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“Hey,” I add, “it’s not like you’re going completely off the grid and working out of an RV.”
“Oh, my gosh. Caleb in an RV?” Lauren giggles. “I can’t see it.”
He kisses her cheek. “Neither can I. Anyway, Marian is all for our plans. We’re not commandeering anything. Our plans, as in she’s included. We’ll live here at the Goldfinch with her in the house until ours is built next door in the vacant lot.”
I think back to the open space I saw briefly when I arrived. When I reached the Goldfinch, I was so consumed with anger that Dalton would also be staying there. He took up my attention then, but I’m not worried. I will ignore him. I figure I’ll have plenty of time to explore the beautiful scenery that Colorado has to offer. I bet it’ll be gorgeous no matter what Caleb and Lauren want to build. It won’t be like the smog or sprawl of LA. Despite living in a city, I’ve prided myself on being outdoorsy. It’s harder to hack it when living among buildings and pavement, but I made a community garden at the school, and I got my little fix there. I can’t wait to experience the real outdoors here.
A tiny streak of envy fills me that they have not only a home to look forward to but also one set in such a glorious, natural place.
But she deserves this. If anyone needs the beauty of the outdoors to recover, it’s her. I’m glad she can have it.
“I would like to get the foundation and framing done before the winter,” Caleb says.
“We already have contractors lined up,” Lauren adds. “Marian’s late husband, John, had friends in the business around here, and Marian was quick to make suggestions for those steps of the build.”
“And Marian really is okay with it?” I ask. I know she said she’s on board, but still. It sounds like a lot. “She’s not put off with you two just barging in?”
“Oh, she’s fine.” Lauren grins.
Caleb smiles at her, nodding. “She’s like a new family member. While she will always have her opinion and we’ll respect it, she will definitely have a say in what’s going on, I secretly think she’s thrilled and glad that we’ll handle it all.”
“I agree,” Lauren says. “When I first arrived, she seemed so flustered and overwhelmed. And when I chatted with her about future goals and my ideas about the place, it all aligned with what she’d always wanted to do with her husband. I imagine if he had lived, they would’ve done just this.”
My heart hurts at the idea that the sweet older woman I met earlier could still be missing her husband. I hope she views Caleb and Lauren like a new start instead of lingering in the loss of the past and what could have been. They sure bring enthusiasm to the table, and maybe that had been absent.
“When you started posting on social media,” Caleb tells her, “business boomed. She has so many reservations that she’s admitted she didn’t know what she would do without us.”
I can see that firsthand. The Goldfinch isn’t huge and crowded, but I’m aware of the abundance of reservations because there is no spare room for me to switch into. I wish I could avoid sharing that connecting door with Dalton, but it is what it is.
I’m excited about this news, though. If business is booming, and Lauren will be busy with Caleb, there should be enough work and projects for me to sink my teeth into while I try to figure out what to do with my life.
“That’s not all, though,” Caleb says. “I also finalized the paperwork to purchase an old motel in Frisco.”
Dalton perks up at this. He’s been mostly quiet through the conversation, lurking. If I knew him better—or at all—I would’ve guessed that he prefers to listen, rather than to participate in discussions. Here, though, he sits up with attention. “Frisco? There’s a dependable market there?”
Market. I roll my eyes. Aha. Sure, he’ll be interested in the conversation when it’s about money. I will not forget that he is just another rich guy.
“Yes,” Caleb replies. “Frisco is lacking long-term housing.”
“That’s what you’d like to do with this motel? Instead of going completely into hospitality?” Dalton asks.
“Yeah.” Caleb smiles at Lauren again. “We’ll renovate it to be long-term housing. It’s a good winter project for Lauren. She can decorate.”
Ooooh. That would be perfect for her. Now she would be able to put her interior design knowledge to good use. I look forward to having a helping hand in it too.
“Sounds like a decent investment then,” Dalton comments.
Lauren furrows her brow. “What do you mean?”
“Dalton is very familiar with buying and flipping properties,” Caleb says.
Dalton smiles, but it’s not a confident, cocky expression. He seems almost humble about it, as though he wouldn’t have mentioned it himself if Caleb hadn’t brought it up.
“That’s how I built my income. I’ve spent a lot of time and effort into building a real estate portfolio that’s not limited to New York.”
“Always gotta have more and more,” I mumble under my breath.
“What was that?” Lauren asks.
