CHAPTER 22
Beth grabbed her bag from the back of the Jeep but couldn’t make herself move forward.
“You’re stalling.”
She shot Bryce a look as she finally joined him in front of the elevator doors. “I’m not stalling.”
“You absolutely are.”
He dangled a key ring between them, the silver butterfly charm swinging back and forth like it had all the time in the world.
Beth huffed, crossing her arms. “Maybe I just like the underground parking garage ambiance. It’s very moody.”
Bryce smirked. “You’re adorable when you procrastinate.”
“I am not—”
“Liar.”
Maybe she was.
Beth glanced at the elevator, then back at Bryce, shifting her weight. The loft had always been this hypothetical place—a concept, not a reality. But now? Now, it was her home.
Her stomach flipped.
Bryce must have caught something in her expression because his teasing softened. “You don’t have to prove anything, Lizzy. If you need another night in your apartment, I get it.”
The kindness in his voice soothed her frayed nerves.
She shook her head, steeling herself. “No, I want to do this. I just want...”
Bryce nodded. Then, as if sensing she needed a push, he leaned in and dropped his voice to a whisper.
“Well, I am dying to get you upstairs and I’m sure you know why...”
Beth’s heart jumped into her throat. “Bryce—”
“Get your mind out of the gutter Stoner, I only meant so I could give you the tour.” Bryce winked.
Beth narrowed her eyes at him but still took the keys from his outstretched hand, accepting his silent challenge. She turned them over in her palm, noticing one key that looked old enough to belong in an antique store.
She arched a brow. “Did you steal this from a museum?”
Bryce chuckled. “That’s for the elevator.”
Her eyes flicked up. “You have a key for the elevator?”
“Yes. You need it to access the fourth floor.”
Beth gave him a skeptical look. “That sounds like a hassle if you have a group of people over.”
“I wouldn’t know,” he said, pressing the call button. “I’ve never had guests.”
Beth rolled her eyes, as he continued.
“If you’re coming in from the street, you use this key for the side door. If someone’s visiting, they have to be buzzed in and take the stairs from the third floor. Or you can go down and bring them up with you in the elevator.”
Beth blinked. “That is oddly complicated.”
Bryce shrugged. “Keeps out the riffraff.”
“So… me.”
He grinned. “Exactly.”
Beth scoffed, inserting the key into the panel. The old freight elevator rumbled to life, and as the doors slid open, she took a hesitant step inside.
Bryce followed, tapping the fourth floor button. “Turn the key to the right, and it’ll take us straight up. If you turn it left, it holds the doors open for unloading.”
Beth inhaled slowly, nodding as the elevator started to rise.
Bryce leaned casually against the wall. “Relax, Lizzy. It’s just an elevator.”
Beth shot him a look. “I know that.”
“I mean, sure, it’s technically also our front door, but—”
Beth’s stomach dipped as the doors slid open, revealing the loft’s grand living space.
Wow,” she breathed, taking a hesitant step forward—only for Bryce to capture her hand, halting her before reaching over and flipping the elevator key to the left.
He grinned. “Welcome home.”
Then, before she could react, he swept her off her feet—literally.
Beth gasped, instinctively looping her arms around his neck as he carried her across the threshold.
“Bryce!” She half-laughed, half-protested, heart hammering.
“Shh,” he grinned, effortlessly cradling her against his chest. “It’s tradition.”
Beth could only blink up at him, her thoughts racing. She let herself lean into him—just a little—as he carried her forward, soaking in the moment. It was tradition, after all.
“Want the grand tour?” Bryce asked, his voice rich with amusement.
“Please.”
When he started walking, it quickly became clear he fully intended to carry her throughout the entire tour.
Beth’s eyes widened. “Aren’t you going to put me down first?”
He smirked. “Nope.”
Laughing, she swatted his shoulder. “Put me down! You’re insane.”
Bryce just grinned. “You love me.”
She rolled her eyes, pushing against his chest—though her smile lingered.
When her feet finally touched the floor, she was surprised by how much she missed the warmth of being held.
“C’mon, Mrs. Jensen. Let me show you around.”
He pulled open a door. “This is the entry closet. I keep my coats and sporting gear in here, but if you need space, we can move some things to the storage unit.”
Beth nodded, taking it all in as he gestured to the opposite side of the elevator.
“That door leads to the stairs down to the ground level,” he continued.
“And out here—” he stepped forward, motioning around the open space “—we’ve got the living room, dining area, and kitchen.”
