Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
Carson escorted his daughter and Binky next door to Dotty’s house. The older woman had babysat Lily several times over the summer. Tonight, they were going to make sand art, and Lily would spend the night.
“Don’t forget Binky’s treats,” he reminded.
“That’s okay, Daddy. Ginger has treats. She’ll share.”
He scooped some kibble into a Ziplock bag and walked Lily and the beagle next door, where Dotty greeted them.
“Thanks for taking Lily this evening.”
“Do you and Mila have plans?” she asked.
“Actually, we don’t. The lady coaches in the district have a tradition of going out the last Friday before school starts on Monday. I’m going over to Keaton’s to watch a baseball game and have dinner.”
“Just let me know if you need me tomorrow night then, Carson. You know I’m always happy to watch Lily, and you and Mila need a last hurrah before school starts and you both hit the ground running.”
“You’ve been a real gem, Dotty. I couldn’t have gotten through this summer without you.”
He kissed Lily goodbye and returned home.
The summer had flown by as he had settled into the rhythm of Driftwood Bay.
His basketball camps had gone well. He was getting a good handle on his new position as AD.
By now, the entire coaching staff knew he was seeing Mila, and several had ribbed him that he’d come in and swept up the prettiest coach.
It had all been in good nature, though, and he didn’t think he was abusing his authority by dating a subordinate.
While he did talk over aspects of his job with her, he would always refrain from discussing sensitive information, such as personnel.
She understood that line, and he knew she would never cross it.
They seemed to be in sync as a couple. They had spent time together these past couple of months, building a firm foundation of friendship. The underlying passion was ever-present, and he planned to do something about it.
Tomorrow night…
If Mila agreed, he wanted to introduce sex into their relationship.
They had refrained from making love until now, but he was ready to take the next step.
He wouldn’t be doing this if he didn’t envision a future with her, especially because Lily was involved and always a piece of the puzzle he kept uppermost in his mind.
Already, Mila had been woven into the fabric of his and Lily’s lives.
In turn, he and his daughter had also become as extended family to the Perry clan.
They had gone on a few double dates with Michael and Cecily, which proved to be a lot of fun, as well as had Sunday family dinners with Bill and Laura.
In time, Carson knew he would want to make things permanent between Mila and him.
He had even FaceTimed with her two closest friends. Layne was smart and sarcastic, never mincing words, while Piper was funny and charming. He liked both a great deal, and Mila had passed along that her friends approved of him, too.
Going to the kitchen, he pulled out a six-pack from the fridge, his contribution to tonight.
He was happy to have found a friend in Keaton, who had a bit of a reputation around town as a loner.
It was nice to talk with someone not in the school business.
The artist had opened his gallery to booming business, tourists flocking to it.
Once Carson had a house of his own, he planned to buy a piece or two from the painter.
It was slim pickings as far as house inventory in Driftwood Bay went, though.
Hillary touched base with him weekly to let him know if any new properties had become available.
The few that had simply didn’t appeal to him, so he’d told Hillary to begin looking for land for him to purchase and build on.
He didn’t care if it were in a neighborhood or off to itself.
It was simply time to move ahead in the process.
He walked across the street, six-pack in hand, and rang Keaton’s doorbell. His friend opened the door and ushered him into the foyer.
“I hope you don’t mind, but I invited someone to join us tonight.”
“As long as you ordered another pizza, we should be good,” he joked. “Let me run back. I can grab some more beer.”
“Not necessary. I have plenty. Sullivan also brought wine.”
They went into the kitchen, where Carson saw the newcomer opening a bottle of wine. He looked to be about six-two, with dark brown hair and hazel eyes.
“Carson Andrews, meet Sullivan Shepherd.”
The two men shook hands, and Sullivan said, “I hear you’re the new basketball coach.”
“And district athletic director,” Keaton added. “The fate of Driftwood Bay’s sports is in this guy’s hands.”
“What do you do, Sullivan?” he asked, not having seen Sullivan around town.
