original walls have disappeared and new ones have
taken their place.

Xander lead them through, explaining what’s happening, while men—and a few women—work everywhere around them. Lorraine was relieved to see the stone staircase with its intricate iron balustrade is still in place and draped completely in white dustsheets.

In the main living area, the back wall has been removed to make way for Paula's glass wall, and work is beginning on the terrace. In spite of the mess, the view is still stunning.

The new work is sympathetic and in keeping with the oldworld charm of the house . . .

Paula's done well.

Xander patiently explains the processes and gives them a rough timeframe for each. He’s hoping they can be in by Christmas, although Dylan thinks this is optimistic.

Holy cow

Christmas overlooking the Sound.

Lorraine couldn't wait.

A bubble of excitement blooms inside her. She  had flashes of them trimming an enormous tree while a copper-haired little boy looks on in wonder.

Xander finishes their tour in the kitchen. “I’ll leave you two to roam. Be careful. This is a building site.”