#call hgtv i need to buy a tiny home

[ao3bronte]

GUYS, my allergies are SO BAD right now I feel like I’m legit going to drown in my own mucus like please save me from this pollen hell.

I’m trying to edit my next chapter of Unseen Scars for Bad Things Happen Bingo and the epilogue of Safeword but I’m in so much pain I’m just

[likeshipsonthesea]

5+1 Kiss and Fixer Upper please :)

5+1 Kiss has already been fulfilled and you can find it here! Fixer Upper, similar to Tiny House, was written after bingeing Good Bones on HGTV via Hulu, and I decided that Nursey and Dex were a begrudging renovation due for Shitty and Lardo’s house. It didn’t really get off the ground though. Enjoy!

Fixer Upper

         Nursey pulls up next to the curb in front of the house thatmatches the address that Shitty gave him. The driveway is full of cars already;Lardo and Shitty’s silver four-door (the motorcycle being left at home, itseems), a grey Nissan, and an old, rusted, blue pick-up truck. Nursey regardsthe house dubiously. This is a nice neighborhood, all of the houses surroundingthis one being large, two- to three-story family homes ranging from six toeight hundred thousand. This house, however, is falling apart visibly. Nurseydoesn’t even want to attempt standing on that porch.

         He slips out of his car and starts up the walkway, takingin the peeling paint and mostly dead landscape. The windows are arched and itdoesn’t fit with the attempted farm vibe the rest of the house is going for. Itlooks like people with completely different tastes passive aggressively foughtby adding their preferences to the house without telling the other. Likesomeone opened a wormhole tying the 1800s to the 80s and this house fell throughand got hit with flying design pieces. Nursey hates it on principle and, as hegets closer to the ugly brown front door, he feels twitchy and annoyed.

         He makes it up the steps without falling through and,despite his expectations, knocking on the door doesn’t make it crumble underhis hands. Someone who sounds a lot like Shitty yells, “Come in!” so Nurseypushes open the door and enters. Inside he is immediately greeted with fuzzygreen carpet, low ceilings, and a cramped entryway.

         “What the fuck,” he says softly to himself. He finds Shittyand company in the living room, which also has the carpet, a half-stone andhalf-laminate covered fireplace, and an accordion door to what looks like adining room. Standing in the middle of the cleared-out room is Shitty, Lardo, adark-haired guy in a trim blue button up, and a ginger in a loose, blue andgreen plaid button up with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

         “Nursey!” Shitty grins at him, still as happy to see Nurseyas he was back in freshmen year at Andover, and it still makes Nursey feel warmand loved now. He turns, clapping a hand to Nursey’s shoulder, and says,“Welcome! We’ve been waiting for you.”

         “Thanks, though I wouldn’t say that it’s nice to be here.”He eyes the popcorn ceiling dubiously. “Why am I here?”

         “How dare you insult my house! This is my pride and joy,I’ll have you know.” Shitty is still grinning as he attempts to sounddisgruntled. Lardo rolls her eyes.

         “Shitty.” A horrible thought clutches at Nursey. “Tell methat you didn’t buy this house.”

         “I promised that I’d never lie to you, brah.” Shitty isstill grinning. Nursey kind of wants to take him by the shoulders and shakehim. Instead, he turns to Lardo, looking for some indication that this is anelaborate, two-month late April Fool’s joke. She just smirks at him.

         “Oh God.” Nursey suddenly has the feeling that he needssomething to hold onto. This house may be the worst thing he’s ever seen andhis best friend owns it. That is a disgrace to his entire existence as adesigner.

         “Chill,” Lardo says, her eyes twinkling. “It was a steal.Four bedrooms, three baths, ridiculously pretty backyard, great neighborhood,and a shit ton of square feet. And we’re redoing it.”

         This only slightly reassures Nursey. “You guys didn’t needto buy a fixer upper. Why—why would you?”

         “More fun.” Lardo shrugs. “And saving money never hurts.”