“That is up in the air right now. My degree is in architecture design. Tidewater is my latest project for Wagner Enterprises.”
Carson knew of the ultra-exclusive resort being built off-shore from Driftwood Bay. It was to cater to a wealthy clientele. He hadn’t really paid much attention to it since he never anticipated visiting the resort.
“So, you drew up the plans and have stuck around to watch it being built?”
Sullivan shrugged. “More or less. I’m not the project manager, overseeing every detail, but I am stepping in and advising on a few things.
The thing is, I’ve taken a shine to the Bay.
I like the slower pace of life. I also have a job where it’s easy for me to work remotely while I’m designing various projects.
Usually, I go from one job site to the next to oversee various stages of the build, but I’m getting tired of the constant travel.
For now, my boss said I can work from Driftwood Bay—with a few trips to properties I’m designing for Wagner Enterprises. ”
The doorbell rang, and Keaton said, “Pizza’s here. I’ll go get it.”
Sullivan said, “Keaton told me that you’re renting the house across the street and looking for one to buy.”
“I haven’t had much luck with that. People who come to the Bay seem to enjoy staying here. Not much has been on the market.”
“Would you ever consider drawing up original plans and building?”
“You read my mind. I’m at a point where I told my realtor yesterday to start looking for land I can purchase and build on. I know you said you just designed a fancy resort, but would you ever consider taking on a smaller job?”
“I’d be happy to give it a whirl. You see, I’m ready to step away from my job with Wagner altogether. I can’t decide if I want to open my own architecture design firm—or a furniture store.”
“What? Those are two very different pursuits.”
Keaton entered with three pizza boxes, and Sullivan said, “Let’s get settled, and I’ll explain.”
Their host retrieved plates, and they each piled several slices onto them. Carson got beers for him and Keaton, while Sullivan poured himself a glass of the wine he had brought. They sat at the kitchen table.
“My grandfather worked with wood,” Sullivan shared.
“Growing up, I spent a lot of time with him. He designed and carved furniture. Taught me everything he knew. Not to brag, but I come from a pretty wealthy family. Dad married into Mom’s money and went to work for Wagner Enterprises, which he founded with a friend.
Even though I wanted to craft in wood as PawPaw did, that wasn’t good enough for my parents.
I went ahead and earned my degree in architecture from a prestigious university and went to work for Wagner Enterprises.
Zane, my college roommate, is a Wagner and my closest friend, so that makes stepping away even harder. ”
Sullivan paused, taking a bite of pizza and chewing thoughtfully.
“The thing is, although I’m great at big projects, my heart is telling me to go back to my roots.
To do what PawPaw taught me to do. Craft furniture.
I was thinking I might open an architecture firm of one and design projects on the side to bring in income, but most of my time would be spent working with wood. ”
“As an artist, I’m naturally nudging Sullivan to follow his heart and go the artistic route,” Keaton said. “The Texas Gulf Coast is a haven for many artists and artisans. I think he could do really well here.”
“Is that what drew you to this area?” Carson asked. “I never asked how you turned up in the Bay.”
“That—and the water,” Keaton replied. “There’s just something soothing about being near the water.
I’m renting this house and hoping that eventually I can buy something directly on the water.
I wanted to get my gallery up and running before I took time to think about my living arrangements.
” He grinned. “Maybe I can talk Sullivan into designing a home for me, too.”
Keaton had a boat, and Carson had gone fishing with him twice, taking Mila one of the times. Keaton said he did his best thinking on the boat and had mentioned how much he enjoyed living close to the Gulf.
“When do you have to make a decision about your future?” he asked Sullivan. “Staying with your present firm or breaking out on your own?”
“Soon. My parents will be livid if I decide to stay in some backwater small town, but I figured out that I can’t live my life for them.” He smiled. “Enough with shop talk. I’m a basketball fan. Football, too. How does Driftwood Bay stack up in district this year?”
