Page 152
Story: Sin City Lights
But the showstopper was a long three-lane lap pool, cobalt water shimmering.
She pulled on Adam’s sleeve, excitement making her want to jump up and down.“The pool!”
He nodded, smiling.“The pictures made it look much smaller.”
Barbara tipped her head.“Will this be adequate?”
Adequatewas an understatement. This place was a near copy of his penthouse, except it was on land and had a finished five-car garage.
“It has a lot of pluses,” Adam said smoothly.
“What are the minuses?” Barbara challenged.
“The lack of a second floor and the price.”
“Adding on shouldn’t be a problem, and we can work on the price. The owner is motivated. Would you like me to put a contract together?”
Adam looked down at Eve, eyes sparkling.“What do you think?”
Happiness burst within her.“I think you’ve found yourself a house.”
He kissed her hand.“Not just a house, Eve. It’s a home.”
Chapter 21
Eve
“Is it thick enough?”
Jannie looked over Adam’s shoulder, critically eyeing the steaming saucepan as he turned off the burner and removed the boiling oats from the stove.
He swung around to empty its contents into a bowl. His rolled-up sleeves allowed Eve a delicious view of his muscular forearms. He wore a white apron with a Norwegian flag across the front, courtesy of Jannie. Underneath the red flag with a navy-blue Nordic cross bordered in white was embroidered,Not only perfect, but Norwegian too!
Eve truly agreed with that. Jannie had gifted all her siblings the same apron, but Eve thought Adam wore it best.
She placed another plate and glanced around the cozy kitchen, where four Larssen siblings and one very sharp-eyed grandmother were bustling about, preparing breakfast.
The moment he’d renewed their contract, Adam had asked her to join him on the annual family trip to Norway. They’d flown to Oslo on Friday, on the G550, the entire Larssen clan plus Rolf. Saturday morning breakfast was a huge production, Eve had learned, all of them participating, and she was loving every moment, enamored with the family, fascinated by their group dynamic.
All her life, she’d dreamed of being part of something like this. Especially wonderful was meeting Adam’s grandmother, sharp as a tack and still ruling the roost at seventy-two.
Eve watched in amusement as the old woman narrowed steely blue eyes at Jannie.
“Adam knows what he’s doing. He doesn’t need you hovering over thehavregqrøt.”
“Remind me, Bestemor, who was the only one of us who burnedit?” Jannie shot back.“Oh, yes, that’s right, it was this guy!” Lowering her voice, she muttered,“The man can fly a jet but can’t manage simple oatmeal.”
Ian chuckled, hand on a white cloth over a crisp bread loaf, and pointed with a serrated knife.“You’ll never live that down, Ug.”
“It was one time,” Adam told Eve, amusement glinting in his eyes.“I was twelve.”
Jannie poked his shoulder.“Old enough to know better.”
Ian raised an eyebrow at her, motioning with his chin to a bowl of eggs.“You have all those to crack. Get to it.”
She placed protective hands on her belly, now gently rounded.“That’s Erik’s job now. The smell of raw eggs makes me sick.”
Ian sawed at the loaf.“Raw eggs have a smell? Who knew?”
She pulled on Adam’s sleeve, excitement making her want to jump up and down.“The pool!”
He nodded, smiling.“The pictures made it look much smaller.”
Barbara tipped her head.“Will this be adequate?”
Adequatewas an understatement. This place was a near copy of his penthouse, except it was on land and had a finished five-car garage.
“It has a lot of pluses,” Adam said smoothly.
“What are the minuses?” Barbara challenged.
“The lack of a second floor and the price.”
“Adding on shouldn’t be a problem, and we can work on the price. The owner is motivated. Would you like me to put a contract together?”
Adam looked down at Eve, eyes sparkling.“What do you think?”
Happiness burst within her.“I think you’ve found yourself a house.”
He kissed her hand.“Not just a house, Eve. It’s a home.”
Chapter 21
Eve
“Is it thick enough?”
Jannie looked over Adam’s shoulder, critically eyeing the steaming saucepan as he turned off the burner and removed the boiling oats from the stove.
He swung around to empty its contents into a bowl. His rolled-up sleeves allowed Eve a delicious view of his muscular forearms. He wore a white apron with a Norwegian flag across the front, courtesy of Jannie. Underneath the red flag with a navy-blue Nordic cross bordered in white was embroidered,Not only perfect, but Norwegian too!
Eve truly agreed with that. Jannie had gifted all her siblings the same apron, but Eve thought Adam wore it best.
She placed another plate and glanced around the cozy kitchen, where four Larssen siblings and one very sharp-eyed grandmother were bustling about, preparing breakfast.
The moment he’d renewed their contract, Adam had asked her to join him on the annual family trip to Norway. They’d flown to Oslo on Friday, on the G550, the entire Larssen clan plus Rolf. Saturday morning breakfast was a huge production, Eve had learned, all of them participating, and she was loving every moment, enamored with the family, fascinated by their group dynamic.
All her life, she’d dreamed of being part of something like this. Especially wonderful was meeting Adam’s grandmother, sharp as a tack and still ruling the roost at seventy-two.
Eve watched in amusement as the old woman narrowed steely blue eyes at Jannie.
“Adam knows what he’s doing. He doesn’t need you hovering over thehavregqrøt.”
“Remind me, Bestemor, who was the only one of us who burnedit?” Jannie shot back.“Oh, yes, that’s right, it was this guy!” Lowering her voice, she muttered,“The man can fly a jet but can’t manage simple oatmeal.”
Ian chuckled, hand on a white cloth over a crisp bread loaf, and pointed with a serrated knife.“You’ll never live that down, Ug.”
“It was one time,” Adam told Eve, amusement glinting in his eyes.“I was twelve.”
Jannie poked his shoulder.“Old enough to know better.”
Ian raised an eyebrow at her, motioning with his chin to a bowl of eggs.“You have all those to crack. Get to it.”
She placed protective hands on her belly, now gently rounded.“That’s Erik’s job now. The smell of raw eggs makes me sick.”
Ian sawed at the loaf.“Raw eggs have a smell? Who knew?”
Table of Contents
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 90
- Page 92
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 113
- Page 114
- Page 115
- Page 116
- Page 117
- Page 118
- Page 119
- Page 120
- Page 122
- Page 123
- Page 124
- Page 125
- Page 126
- Page 128
- Page 129
- Page 130
- Page 131
- Page 132
- Page 133
- Page 134
- Page 135
- Page 136
- Page 137
- Page 138
- Page 139
- Page 140
- Page 142
- Page 143
- Page 144
- Page 145
- Page 146
- Page 150
- Page 151
- Page 152
- Page 153
- Page 154
- Page 156
- Page 158
- Page 159
- Page 160
- Page 161
- Page 162
- Page 163
- Page 164
- Page 165
- Page 166
- Page 168
- Page 169
- Page 170
- Page 171
- Page 172
- Page 174
- Page 175
- Page 176
- Page 179
- Page 180
- Page 182
- Page 183
- Page 184
- Page 185