         “Oh my God.” Nursey almost falls back into the wall, but hereally doesn’t want to touch the mustard yellow wallpaper. Fixer uppers alwaysincite stress and he’d rather that his friends didn’t have to deal with that.Add on the fact that this is the ugliest house he’s ever seen and Nursey isclose to fainting.

         “So,” Shitty chirps cheerfully, “this is the first meetingof Shitty and Lardo’s ‘Swawesome House Project Committee.”

         “Um, Shitty?” Lardo looks pointedly between Nursey and thetwo currently unnamed men in the room.

         “Oh, yeah!” Lardo rolls her eyes in that fond way of hers.“Nursey, this is Chowder and Dex. Chowder and Dex, this is Nursey.”

         “It’s nice to meet you,” the dark-haired man says, smilingeasily. “Chris Chow, real estate agent. Most people call me Chowder.” Nurseysuddenly recognizes him.

         “Holy shit, you’re the goalie for the Falconers.”

         Chowder laughs pleasantly. “Yeah, that’s me. You got me.”

         “Jack was telling the guys how we bought a fixer-upper andChowder here said he had a friend from college who was a contractor,” Shittyexplains. “That friend being Dex.” The redhead nods at Nursey, a tight look onhis face. Nursey knows how he feels.

[megaphonemonday]

Mega Mama: love all of your Bawson fics. Would love a Hallmark style prompt of Ginny moving to a quaint small town and renovating a charming little house. Her cantankerous contractor is none other than Mike Lawson who once hosted a renovation show with now ex wife Rachel. Money pit style calamities and hilarious mishaps and of course the budding romance. Has been on my mind for a while, I'm just not a writer. Please and greatly appreciated:

oh man, i love me some hgtv, so why the heck not? (also, thanks for trusting me with this! i hope you like it!)

i’m ignoring the near-impossibility of a single, recently graduated person actually buying their own home let alone having the money available to renovate it. Millennials aren’t killing the housing market in this fic 😉

handyman special | ao3

Ginny Baker did not run from her problems. 

(Did she give up when the Varsity baseball coach didn’t want her on the team or did she show up every day of try outs and prove she was just as good as the boys? Not that showing up every day actually got her on the team, but still. The point stood, okay?)

If it seemed like that was exactly what she was doing by breaking up with her boyfriend of three years the evening he proposed and moving all the way across the country, well, that was just a matter of perspective, wasn’t it?

Her mother called it a disaster waiting to happen.

Personally, Ginny preferred to think of it as moving on. Making a fresh start. Realizing her very own Manifest Destiny. 

Just with way less dysentery and genocide.  

She didn’t mean to snort at her own joke, but it wasn’t like Ginny’d been spoiling for laughs lately. And, really. What else did she expect with what she’d gotten herself into? There wasn’t a lot to laugh about at the moment. 

Or anyone to laugh with, for that matter. It was—to be fair, not unexpectedly—difficult to make friends in a small town like this, and Ginny hadn’t made any inroads on that front. And that was the least of her problems.

There were no fewer than seven voicemails waiting on her phone—though it was a toss up as to whether her mother or Trevor had left more. She’d been living out of her carry on the past week, both her checked bags having been misplaced by the airline. The air mattress she slept on definitely had a leak somewhere because no matter how full Ginny made sure it was before she went to bed or how many duct tape patches she applied, she kept waking up with her shoulder and hip digging into the hard floor. 

Which was only happening because Ginny’d checked out of the tiny motel after she bought the house to cut down on costs. 

Because, oh yeah, three days into what was supposed to be an extended vacation in a small, California beach town to get her head on straight, Ginny had somehow bought a house. Like, an entire house. An entire house in desperate need of renovation.

(She’d spent the first two days doing nothing but lounging on the sand and wading into the warm water of the Pacific. Ginny had hoped that the waves would wash away some of her worries, but she’d never been that good at waiting around, hoping for the best. 

So, she always went looking for it.

Which was what propelled her into exploring the sleepy little town, and what led her straight to the wind-scoured, long-neglected bungalow with a “For Sale” sign in the yard. 

