Finding The Way Back To Love (Lakeside Porches 3) by Katie O'Boyle

glass and gazed at the deep blue water that stretched like a long finger almost twelve miles to the south, where it bent to the right and disappeared behind a steep hillside of rock and forest. “Justin, this is your dream come true.”
    “Our dream, sweetheart,” he corrected gently.
    She turned with dancing eyes. “Our home,” she said. “Show me. Already, it’s grander than I imagined.”
    “Come see the kitchen.”
    Her squeal made him chuckle.
    “You haven’t seen it yet.”
    “But I know it’s going to be our favorite room.”
    After steering her through a formal dining room, he swept his hand to show off the dark granite counters and cherry cabinets. “Our gourmet kitchen is complete and ready to use. We can make ourselves doppio con panna right now, if you like. Decaf, of course.”
    “Let’s.”
    While he fussed with the new espresso machine, she opened and closed cupboards, exclaiming at the dishes and glassware. A peek at the pantry revealed shelves filled with their favorite staples and treats. The freezer held entrees from their usual restaurants and grocery stores. “You are the best husband in the world.”
    He chuckled. “At the table by the window, I’ve put out the artist’s rendering for you. Ask me whatever you want.”
    She studied the drawings while the machine gurgled and hissed. Finally, Justin spooned on whipped topping and joined her.
    “You’re awfully quiet,” he tested.
    “Mesmerized. Have you any idea what a thrill this is?”
    “I know you’ve been anxious that we might have to live at 14 Lakeside Terrace with two babes in arms.”
    “And now I know we’ll be right here before they’re born. Justin, even if the great room and the kitchen are the only rooms finished, we could camp out and never go hungry.”
    Justin barked a laugh. “Well, that’s not going to happen. We may not have a deck right away, and the guest floor will not be finished until the holidays, at the earliest, but we’ll be living here in comfort—nanny and nurse, too—within two weeks.”
    “I believe you.” She pointed to the plans for the lowest level. “Dude, do we really need three guest bedrooms?”
    “I don’t know what we were thinking. That’s why that level is not finished.”
    “Are the family bedrooms ready?”
    “Nearly ready, yes, and the furniture for babies’ rooms will arrive tomorrow.”
    Gianessa squealed again and raised her glass mug. “To our family.”
    She took a sip and hummed with pleasure.
    “Good?”
    “ Perfetto .” She licked whipped cream from her upper lip. “Speaking of Gwen, she told me she has a new beau.”
    “What do we know about him?”
    “His name is Peter. Not only is he handsome, he was the officer on duty when Haley broke into Gwen’s the other night. Gwen says he handled the situation with professionalism and compassion.”
    “Haley, the niece who’s coming with us to Clifton Springs? Broke into Gwen’s?”
    “No cause for worry, Justin. And I know one more thing about Gwen’s Peter.”
    “What’s that?”
    She raised her eyebrows. “He makes her heart flutter.”
    “Do I make your heart flutter?”
    She winked. “You do, dude.”
    “You keep rubbing your arm. Are you sore from the blood work?” Gwen walked ahead of Haley to clear a path through the swarm of back-to-school shoppers at the mall.
    “A little. Eleven vials.” Haley rolled her eyes. “I thought she’d never finish.”
    “You were in there a long time,” Gwen pressed.
    “Somebody had fainted earlier, so she made me lie down and eat crackers and drink apple juice.” Haley laughed. “What I wanted was a whole bag of Oreos.”
    “You just made me hungry. It’s not suppertime yet, but let’s take a break and see what we still need from your list.” Neither of them had checked things off as they moved from store to store.
    Haley’s face lit up. “Chocolate chip super cookie and an iced tea. Lead me to it.”
    “You’re easy. I’m going for iced