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“There is one more possibility,” Julie says, tapping around on her laptop. “It didn’t come up in the search because it’s only listed as having three bedrooms.”
“That’s not enough,” I say. “I’d like the twins to eventually have their own rooms.”
She waves us over. “Look here.” She points to a picture of the floorplan. “There’s an office off the kitchen that could potentially be converted into a fourth bedroom, and there’s even a garage apartment.”
I shrug and look at Asher. “You could use the apartment as your home office.” I point to the room off the kitchen. “This room is pretty big. We could add a closet here and there’s a full bathroom just across the hall. Think Bug would go for it?”
“It’s vacant,” Julie says. “We could go see it right now if you want.”
Asher looks at me to see what I want to do.
“I guess it’s worth a look. It’s a lot closer to the park and McQuaid Circle than the others. I do like that.”
I don’t exactly say it with enthusiasm, though. I already know Bug won’t like it. It’s an older home and there’s no chance for a theater room.
Julie shuts her laptop. “Let’s go.”
When we drive down McQuaid Circle, Asher tries to sell Bug on the location. “You could walk to the movie theater,” he says. “Lots of kids hang out here. There’s an ice cream shop and abowling alley too. I’ll bet you could get your hair dyed at that salon right over there.”
“Like I have anyone to hang out with,” she pouts, staring out the window.
I turn to face her as we’re both sitting in the back. “I’ve been thinking about that. I have some friends with kids about your age. I could introduce you. Serenity has a son, Cody. He’s super sweet. He’s eleven.”
“Eleven?” Her mouth hangs open like she’s appalled I’d even suggest such a thing. “You want me to hang out with an eleven-year-old? As if I won’t already be an outcast.”
“Okay then, Maddie has a daughter, Gigi. I think you guys would get along great. She’s twelve, but I think she might turn thirteen at the end of the year.”
Her eyes roll to the heavens. “I’m going to high school this year.High school. I’m not going to be seen hanging out with middle-schoolers.”
I sigh. I should have just kept my mouth shut. It wouldn’t matter if I had a slew of thirteen-year-olds for her to meet, she’d find fault in every one of them. Which is why I vow to keep my mouth shut at this next house. If I seem uninterested in it, maybe she’ll actually go for it.
Asher turns and gives me a sympathetic smile. He knows how hard I’m trying. But it seems the harder I try, the more pushback I get from her. I don’t know how to do this. I’m sure there’s some delicate balance I need to find between saying too much and too little. I just don’t have a clue where that balance lies.
“Here we are,” Julie says, pulling her SUV into a driveway and parking in front of the three-car-garage.
Bug’s face is pressed to the side window. “Looks old.”
“Don’t judge a book by its cover,” Asher says. “Sometimes older houses have the best features.”
“Whatever.”
I’m beginning to think the wordwhateveris one of the primary words in Bug’s vocabulary.
Exiting the car, I instantly key in on the yard. It’s amazing. And I do my best to keep how much I love it off my face and inside my head.
These older neighborhoods tend to have larger yards and more room between houses. The driveway is long and wide, lined with a beautiful bed of flowers along the outer edge. There’s a massive oak tree in the middle of the front yard and I can almost see Asher hanging a swing from the sturdy branch about ten feet up.
“This was one of the first established neighborhoods in Calloway Creek,” Julie says. “While new neighborhoods tend to have houses of similar sizes and price ranges, this one is quite eclectic. This house is one of the larger homes, and it undoubtedly has the most expansive yard. There’s also plenty of room for an addition if you ever needed more space. The unfinished basement can easily be converted into a theater room.” She turns to Bug, knowing what her hot spots are. “Just wait until you see the back yard. You could practically put in an Olympic sized pool.”
A lawnmower starts in the yard next door. I turn to see a familiar face. Carter Cruz, one of Mia’s brothers, raises a brow when he sees me. I’d forgotten he lives in this neighborhood. Makes sense. It’s close enough to their autobody shop that he can walk there.
I eye his house. It’s on the smaller side. Three-bedroom, two-bath I’d guess. It sits atop the same small hill this house is on, making me wonder if he’s got a walkout basement.
Though the Cruzes and the Montanas don’t usually mingle, Mia and me aside, I give him a wave and cordial smile,wondering what it would be like living next to Mia’s oldest brother.
On the left side of the house, there’s an outer stairway that looks like it leads up to the apartment over the garage. It reminds me of my own setup in my parents’ house, and I hope there’s an interior set of stairs, too. That would definitely make it easy for Asher to use the apartment as an office.
The house is red brick with off-white trim. Most of the house is single-story with tall columns towering over the large, welcoming front porch. I can already tell this house has character.