21. Chapter 21
Chapter 21
Lis
I hurry down the street toward the building where the open house is, checking the time again. This place is only a fifteen-minute walk from my apartment and I’d left with way more time than I needed, but I still don’t like to be late. And I know Spencer will be anxious about leaving work on a day when there’s a wedding happening.
Sure enough, he’s waiting for me outside, and he looks tense.
“Everything okay?” I ask.
“Yeah. I left Adalie in charge. Everything’s in good hands. It just feels weird.”
“Let’s go up then.” I link my arm through his and tug him along.
There’s a person at the front door to let us in and he gives us a fact sheet on the apartment. As we ride up the elevator to the sixth floor, I read the sheet over Spencer’s arm.
“The maintenance fees are pretty high,” I say, pointing.
“They’re not bad. Considering the rooftop garden and the gym. I’ve seen worse. And since there’s one here, I’d get rid of my current gym membership.”
The doors slide open and a woman in a skirt suit smiles at us.
“You’re here for the open house?” she asks.
I smile back. “We are.”
The realtor holds out her hand. “I’m Sam. Can I show you around?”
“Please.”
We follow her inside and she says to just leave our shoes on. She points out the in-suite laundry and how both bedrooms have attached bathrooms. The master has a walk-in closet that almost makes me swoon.
“Do you think the bedroom is big enough for your king-sized bed?” I ask.
Spencer nods. He seems thoughtful as he looks around. “This bed is a queen and there’s still plenty of space.”
“The bathroom has a double vanity and a separate shower and bathtub.”
Sam laughs. “Are you trying to do my job?”
“It’s a really nice bathtub,” I say with a shrug.
Spencer cuts a look at me, a mischievous smirk on his face. “I know how much you like baths.”
My face heats as Sam leads us into the open-concept living room/kitchen. As soon as I see the kitchen, I come to a dead stop.
“Are there two ovens?” I ask.
Sam offers us a smile. “Why, yes, there are. You like to cook?”
“I’m a chef.”
I go into the kitchen, trailing my fingers over a pristine, white counter. It’s not stone, but I don’t really like stone counters, anyway. They can be porous, they require special care, and if they get damaged, they’re expensive to repair. This counter is much more practical as well as being pretty.
I open one of the ovens, peering inside.
“What are you looking for?” Spencer asks.
I turn to him with the most serious look I can muster. “It’s important to look inside your oven.” Then I move to the refrigerator and open it as well.
I know Spencer is fighting to keep from laughing at me. But kitchens are serious things.
“Check all the cupboards, firecracker. Make sure there’s enough space.”
I flash him a quick smile. “Don’t worry. I was planning on it.”
As I’m checking through every single cupboard and drawer, Spencer and Sam discuss the space including the patio and the living-dining area. They discuss the building in general including the rooftop garden and the gym and how to access them and if Spencer is allowed to invite guests to join him in the gym.
I spend a lot of time checking out the kitchen so when I’m done, he’s already looked at everything else.
“So?” he asks. “Is it your dream kitchen?”
I laugh. “Hardly. But you couldn’t fit my dream kitchen in a condo in Downtown Vancouver. That’s why I work at Blue Vista. That said, I could be happy with this kitchen and so I think you could also be happy with it.”
“May I remind you, I don’t actually cook,” he says.
“I know. But you need to have a good kitchen if I’m going to come over and cook for you.”
“Oh, you wouldn’t be moving in as well?” Sam asks.
Spencer’s smile slips a bit. “No. Lis and I are just friends. She offered me her opinion. And there’s no one whose opinion I’d trust more when it comes to kitchens.”
“What did you think about the rest of the place,” I ask, trying to get the conversation away from our relationship status. Or lack thereof.
“It’s great. The view is stunning. But I kind of wish we were a few floors up and facing the other way. Otherwise, it’s got pretty much everything I want.”
“But what do you feel about it?” I ask. “You want to buy a place that you think can feel like home. Not just a place that checks off all the boxes.”
He considers for a moment. “I think this place could feel like home.”
“Well, we should get to work,” I say.
Spencer nods and shakes Sam’s hand again. Then he does something surprising. “I wondered if you’re open to new clients?”
Sam grins and hands him a business card. “Of course. Call me and we can discuss what it is you’re looking for.”
He nods and we leave the apartment.
“So, what did you think of it, really?” I ask as soon as we’re outside again.
“I don’t know.” He seems lost in thought as we walk to Blue Vista.
“Feeling a little overwhelmed, maybe?”
“Maybe.”
“Have you looked at places before?”
“A couple times.” He shrugs. “Never had anything stick out enough for me to jump on it.”
“So maybe this isn’t the place for you then, either. You only just started looking. You liked Sam though?” I’m watching him as we walk, but he’s just focused ahead.
“We clicked. I’ve always been good at telling if a person is going to mesh well with me or not. She’s the right realtor for me, I think.”
“Do you always make such snap decisions?”
“Yes. I trust my instincts. They’ve never steered me wrong before.”
“Well, then I’m sure you’ll know when the right place comes up.”
He smiles down at me. “You’re right. Thanks.”
I smile back and we continue toward work, but as we walk, I think back on what he said. He makes snap decisions. He trusts his instincts. And his instincts were to be with me. It hadn’t been my instincts that had led to me putting a halt on things between us. It had been past trauma. So what if I’d been wrong?