That no one would classify her house as the best of anything was undisputed, but Ginny liked it, and that was what mattered.)

Friends (and hopefully the rest of her stuff) would come. This house thing she needed to sort out pretty immediately. She couldn’t keep brushing her teeth with bottled water because the bathroom sink emitted something that was alarmingly brown. She couldn’t keep surviving on sandwiches from the beachside coffee shop down the road. Cara the barista was beginning to look concerned for her dietary choices. It wasn’t Ginny’s fault that every time she used the microwave, all the lights in the house flickered ominously. 

And she really couldn’t keep sleeping on that goddamn air mattress.

Clearly, Ginny had bigger problems on her hands than a lack of friends. Anyway, it wasn’t like she’d really been swimming in friends back in North Carolina. The only thing keeping her there was her family and Trevor. And Trevor’d always been more interested in being her boyfriend than her friend.

Now that she thought about it, Ginny actually couldn’t imagine him being just her friend.

Maybe if he had been, if he’d been satisfied with just her friendship the way she’d initially wanted, she’d feel guiltier now about leaving him behind.

But she didn’t. She was happy to be in California. Excited to start a new life.

A new life that required a new house she could actually live in.

Which was exactly where the grumpy, bearded man currently frowning at, well, everything in Ginny’s newly acquired bungalow came in. 

Ginny had a hard time imagining him ever being her friend, too.

Which was fine. It was fine! She couldn’t imagine his social life was particularly fulfilling, anyway. Not if he went around frowning like that at everyone he met.

Who cared that the sight of him at her door had kindled something dangerously close to interest? And not just friendly interest, either. With his chest testing the limits of the seams on his worn in flannel and his backwards ball cap, what else could it be? Ginny was only human, okay? And it’d been a long time since she’d let herself notice other men. By all appearances, this guy wasn’t a bad place to start.

Too bad appearances could be so deceiving. 

Given the way he hadn’t spoken more than fifteen words to her in the half hour he’d been here, too busy judging her house and clearly finding it lacking, that initial burst of attraction quickly fizzled without anything more to fuel it.

(It’d been a close call when he bent over to inspect an outlet, though.)

No. Mike Lawson certainly wouldn’t be one of her new friends. But maybe he could be her contractor.

He didn’t even bat an eye at Ginny’s snort, just continued scribbling things down in his worn notebook as he prowled around the mostly empty house. There was just Ginny’s one small suitcase, a cheap desk lamp, and her makeshift bed for him to avoid. The few dishes and flatware she’d picked up were tucked away in the kitchen cabinets, but once it became clear the house needed the kind of work Ginny’s high school shop class wouldn’t cover, she figured she’d wait to get anything else. What was the point in blowing a bunch of money that could be put to better use on renovations?

So the rest of the house was bare, showing off the well-worn hardwood floors, freshly painted walls, and bright shafts of sunlight filtering in through the stained glass in the bay window.

Ginny forced herself to focus on these things, trying to figure out how they would come together once the warm afternoon light spilled across furniture and rugs rather than naked floorboards. Better that than trailing after the unfairly good looking man in her house. He hadn’t appreciated any of her attempts at small talk; following him around silently was just creepy.

She’d have to wait for his final assessment.

But not long, thankfully.

Mr. Lawson—he hadn’t corrected her when she greeted him at the door, and Ginny was nothing if not a good Southern girl, manners and all—came out of the small, out of date bathroom, finished making the last of his notes, and blew out a long breath that didn’t do much for Ginny’s confidence.

“What’s the verdict?” she asked, rising from the window seat and trying to manage her expectations.

Mr. Lawson glanced up from his notepad, lips quirked almost charmingly to the side. Before Ginny could go getting any ideas about rekindling any interest, though, he had to go and ruin it.

“You think there’s any chance the bank hasn’t processed your down payment yet?”

She blinked, sure she’d misheard him. “Excuse me?”