Beth turned, eyes sweeping over the space. The loft was stunning—vaulted ceilings, warm wood floors, exposed brick, and what looked like a glass wall.
Bryce pointed toward the far end of the room. “Glass doors on the west wall led to the balcony. Under the stairs on the east side, there’s a half-bath. Upstairs there are the bedrooms.”
Beth caught on the last word. “Bedrooms? Plural?”
Bryce grinned. “Three rooms. Two full baths. Want to check them out?”
Her brows lifted. “I was picturing something way smaller.”
Beth glanced around, still taking everything in while answering his question. “No, I think I’ll explore down here first. This is nothing like I was expecting.”
“How so?”
“Well,” Beth began, running her fingers along the rough brick wall, “the downtown loft I visited before was just one big open room. The bedroom was barely sectioned off by a partial wall divider—nowhere near as luxurious as this. I always thought lofts and studios were basically the same thing, but this… this is not a studio.”
She turned in a slow circle, taking in the vastness of the space before tilting her head back to admire the vaulted ceilings. “I love the hardwood floors and the exposed brick. How big is this place?”
Bryce smirked, clearly enjoying her reaction. “Twenty-one hundred square feet on the main level. The second level is around fourteen hundred.”
Beth let out a low whistle. “Wow.”
The elevator was nestled in the corner, blending seamlessly into the loft’s industrial charm. Directly opposite stood a modern wood-burning fireplace, surrounded by black bricks that stretched all the way to the vaulted ceiling.
Mounted above it was a huge flat-screen TV. A black leather sectional sat in front of the fireplace, offering an ideal view of the flames, the screen, or the spectacular scenery visible through the impressively clean glass wall behind part of the couch.
To the left, the dining area featured a table large enough for entertaining, crafted from rich redwood—almost an extension of the matching redwood floors. Just beyond the table, the kitchen unfolded, integrating flawlessly into the open-concept space.
The kitchen island mirrored the same redwood cabinetry, its deep tones striking against the white marble countertops.
A cast iron range with a built-in griddle dominated the island’s center, crowned by a sleek, industrial-style hood suspended from the ceiling.
Along the connecting wall, a double convection oven gleamed beside a stainless-steel refrigerator.
The long stretch of countertop wrapped around to meet the glass wall, where a farmhouse sink was centered in one of the first glass panels—perfectly framing an uninterrupted view of the mountains.
The entire west wall was made of glass, with a set of French doors centered between the two spaces. Beth had never seen a wall like that in a home—only in office buildings. The natural light pouring in gave the illusion of being outdoors. The seamless blend of rustic and modern was stunning.
Beth turned back to Bryce, her expression unreadable. “You actually live here?”
His lips quirked. “We actually live here.”
Through the French doors, the outdoor patio was an oasis.
Designed to maximize the view, the balcony sat steps below the main floor, ensuring an unobstructed panorama of the mountains and city skyline from inside.
It stretched the entire length of the apartment, wrapping around both sides—and was surprisingly very private, in spite of its downtown location.
Just outside the door sat an outdoor couch with a gas firepit in front of it, protected by a glass railing that, once again, preserved the mountain views. Off to the left was a wet bar with six high-backed stools, ready for entertaining.
A massive stainless-steel grill gleamed beside it, clearly built for more than just casual barbecues. Around the corner stood another large outdoor table. That portion of the deck was enclosed by a redwood privacy fence and, in addition to the table, featured a series of raised garden beds.
Beth stepped down, following the balcony’s curve to the right as it opened into an unexpected retreat—a horseshoe pit (thankfully not set along the glass wall), a sunken lap pool, and a hot tub.
Each space was nestled within the balcony’s strategically placed privacy screens, filtering the sun just enough to invite uninterrupted relaxation—without the worry of prying eyes.
She turned in a slow circle, taking it all in. Lounge chairs and glass-topped end tables framed the pool and hot tub area, styled in a way that wouldn’t feel out of place at a luxury resort. In the corner, a storage unit sat discreetly tucked away.
This was her favorite part. She couldn’t believe Bryce never had guests over. If she lived here, she’d want to share it.
Beth exhaled, thoroughly impressed.
“This is ridiculous.”
She tore herself away from the spectacular outdoor space and headed back inside, peeking into the small bathroom tucked beneath the stairs. Simple, functional, everything about it sleek and modern. Satisfied that she’d seen the entire main floor, they made their way upstairs.