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Robin sighed. “I begged the town to let me have it for over a decade, and they wouldn’t budge.”

Turning to look at my contractor, I smirked. “Did you try throwing five million at them?”

“No, obviously not.” Robin laughed, nudging my shoulder with her fist. “So, Ms. Bradley, want to walk through your new place?”

Nodding, I headed toward the front door. It only took a few strides, my red-bottomed heels clicking against the stone. The wood decking bent under my feet as I pulled the key from my pocket.

“I’m surprised they even bothered to lock the door.” Robin teased.

I shrugged. “They had to stop vagrants like you from trying to claim squatter’s rights.”

As the door swung open, Robin’s jaw dropped. Even in this horrendous shape, the house was stunning. The ceilings were surprisingly high for a nineteenth century home.

I crossed the threshold, letting the floorboards creak as I walked into the house for the first time. My shoulders relaxed at the sound. It had been a long time since I’d heard an old house. Every place I’d lived in since the app took off was newly built.

Robin’s head tilted back as she looked up at the exposed beams. “Wow, those things look incredible.”

I nodded. “Ideally, we keep as much of the original material as possible.”

“I’ve got the architect's plans in my truck. And you know I’m not going to toss anything we don’t absolutely have to.” Robin wandered through the entryway.

Walking through the foyer and into the smaller living room, I looked at the crumbling sheetrock. “You’re sure you can have it done in time?”

Robin nodded, taking notes as she looked at the outlets. “Victoria, if I couldn’t do it, I wouldn’t have taken the job. But you are going to need a stellar interior designer. Someone who can work fast.”

The words brought me back to earth. I hadn’t selected a designer yet. Everyone I’d worked with in the past had far too modern taste. This house needed… something else.

I stared out of the front windows, overlooking the water. Beyond the lake was over a hundred acres of untouched forest. It was the perfect sanctuary for me to figure out what was next. But only after the big, end-of-summer Labor Day party.

“Have anyone in mind?” I looked over my shoulder at Robin.

Robin shrugged. “My sister-in-law is great. She’s local. We’ve worked together on the places of mine you’ve seen.”

I raised an eyebrow at her. “And do you work with her because Zoey insists on it?” If anyone knew how pushy Zoey could be, it was me. I’d hired her to plan a massive launch party for Pop.

Rolling her eyes, Robin groaned. “No, rude. I worked with Sarah long before me and Zoey were together.”

“Is that how you two met? Through Zoey’s sister?”

Robin shifted, and a light blush crept onto her cheeks. “No…”

From the way she shifted her weight, I could tell there was something she wasn’t saying. “When we’re not in the middle of renovating what should be a tear down, I want to hear thatstory.” Then, after a minute of debating in my mind, I nodded. “Where can I find her?”

Robin looked at her watch. “She should be at her studio now, or I can give you her number.”

A group of workers came in through the front door, decked out in demolition gear.

Biting my lip, I nodded. “Text me both.”

Robin opened her phone and sent over the information.

As I checked the message, I couldn’t avoid the string of unanswered texts from my friends. An old college roommate said:

Heard you’re living in the boonies now. Ran through all the women in LA?

I rolled my eyes. The rest were congratulations on the sale and a few wondering when they could visit.

Turning back to Robin, I tapped my phone against my palm. “And Zoey is like… not going to plan this party for me, right?”