“This place is a disaster,” he said, blunt. “I’m surprised there was an inspector alive who let it go on the market like this. ”

Ginny glanced around. Was he seeing what she was? Did he not see the lovely built ins or the back porch that practically ran up against the beach? Sure, there was a long crack running up one of the walls and any time she ran the tap for more than a few seconds, the pipes made a distressing groan, but those things could be fixed. It was his job to fix them.

“So it needs some rehab,” she said, feeling absurdly defensive and protective of this house for all she’d lived in it less than a week.

He snorted and rolled his eyes. “That’s one way of putting it.” Ginny opened her mouth to protest, but he cut her off. “You said this place was built in the 30s, right? It hasn’t had any significant work done on it since then. It’s falling apart. There are definitely leaks in the roof, the pipes are probably still lead, I’d be shocked if there weren’t asbestos in the insulation, and who knows what kind of shape the wiring’s in.”

Ginny just stared at him, feeling the indignation really settle in.

Whether or not Mr. Lawson sensed this was unclear, but he sighed and took on a slightly more conciliatory tone. “Look,” he said, “you called me in for a professional opinion, right? Well, in my professional opinion, you should get out of here as soon as possible. You’re not the first person to take this place on and I’m guessing you won’t be the last. Do yourself a favor: pawn this place off on someone who can handle it.”

That was all it took to harden Ginny’s general annoyance into fury. Who the hell did this guy think he was? 

“I can handle it,” she bit out coldly, jutting her chin into the air and staring down the asshole. 

She almost couldn’t believe she still wanted to hire him. It wasn’t like she was really spoiled for choice, though. She knew exactly three people in town: her barista, her realtor, and this guy.

“If you could handle it,” he replied, condescending amusement coloring his words and overriding any pleasure Ginny might get out of seeing his big arms cross over his chest, “I wouldn’t be here.”

God, how did he manage to get any clients with an attitude like that?

“If you only take clients who are capable of doing the work themselves, I have to wonder how you stay in business,” she snapped. He could try and convince her to give up on this project all he wanted, it was only going to make Ginny more determined to see it through. This was her house; it was going to be her home. Whether Mike Lawson liked it or not. “I’m well aware that this project requires a professional, which is why I called you in. But if you don’t think you’re up for the challenge, I’m sure I can find another contractor who is.”

It didn’t matter that Ginny had no idea where to even begin looking for another contractor. Her real estate agent had recommended Lawson Restoration Services when she made her offer, said they were the best in town. (Ha. They were probably the only ones in town.) And while Ginny’d been inclined to trust Evelyn Sanders’ judgment, perhaps she needed to reassess that impulse if this was what it got her.

Across the room, Mr. Lawson’s eyes narrowed. Ginny could practically hear his teeth grind in annoyance. Good. He’d been enough of a pain in her ass, he could deal with a little payback.

At her smirk, he just shook his head and huffed, rolling his eyes to the ceiling like he couldn’t quite believe what he was about to say. “If you’re serious, then I’m in.”

Ginny didn’t let herself second-guess him. Instead, she stepped forward and held out her hand. After a long moment, he gave in and shook, looking like he was already regretting his decision.

She just smiled, pleased to have gotten her way. “Then it sounds like we have a deal, Mr. Lawson.”

The greatest things about being self-employed and mostly working from home were that Ginny could set her own schedule, count everything in her closet as business-appropriate, and avoid dealing with coworkers prying into her personal life because she didn’t have any.

(She could also move all the way across the country without worrying about finding a new job when she settled in, but she liked to think that one had limited usefulness.)

In North Carolina, those had been unequivocal pros.

Here in California, where Ginny’s house was constantly occupied by a small circus of workers and their prickly—still! After three whole weeks seeing each other every day—ringleader, it was more of a mixed bag.

Sleeping in was off the table when a chorus of hammers and drills and buzz saws started every day promptly at 8:00 AM. Similarly, pants were no longer optional with a team of strange men swarming her house.

Ginny couldn’t decide which she missed more.

She couldn’t even really work from home. Not when her home-to-be was an active construction scene with no internet. Lawson had actually laughed in her face when she floated the idea of getting a wireless connection set up right away. Laughed and laughed and laughed until she gave up and walked away. Ginny’d managed to switch everything around in his tool belt so he kept coming up with the wrong thing in retaliation, but he figured it out too fast for it to be really satisfying.

