Page 69 of This Time Around
“It needs work,” I told him, looking around the kitchen that was covered with God only knows how many layers of wallpaper. “A lot of work.”
“I think it’s mostly cosmetic,” the realtor said. “Of course, you know how it works. You can make an offer contingent on the outcome of an inspection. You’re more qualified than most of the home inspectors in this area, but you can always have Mike, Chris, and Simon take a look at the electric, plumbing, and evaluate the heating and air conditioning.”
I had worked with Becker before when I bought the small house across the street from Wren and Dare. The house only needed cosmetic work, and I really needed to stay busy so that I didn’t continue to make an ass of myself over Milo. Only part of the plan worked, and anyone could probably accurately guess which one I failed miserably at. I spent a little over a month remodeling the interior and hired Dare upon Becker’s recommendation to stage the house when I put it on the market. I’d never heard of that before but took the realtor’s advice. Dare came through for me big-time, and the house sold the first time Becker showed it. The three of us made a good team, and I appreciated Becker giving me the inside scoop on this house before he listed it.
When I first saw the house on Lover’s Lane, I thought it could be a great house to flip. Once I got inside, the house appealed to me on a different level. Instead of seeing dollar signs, I saw a house that could become a home I shared with Milo. I didn’t hear fictional cash register sounds tallying up the profit I could make; instead, I heard little feet running across the hardwood floors. They might’ve been scuffed and damaged, but they would be as good as new once they were sanded and stained.
I heard a tinywoofthen felt a rough tongue lick across my chin.
“Bull likes it,” Becker said.
I looked down at the ridiculously tiny, black and white dog I took with me almost everywhere except work or places where dogs weren’t permitted. I hadn’t taken Milo seriously when he first suggested we adopt another pet, but then I met Bull. I took one look at that tiny little body shaking from fear and the big, sorrowful eyes that said the world had let him down time and time again, and I knew he was meant to be my dog. My nemesis, Tucker, thought I would throw a fit about taking a photo with such a tiny dog while he and some of the others got bigger dogs. The photographer, Scotty, said he liked the contrast of a big guy like me cradling a tiny dog safely in my hands.
You know who else found it appealing? Milo. I was the one who got the last laugh when I took home that tiny dog who didn’t threaten my masculinity in the least because my guy found my gentleness to be sexy and hot. He said he knew then that I wouldn’t drop the babies when they came.Take that, Tucker!
Bull became my shadow everywhere I went, so I had to be careful about where I stepped. He went with us to ballgames and family dinners. Milo started dressing him in silly sweaters or tied tiny bandanas around his neck. I usually took that stuff off him as soon as we were a safe distance from home, at least until the weather turned colder. Bull loved to ride in my truck, and he brought a lot of joy to people everywhere we went. He was especially a big hit on the nights I took him to NA meetings with me. Hell, even hard-ass Keeton couldn’t resist his charms.
One of my favorite things was that he kept Queen Alli Cat on her toes. She wasn’t to be outdone though. Milo felt horrible that Bull could go places with us while Alli Cat stayed home. Not only was he concerned about the safety of our belongings, but the emotional stress it could have on the cat. She was so used to being number one with both of us. Milo decided to try a harness on Alli so she could take walks with us. I laughed, but Alli Cat gave me a baleful look and went willingly with Milo.
Alli Cat might’ve resented Bull’s presence at first, but I noticed a big shift in her behavior a few weeks after I brought him home. She seemed less needy and stressed about being left by herself. I worried it was because she picked on Bull, but the way that he curled up next to her during naps made me realize I was wrong. He wouldn’t seek her out if she was causing him stress. We’d found harmony in our household, so why was I suddenly eager to cause another upheaval?
“Bull likes the big, fenced-in yard. Daddy likes that part too.” I just needed to decide how and when to approach Milo with the prospect of moving. I mean, it didn’t get any better than living on Lover’s Lane. Even if Milo didn’t like it, the house was a damn good investment because I would be able to nearly double my money after some sweat equity. “How much time do you need? I would like Chris, Mike, and Simon to take a look at the mechanicals, and I want to closely inspect the roof when it’s not raining.
“Tell you what,” Becker said. “Let’s write up an offer that allows you ten days to get the house inspected and obtain conditional approval from the bank for a mortgage. I think the owners will be satisfied with that.”
“Deal.”
Bull and I followed Becker to his office and filled out the necessary paperwork. He phoned the owners with my offer while I was there, and they verbally accepted it. Becker would email a copy to both parties for electronic signatures, and we’d be good to move forward.
“Did you want to bring Milo by later to look at the house? I can either meet you or I would trust you with the lockbox code. It’s up to you.”
“How’d you know I was looking at this property for myself and not to flip it?”
“Your demeanor was totally different than the last house you bought to rehab and flip. You kind of had this dopey grin on your face when you met me in the kitchen after touring the upstairs. It seemed like maybe you were picturing your future there.” I had done just that, especially when I saw an adorable picture window in one of the spare bedrooms. It wasn’t quite as grand as the one in Maegan’s houseyet, but it had a lot of potential.
“You’re not wrong,” I told him, “but I don’t know when I’m going to show it to Milo. I think I want the house to put its best foot forward. That wallpaper in the kitchen is scary, man.”
“I can’t recall a time when wallpaper with dancing peppers was popular, but to each their own. Right?”
I snickered. “Yeah, but I have a feeling that the previous owners didn’t removed the other layers of wallpaper before they added the jazzy peppers. All I know is that it has to come down before Milo can picture himself living here.”
Becker laughed. “I understand. I tried to hide my horrified reaction when I saw it, but I think I failed miserably. The husband pulled me aside and told me it was all his wife’s doing. He was really stressed that the wallpaper would prevent people from buying the house.”
“I’ve seen much worse,” I told Becker. “Not sure Milo has though.” I knew how he’d react to the ghastly print. Once I got the keys and started working on it, I couldn’t very well ban him from stopping by the jobsite since he brought me lunch nearly every day, so I’d just have to wing it based on his first impression. If he saw the diamond beneath the dust, then I’d tell him my plans. If he was indifferent, I’d wait until it was nearly ready to put on the market.
Before I left Becker’s, I reached out to Chris, Mike, and Simon to see when they could inspect the property so Becker could check their availability against his calendar. The guys all agreed to inspect the mechanicals the next day, which meant I could start working with my banker to secure financing. I had turned a huge profit on the last house I flipped and could almost pay cash for this one, but I didn’t want to use all my capital. I’d see what the loan officer recommended, but I didn’t want to put more than fifty percent down.
I shook hands with Becker and headed home, but Maegan called me just as I pulled onto our street. “What’s up, Mae?”
“Lyric Willows is what’s up.”
“Hmmm. I didn’t think you were his type,” I teased.
“He’s arriving in town later tonight to see the house in person. Would you mind coming over in case he has questions about your experiences while remodeling the house?”
“Sure,” I said. The rain had completely screwed up my workday. “What time?”
“He said he’d be there by six o’clock. He sounded like the entire world was riding on his shoulders. I figured he could use a friend, so I invited Emory and Jon over. Thought we could do a little backyard barbecue if the rain goes away, or I’ll fix a lasagna or something if it doesn’t. I even offered the use of one of my guest rooms to him.”