guess. We’re going leather sofa and chairs. Big, comfortable, rolling ottomans for the wing chairs. Mom went for yellow.”
For the first time, he smiled, seemed to relax.
“I thought Ry was going to have her committed.”
“Buttery yellow, buttery leather.” She tried to imagine having a yellow leather sofa, thought of the kids. Just couldn’t do it. “I bet it’s going to be fabulous.”
“She and Carolee swear it’ll have that upscale pub feel. Some kind of card or game table, with lime green leather club chairs,” he continued. “Thirty-two-inch flatscreen. Three ceiling lights—organic feel again—oak leaves. We’re still filling in the details.”
“I can’t believe how far ahead you are, and how you can furnish a place when it’s still under construction.” She scribbled in her notebook as she spoke. “I should’ve known Justine wouldn’t go for chintz and gingham.”
“She wants a jewel, every facet sharp and shiny. We’re going to give it to her.”
Struck, Clare looked up. “It’s nice, the way you are. All of you. It’s what I want for me and my boys. The affection, the teamwork, the understanding.”
“I’ve seen you with your boys. I’d say you already have what you want.”
“Some days I feel like the ringmaster in a three-ring circus inhabited by demons. I imagine your mother felt the same.”
“I think if you asked her, she’d say she still does.”
“Comforting and scary at the same time.”
Yes, he looked busy, distracted—and flat-out sexy on top of it. But she’d been wrong about the confused. He knew every sharp and shiny facet of the jewel they were creating.
She remembered she’d dreamed about him one night not long ago, and, flustered, turned away.
“What’s down there?”
“The ADA room and the front entrance to the dining room.”
“Which one’s the ADA room?”
“Marguerite and Percy.”
“ Scarlet Pimpernel . Speaking of French.” She flipped through the notebook. Tilting his head, Beckett noted she’d headed sections with the room names. “Can I see it?”
“You can try. It’s got material stacked in it, too. It’s the smallest,” he said as he led her down the short hall. “We had to work with the footprint of the building, and the ADA code. Going with two full-sized beds, night table between, with this great old ornate lamp that was my grandmother’s.”
“You’re putting family things in here?”
“Here and there when they work. Mom wants to.”
“I think that’s lovely, and special. The beds go in front of the windows?”
“Right. Cane headboards, and we’ll dress up behind them with treatments—for style and privacy. Cane benches with fancy fabric pads at the feet, fancy bedskirts. Some sort of big, ornate mirror for this wall as you come in. Cream walls and crown molding, soft blue ceiling.”
“A blue ceiling.” For some reason it struck her wonderfully romantic. She wondered why she’d never thought of painting her ceilings anything other than flat white.
She supposed she’d forgotten how to be romantic.
“It sounds very French. I never asked what you’re doing as far as dressing the beds.”
“After considerable, occasionally heated debate, we’re going with high-end sheets—white or what is it, ecru, depending on the room. Down alternative, all-weather duvet—covered by another sheet rather than spread or quilts or whatever. Lots of pillows, with neutral-tone linen shams, possibly a bedroll, and cashmere throw things.”
“Cashmere throws? I’m so booking a room. Peacock feathers.”
“Is that some sort of curse?”
“There should be peacock feathers somewhere. I know they’re supposed to be bad luck, but they just feel French, and opulent.”
“Note to self. Peacock feathers. It’s the most problematic space, but I think it’s going to turn out.”
“I love it already. Where’s the bath?” She managed to step in, over buckets, some lumber.
“Watch your step,” he warned,
For the first time, he smiled, seemed to relax.
“I thought Ry was going to have her committed.”
“Buttery yellow, buttery leather.” She tried to imagine having a yellow leather sofa, thought of the kids. Just couldn’t do it. “I bet it’s going to be fabulous.”
“She and Carolee swear it’ll have that upscale pub feel. Some kind of card or game table, with lime green leather club chairs,” he continued. “Thirty-two-inch flatscreen. Three ceiling lights—organic feel again—oak leaves. We’re still filling in the details.”
“I can’t believe how far ahead you are, and how you can furnish a place when it’s still under construction.” She scribbled in her notebook as she spoke. “I should’ve known Justine wouldn’t go for chintz and gingham.”
“She wants a jewel, every facet sharp and shiny. We’re going to give it to her.”
Struck, Clare looked up. “It’s nice, the way you are. All of you. It’s what I want for me and my boys. The affection, the teamwork, the understanding.”
“I’ve seen you with your boys. I’d say you already have what you want.”
“Some days I feel like the ringmaster in a three-ring circus inhabited by demons. I imagine your mother felt the same.”
“I think if you asked her, she’d say she still does.”
“Comforting and scary at the same time.”
Yes, he looked busy, distracted—and flat-out sexy on top of it. But she’d been wrong about the confused. He knew every sharp and shiny facet of the jewel they were creating.
She remembered she’d dreamed about him one night not long ago, and, flustered, turned away.
“What’s down there?”
“The ADA room and the front entrance to the dining room.”
“Which one’s the ADA room?”
“Marguerite and Percy.”
“ Scarlet Pimpernel . Speaking of French.” She flipped through the notebook. Tilting his head, Beckett noted she’d headed sections with the room names. “Can I see it?”
“You can try. It’s got material stacked in it, too. It’s the smallest,” he said as he led her down the short hall. “We had to work with the footprint of the building, and the ADA code. Going with two full-sized beds, night table between, with this great old ornate lamp that was my grandmother’s.”
“You’re putting family things in here?”
“Here and there when they work. Mom wants to.”
“I think that’s lovely, and special. The beds go in front of the windows?”
“Right. Cane headboards, and we’ll dress up behind them with treatments—for style and privacy. Cane benches with fancy fabric pads at the feet, fancy bedskirts. Some sort of big, ornate mirror for this wall as you come in. Cream walls and crown molding, soft blue ceiling.”
“A blue ceiling.” For some reason it struck her wonderfully romantic. She wondered why she’d never thought of painting her ceilings anything other than flat white.
She supposed she’d forgotten how to be romantic.
“It sounds very French. I never asked what you’re doing as far as dressing the beds.”
“After considerable, occasionally heated debate, we’re going with high-end sheets—white or what is it, ecru, depending on the room. Down alternative, all-weather duvet—covered by another sheet rather than spread or quilts or whatever. Lots of pillows, with neutral-tone linen shams, possibly a bedroll, and cashmere throw things.”
“Cashmere throws? I’m so booking a room. Peacock feathers.”
“Is that some sort of curse?”
“There should be peacock feathers somewhere. I know they’re supposed to be bad luck, but they just feel French, and opulent.”
“Note to self. Peacock feathers. It’s the most problematic space, but I think it’s going to turn out.”
“I love it already. Where’s the bath?” She managed to step in, over buckets, some lumber.
“Watch your step,” he warned,
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