Sometimes, she set up shop on the beach just beyond her back door. It was nice to be on hand if Lawson needed to run something by her, and even better to watch the project progress. More often, though, Ginny'd walk down the street to the coffee shop to hang out with Cara, listen to gossip about people she mostly didn’t know, and use the wifi when necessary. Which was basically all the time. Such was the glamorous life of a web designer. 

Both got her out from underfoot, which was the important thing. Ginny had always considered herself a fairly handy person. Her pop had made sure she knew how to fix a leaking pipe and change a flat tire just as well as she could throw a screwball. Watching the crew tear apart the bungalow and slowly piece it back together, though, she was uncomfortably aware that nothing her pop had taught her could’ve prepared her for this.

Sometimes, when she needed a break from tweaking layouts for clients, she’d scroll through the (massive and still growing) folder of photos titled “neverending construction” just to reassure herself that things were actually getting done. Progress had been made.

So Ginny continued to document that progress and tried to learn as much as possible as she went. At least once a week, she spent some of the day drifting through the wreckage of her house and snapping more pictures than she had since her time on the school newspaper. It was nice. Even if Ginny learned early on to make sure Lawson was unaware if he happened to be in the shot. Not only did he frown less when he didn’t know he was being watched, he couldn’t complain about what he didn’t know was happening.

Which, of course, didn’t keep him from grumbling about Ginny distracting his guys from their jobs.

On the bright side, she was definitely meeting people.

There was Salvamini, who surfed on his lunch breaks in spite of Dusty’s conviction that sharks would get him one day. Livan had a dangerous smile, but a love of cilantro Ginny could not abide. Omar was shy, but sweet, while Sonny, Butch, and Javanes hid most of their sweetness beneath many, many layers of ego. Blip, the construction manager, was apparently married to her realtor, which certainly explained Evelyn’s recommendation.

There were more of them, too, a largely friendly gaggle of dudes who cycled in and out, taking away bits and pieces of the house and leaving behind fresh drywall and newly finished floors. They seemed to like her well enough, and not just because she fed them pizza and beer on Friday evenings.

The only one Ginny still couldn’t get a solid read on was their grouch of a boss. Lawson was the only one who was on site every day, and he was the only one Ginny hadn’t managed to learn anything about. She thought he found her amusing more than annoying, which was something. 

In her head, and whenever she had occasion to say it out loud, she’d finally dropped the “Mr.” off his name, but only because the entire crew burst into laughter the first time they heard her call him Mr. Lawson. She couldn’t bring herself to call him just Mike the way everyone else did. Not when he was still mostly a mystery.

Which worked well enough for them. They were mostly content to leave each other be: Lawson to his work and Ginny to hers.

Still, sometimes Lawson’s work meant they had to meet in the middle.

“Hey, you got a minute?”

Ginny paused in slipping on her headphones and backpedaled to the Mission Control Center—which was really just a card table strewn with blueprints in what would be the dining room—where Lawson oversaw and planned everything. (Some nights, after the guys had long gone home and the house was quiet, Ginny’d flip through the papers, trying to make out his scrawl and see how much of it made any sense. It usually wasn’t much, but she was getting better at deciphering his handwriting.) She’d just come in to change for a run, but that could wait. She’d been running a lot lately, both to blow off steam and because it was her only way to explore town. God, she missed her truck. The only reason she’d wanted to go now was because she couldn’t stare at her computer screen or the ridiculous doggy haute couture store she was supposed to build for another second.

“What’s up?”

“Just wanted to make sure I can send the drywallers home.”

“Why couldn’t you?”

Lawson rolled his eyes and Ginny only just managed not to roll hers right back.

“If you suddenly decided you wanted to knock down the wall between the bedrooms, that’d probably stop me.”

“Oh.” Ginny thought it over for a moment, but didn’t see much of a point in it. “Uh, no. No walls to knock down.”

