Page 46 of Structure of Love

Mrs. Lafferty audibly fretted. “But won’t that cost more?”

“Actually, it’ll cost less if we tear it down with a machine,” Cohen corrected her. “Delicate demo takes more manpower, which racks up quickly.”

“Oh!I didn’t realize.”

I came around—carefully—to stand next to Cohen, and he flipped the camera around so I could see the clients. “Here’s the thing. This is something of a silver lining. Here’s your chance to build the kitchen of your dreams. Wouldn’t it be great to have a mudroom coming off the kitchen? Then you’d have somewhere to dump shoes and things when you come in from the garage.”

I knew this was a selling point. The garage was detached—actually, it was the old carriage house and had been renovated into a three-car garage, but still detached.

Mr. Lafferty looked hopefully at his wife. “I sure would like to have that.”

“So would I,” she admitted.

“Riggs has likely texted you by now. Let’s have a meeting, yeah? With me, both of you, and Asher. We can design you a fabulous kitchen and mudroom, and with this structure gone, it can be any size or shape you wish. Plus it’ll be safe.”

Mrs. Lafferty nodded firmly. “Sold. We’ll get that scheduled ASAP.”

“We’ll get this death trap dealt with,” Cohen promised. “Then it’s all up from there. See you both soon.”

“Thank you for the call, both of you.” Mr. Lafferty ended the call.

I looked at Cohen, and despite the fact the question made me nervous, I asked it anyway. “Anything else wrong that demolition revealed?”

“You mean aside from the sump pump under the stairs and the notched beams in the basement? Oh, my friend, we have many issues.”

“I was afraid you were going to say that.”

I hated Mondays.

15

Logan

Anyone who’d dated knew meeting the friend group could be a make-or-break deal. If we didn’t get along for whatever reason, Gage would have to make a choice, and I might be the fallout of that choice. I truly hoped I would fit in, at least, as I rode toward Riggs’s place.

Silas was on the phone with me as I drove. “You’ve been full of news about this guy. I can’t believe you actually asked him out, by the way, and I feel privileged to have witnessed your meet-cute.”

“Ha, it really was a kind of meet-cute, huh.”

“It really was. And he very clearly likes you a lot if you’re meeting his inner circle already.”

“I know. I need to return the favor soon.”

“I’d love to meet him properly. Maybe we’ll do a day on the lake or something.”

“Sounds great. I’ll ask him for some dates.”

“Do that. I really want to meet this man properly. For now, I gotta go, but keep me posted, yeah?I’m genuinely happy you’re finally dating and I want alllll the tea.”

I laughed. “Sure, man. Talk at you later.”

I was very close to my destination, so the timing of the call worked out. I hung up and then tried to talk my nerves into settling down. My stomach was rather in knots, and I could feel my nerves trying to take over my hands—or worse, my vocal cords—but I was determined to make a good impression.

Actually, my determination to make a good impression was a silent testament to how much I wanted to stay in Gage’s life. We’d grown closer with every date, and I loathed each time I parted from him. I could see a future with this man, and I wasn’t screwing it up.

So, yeah, a little nervous when I pulled into the driveway.

I was inside Riggs’s house for all of a minute when I realized I was going to love Gage’s friends.