out.” He was breathless, the desire in his eyes deeper than before. He took her hand and turned to face the back of the house. “Why don’t you give me the tour?”
Katy exhaled, steadying herself. “Good idea.” This was one 38
more thing she loved about her fiancC. He had a colorful past, but he treated her like a princess. He respected her completely. They’d drawn the line on safe ground, so there was never any question about things getting out of control.
They walked into the house through the back door, and Katy saw the place through Dayne’s eyes. The door led to a great room, but the space was dark with only two small windows. Mold grew on one of the walls from the floor to the ceiling, and cobwebs hung from every corner.
Dayne pressed her fingers between his and gave a lighthearted laugh. “You weren’t kidding. It definitely needs work.”
“And maybe a few windows.” Katy noticed that the linoleum was peeling in places.
“And a new floor.”
“Yes.” He put his arm around her shoulders. “But I can see it, Katy.” He turned and looked out the sliding door to the deck. “Once it’s fixed up it’ll be gorgeous.”
“You think so?”
“Definitely.” He gazed at her, and for a moment they were lost in each other’s eyes. “But never as gorgeous as you.”
Katy felt like she was walking on cotton candy as they moved from the great room through the kitchen and down a hallway into a laundry room. When they were finished with the downstairs they went up, careful to step over the two broken stairs. “Lots to do, huh?” She gave him a sheepish grin.
“It doesn’t matter.” He followed her toward one of the bedrooms. “If it isn’t ready by Thanksgiving, I can stay with John He already offered.”
“Good.” She stopped him just before the bedroom door. Slic circled her arms around his waist and looked into his eyes. long as it’s ready after the wedding.”
He looked like he wanted to kiss her, but instead he retreated a step. “What’s in here?”
The joy in her heart was so strong it made her dizzy. Her voicc fell a notch, and she heard the shyness in her tone. “Our room.
3
39
They walked in together, and she heard Dayne take a deep breath. He stopped and put his arm around her waist. The former owners had skimped on windows downstairs but not here. An entire wall was made up of a series of three enormous sheets of glass, giving the master bedroom an expansive view of the lake. At one end of the room was a sliding door and beyond it a balcony that was sagging on one side.
Dayne released his hold on Katy’s waist and took her hand. “Bob said this would happen.”
“What?” Katy loved hearing about Dayne’s missionary friend. He and his wife and kids would be coming to the wedding, and she could hardly wait to meet them.
“He told me God wanted to give me the desires of my heartas long as those desires were lined up with His. That’s why on my list of what mattered most I had God first. He’s already done enough for me.” He shrugged. “I guess now I want to leave this part-the desires of my heart-up to Him.”
Katy touched his face. “And look what He’s given us.” “More than I could’ve imagined.”
They finished touring the house, and when they found their way to the backyard again, Dayne looked at the house and nodded slowly. “It’s possible, Katy. It could be ready by Thanksgiving.” He took her hand and brought it to his lips.
“Let’s wait lor the inspection, but if the contractors here are anything like the ones in LA, you can make it worth their while to move quickly.”
“I’ll make some calls next week.”
I be led her toward the edge of the bluff. “The stairs down to the water don’t look real safe.”
“But there’s a path.” She had dreamed of this moment, known that when he came it would happen exactly like this. The two of them walking through the house, imagining what it might be we day, what it needed to make the
Katy exhaled, steadying herself. “Good idea.” This was one 38
more thing she loved about her fiancC. He had a colorful past, but he treated her like a princess. He respected her completely. They’d drawn the line on safe ground, so there was never any question about things getting out of control.
They walked into the house through the back door, and Katy saw the place through Dayne’s eyes. The door led to a great room, but the space was dark with only two small windows. Mold grew on one of the walls from the floor to the ceiling, and cobwebs hung from every corner.
Dayne pressed her fingers between his and gave a lighthearted laugh. “You weren’t kidding. It definitely needs work.”
“And maybe a few windows.” Katy noticed that the linoleum was peeling in places.
“And a new floor.”
“Yes.” He put his arm around her shoulders. “But I can see it, Katy.” He turned and looked out the sliding door to the deck. “Once it’s fixed up it’ll be gorgeous.”
“You think so?”
“Definitely.” He gazed at her, and for a moment they were lost in each other’s eyes. “But never as gorgeous as you.”
Katy felt like she was walking on cotton candy as they moved from the great room through the kitchen and down a hallway into a laundry room. When they were finished with the downstairs they went up, careful to step over the two broken stairs. “Lots to do, huh?” She gave him a sheepish grin.
“It doesn’t matter.” He followed her toward one of the bedrooms. “If it isn’t ready by Thanksgiving, I can stay with John He already offered.”
“Good.” She stopped him just before the bedroom door. Slic circled her arms around his waist and looked into his eyes. long as it’s ready after the wedding.”
He looked like he wanted to kiss her, but instead he retreated a step. “What’s in here?”
The joy in her heart was so strong it made her dizzy. Her voicc fell a notch, and she heard the shyness in her tone. “Our room.
3
39
They walked in together, and she heard Dayne take a deep breath. He stopped and put his arm around her waist. The former owners had skimped on windows downstairs but not here. An entire wall was made up of a series of three enormous sheets of glass, giving the master bedroom an expansive view of the lake. At one end of the room was a sliding door and beyond it a balcony that was sagging on one side.
Dayne released his hold on Katy’s waist and took her hand. “Bob said this would happen.”
“What?” Katy loved hearing about Dayne’s missionary friend. He and his wife and kids would be coming to the wedding, and she could hardly wait to meet them.
“He told me God wanted to give me the desires of my heartas long as those desires were lined up with His. That’s why on my list of what mattered most I had God first. He’s already done enough for me.” He shrugged. “I guess now I want to leave this part-the desires of my heart-up to Him.”
Katy touched his face. “And look what He’s given us.” “More than I could’ve imagined.”
They finished touring the house, and when they found their way to the backyard again, Dayne looked at the house and nodded slowly. “It’s possible, Katy. It could be ready by Thanksgiving.” He took her hand and brought it to his lips.
“Let’s wait lor the inspection, but if the contractors here are anything like the ones in LA, you can make it worth their while to move quickly.”
“I’ll make some calls next week.”
I be led her toward the edge of the bluff. “The stairs down to the water don’t look real safe.”
“But there’s a path.” She had dreamed of this moment, known that when he came it would happen exactly like this. The two of them walking through the house, imagining what it might be we day, what it needed to make the
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