Lawson snorted, but it wasn’t quite as derisive as it usually was. “What, you don’t wanna go fully open concept with this place?”

Honestly, Ginny didn’t even know what that meant. HGTV hadn’t ever been all that high on her watch list. She said so and Lawson laughed again, for real this time.

It did nice things to his face, making his eyes crinkle and cheeks round. Not that Ginny cared about any of that. Or the way he licked his lips before replying.

“You’re not missing out on much,” he promised, shaking his head.

“If you say so.” She shrugged and considered the original question. “I guess you can send the drywallers home, then.”

“Livan will be so disappointed,” he drawled.

Was it just Ginny, or was there a hint of something in that observation? An edge, perhaps? 

One way to find out.

“Well, it’s not like he doesn’t know where to find me.”

Lawson rolled his eyes again, which didn’t give her any answers. That was pretty much his go to response for, now that Ginny thought about it, everything. “I don’t think even he’d go so far as to stalk you, Ms. Baker.”

Ginny’s nose wrinkled, though not at the mention of stalking. Ms. Baker? Really? After all this time? He hadn’t been Mr. Lawson in weeks. Still, she didn’t bother correcting him. 

All this renovation stuff would be over soon, and they’d never see each other again. Sure, the process of repairing the foundation had taken longer than initially planned and all the insulation had to be replaced along with most of the plumbing and the entire roof—to his credit, Lawson never said anything about having predicted these exact problems, but Ginny was sure he’d thought it at least once—but it seemed like it was all coming to an end. It’d been weeks since she last saw the exposed studs of a wall. The house actually felt like a house again.

Rather than say any of that, though, Ginny just shrugged. “If he does, I know who to blame.”

Lawson waved her off with a huff. “Go on your run, then, and get outta my way.”

Ginny did as he asked, but she stuck her tongue out as she went, and Lawson’s laugh echoed in her ears all through her run.

The first morning Ginny wasn’t woken up by the chorus of nail guns or the steady drone of a circular saw, she lay on her semi-deflated air mattress and tried not to think how strange her life had become. Here she was, hardly two years out of school, living in a largely unfurnished house some 2,500 miles away from the town she’d lived all her life. 2,500 miles away from the people she’d known all her life.

And honestly, she couldn’t be happier. Last, week, after Lawson practically threw her out of the house, saying she couldn’t sleep there with all the varnish fumes that came with finishing the floors and baseboards, she’d gone home. Well, back to North Carolina, at least. Mostly so she could reassure Will and her mom that she hadn’t been inducted into a cult the way they seemed to think. 

She made it 38 hours in Tarboro before loading up her truck, which had been once been her pop’s, and hitting the road for California. And why should she stay? She’d seen everyone who mattered.

Trevor, she hadn’t heard from at all.

Which, she supposed, wasn’t the worst thing in the world.

The drive across country had been a little lonely, and by the end of it Ginny was happy to be back in her sleepy seaside town. Happy to be back in her—every day less and less—ramshackle house. Happy to go to sleep on her halfhearted air mattress. (Though she was less happy to be waking up in it now.)

She’d almost been happy to see Lawson’s grumpy, bearded face, even.

Which, of course, was just perfect since he was officially done being her contractor. 

Between the foundation repair and plumbing issues, not to mention the almost entirely new roof, there hadn’t been enough money for Ginny to justify paying a whole team of guys to sand and paint and seal and otherwise turn the house from a construction project into a home.

She’d been so sure she could take it on, but now, in the cold light of morning, Ginny was beginning to have some very serious doubts.

As she’d had occasion to find out over the past six weeks, web design and interior design were two very different ballgames. Sure, there were some similarities: a general attention to aesthetics and detail, but the implementation couldn’t be more different. Where a few keystrokes and commands were all it took to get a website in working order. Restoring and decorating a house required actual heavy lifting.

Naturally, it was something of a daunting task, and Ginny told herself she was just easing herself into it slowly. So slowly, she wasn’t even getting out of bed yet.

