One Summerhill Day (The Summerhill Series Book 1) by Keira Montclair

Oh, yes. This is the place. This is my home.”
    “But you haven’t even looked inside yet. Wouldn’t you like to explore the house?”
    “Yes, I would.” She pivoted around so she could look at the house from the front. The vinyl siding was grey and it had white shutters. There was a large wrap-around deck that overlooked the hundred feet of lake frontage and there were neighbors on both sides, but not too close.
    “Do you like it, Ryan?” She grabbed his hands in hers, hoping he loved it as much as she did. For some reason, his opinion mattered.
    “Yes. It’s beautiful, but it’s also the most expensive of the properties we’ve looked at. I think you need to examine it carefully and ask about the rental fee and the utilities. It does have the two car attached garage, which you don’t often see in cottages. It’ll definitely come in handy this winter.”
    “Let’s go inside. Do you trust Tracy, though? I don’t like what she said before.”
    “I do. It was a stupid thing to say, but I think she had good intentions.” He stared at his feet. “I’m used to it by now, Cait. It’s not a big deal and it happens all the time. But we can find another realtor if you’d prefer.”
    “No, let’s take a look.”
    Tracy gave them the tour of the interior. The kitchen had been redone with white cabinets, black granite countertops, and tile flooring that looked like weathered wood. It had both a table for eating and stools at the counter.
    “The furniture is included, Tracy?” Caitlyn asked.
    “Yes, it is. Part of the rental agreement and the purchase price.” Tracy smiled.
    Most of the downstairs was a great room, with a lovely open area connecting the living room, which had a cathedral ceiling, and the kitchen—an area that seemed to encourage gatherings. A bathroom and laundry room branched off a hallway leading to the garage. The upper level had three bedrooms, with one bathroom off the master bedroom and one for the other two bedrooms. A small loft with a railing overlooked the living area.
    The front of the house was almost entirely glass and overlooked the large deck.
    Caitlyn turned to Tracy. “It’s perfect. I’ll take it.”
    “Wonderful. I brought a copy of the rental agreement so you can look it over.” She fussed through her briefcase, pulling out a stack of papers.
    “No, you said the house was for sale, didn’t you?”
    “Yes, but it’s going for almost a million dollars. It has a sizeable lawn in back in addition to the one in the front, since this is one of the larger lots on the lake.”
    “Well, could you please find out the exact amount so I could put an offer in? I’d like to buy it.”
    Tracy and Ryan both gave her stunned looks, but she continued. “I don’t think I’ll find anything that suits me better than this. I don’t want a house that needs lots of updating. This is perfect.”
    Tracy smiled. “All right, then. Let’s decide what you want to offer, and I’ll check with the local banks to see who will offer you the best rate for the mortgage. Then we’ll get the paperwork started. Where do you work?”
    “Oh, I don’t have a job yet, but I’m a nurse, so I’m sure I’ll be able to find something. I’ve heard there are openings at the hospital.”
    Ryan asked, “Are you sure you don’t want to think this through for a few days? You could get in touch with my aunt. She’s in Human Resources at the hospital. My dad would be happy to look over the property for you to see if it needs anything.”
    “No, I don’t need to wait. This has public sewer and water, doesn’t it?”
    “Yes,” Tracy answered. “You’re very close to town and there’s a huge Cutler’s supermarket nearby. But if you don’t have a job yet, you’ll have to wait to make the application. You’ll likely have to make a large down payment if you’re a nurse.”
    Tracy and Ryan both stared at her, waiting for her response.
    “Whatever you think will snag the property for me. I