They talked sports during the rest of dinner, with Carson sharing what he knew of the two high school teams. Keaton thought that he and Sullivan should invest in season tickets for the football games, and Carson said he would email them a link with that information.
“I think we’re also going to field strong soccer teams, both guys and girls,” he added.
“I haven’t been here long, but I gather the town is a strong supporter of high school sports,” Keaton said. “You must be feeling a lot of pressure, Carson. Not only from a basketball perspective, but overall.”
“Yes. This is the first time I’ve been in the spotlight so much.
Everywhere I go in town, people know who I am and are eager to talk sports.
Residents in the Bay are serious about their teams. In a way, it’s a real rallying point, having an entire community support the one high school and all its athletic teams. Mila tells me there’s always a great turnout for other activities beyond sports, such as plays put on at the high school. ”
“Who’s Mila?” asked Sullivan.
With pride, he said, “She’s our head volleyball coach. We’ve been seeing each other all summer.”
“From the look on your face, I think it must be serious,” Sullivan said.
“It is,” he confirmed. “I’ve been admittedly cautious. I was married before. My wife was killed a few years ago.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Sullivan said. “Any kids?”
He nodded. “One. My girl Lily is four.”
“And where is Miss Lily this evening?” Sullivan inquired.
“She’s staying with my next-door neighbor, Dotty Williams. Dotty is great with her and will be watching Lily the nights I have basketball games or other athletic events I need to attend.
It all seemed like fate, me stumbling into renting the house from the owner who was leaving for a year’s sabbatical to Australia.
I’ve found Dotty and Keaton and am friendly with a few other neighbors on the block.
We’ll maintain the house until the end of next May. ”
“If you’re really serious about building a place of your own, you’ll want to have some plans drawn up soon,” Sullivan advised.
“So that you can break ground and have your house completed by the time your lease runs out. My offer stands, Carson. If you would like me to design a home for you, I’d be happy to do so.
You could be my first client at Sullivan Design Studio. ”
Sullivan looked surprised that he had thrown out a name for his firm, but he said, “That would work, two-fold, both for architecture plans and woodworking designs.” He grinned and repeated the name. “Sullivan Design Studio. I like it.”
“I guess if you’ve already named your new firm, it must be official,” Keaton proclaimed.
He raised his bottle of beer, and Carson and Sullivan tapped their drinks against his bottleneck,
“To Sullivan Design Studio,” they said in unison.
Keaton cleared the kitchen table and told them to stay and talk house plans. He returned with some blank paper and a pen, giving both to Sullivan.
Sullivan looked at Carson. “What do you want in your house?”
“I want it to feel like a home. I grew up at my aunt’s house, which was full of antiques that I wasn’t supposed to touch.
On top of that, she was a hoarder, and it was hard to maneuver a path through the house without feeling claustrophobic.
I want openness. Space. Rooms to flow one into another and be inviting.
” He paused. “And I want room for a family. I want to have more children. That’s important to me. ”
Sullivan was taking notes as Carson spoke. “One or two stories? Ranch? Beach vibes?”
They batted around several ideas.
“Need a home office?”
“No to that,” he said firmly. “I work long hours as it is. I don’t want to bring work home. I want to enjoy time with Lily. And Mila.”
They talked the number of bedrooms. Size of the kitchen. Whether or not to go totally open concept or have a few traditional, divided rooms.
“You’ve given me plenty of food for thought. I’ll start working on something, but it would be good before we get too deeply into the process for you to have the size of lot you’re building on. Knowing those dimensions will influence my design.”
“I’ll give Hillary a call tomorrow and tell her to kick the hunt into high gear then,” Carson said.
“Enough business,” Keaton said. “The Astros are up over the White Sox two to one.”
They retreated to the den, where the game was in the third inning. Keaton brought new beers for them, and Carson relaxed, enjoying the game and time with his new friends.
He couldn’t wait to tell Mila that he had commissioned an architect, and he definitely wanted her input into the design.
Because he planned for this to be their home.