She had felt so eager to take on the challenge, anticipation ratcheting up as workers she’d gotten to know over the past few months began to disappear in ones and twos, off to work on other projects. Soon enough, only Lawson was left, finishing up with the tile in the kitchen and the bathroom, sanding down the last rough edges.

Just last evening, all his work finished up, he’d handed over his spare set of keys and told her, “Well, Baker. It’s all on you now.” If he said it with more than a bit of trepidation in his voice, Ginny thought it was at least a little bit of a joke.

She was about 75% sure.

The remaining 25% was a certainty that he was worried she would either manage to kill herself or pull all his hard work down around her ears.

Which was progress where she and Lawson were concerned. It wasn’t so long ago Ginny would’ve been completely offended by his lack of faith and determined to prove him wrong. Now, she was just determined to prove him wrong.

Honestly, she thought Lawson’s snobbery was mostly funny, though that might have been nostalgia talking; it was strange to be in the house all by herself. He’d been so scandalized when she mentioned she had no idea how to refinish cabinets, but was sure the internet would help her out.

The internet always knew what to do. Even—especially—when she didn’t.

He’d grumbled when she laughed, but only said she wasn’t allowed to tell anyone he’d worked on the house if she ended up ruining it.

With that taunt bolstering her resolve, Ginny rolled out of her deflating bed and one question answered itself easily enough.

This mattress? Yeah, it had to go. It had never been all that good at it’s intended purpose, but Ginny was increasingly sure that if she tried to force the issue, her sad, second-hand air mattress would give up on retaining air altogether. She needed to get a real bed and a real mattress as soon as possible. And if, in the process, she created a real bedroom rather than just the place where she passed out every night, Ginny wouldn’t complain.

It would be nice to have some place to come back to at the end of the day that didn’t do such a good impression of a squatter’s nest.

Which was how, hours later and verging on exhaustion, Ginny found herself standing in the middle of the hardware store’s paint aisle, contemplating the difference between Fuzzy Duckling and Smiley Face. Was there one? And what the hell was greige?

She was still frowning at the mind-boggling array of paint samples when someone interrupted with a gruff, “Excuse me.”

“Sorry,” Ginny replied automatically, stepping out of the middle of the aisle, and checking over her shoulder to make sure there was enough room for their heavily loaded cart to get by. It was then that she noticed who was pushing the cart. “Oh. Hi.”

Mike Lawson paused and actually took her in. Ginny did the same, not that she’d had a chance to forget any important details in the past 12 hours. His beard was the same as ever, thick and dark and framing his mouth in a way that wasn’t intriguing. His flannel was the one he’d worn pretty much every Thursday of their acquaintance, the blue and gray one that sometimes strained around his arms when he lifted something heavy. His wry smile, once recognition lit in his eyes, was the one he always gave when he found her particularly amusing.

“Didn’t I just finish with you?” he asked in lieu of a real greeting.

“You might have moved on to bigger and better things, Lawson, but my little house still needs some work.”

“That’s putting it lightly.” The corners of his mouth tugged, like he wanted to grin. Ginny couldn’t say why he didn’t. 

“Says the man who left it in such shambles.”

He rolled his eyes, but didn’t protest. He’d offered to work out some kind of payment plan to get some more work done, but Ginny was actually looking forward to the challenge of doing this herself.

“And you decided to get right to it, huh?”

“What else was I supposed to do?”

He laughed and that little flutter of pride that came every time she managed to startle that sound out of him woke up in Ginny’s stomach. In the beginning, it’d always been a shock that her forbidding contractor was even capable of laughing. As they got to know each other, though, Ginny came to realize Mike’s sense of humor was very much alive. He laughed all the time. At her stupid Laffy Taffy jokes, at Blip’s stories of his twins and the intrigues of the second grade, at his guys almost constantly. Though that was generally at their expense in a way this laugh wasn’t.

“Don’t know why I’m surprised,” he said with a rueful shake of his head before turning to face the wall of paint chips Ginny’d been eyeing. “If you want my two cents, don’t go too dark in the dining room; there’s not enough light. Test out a few of the sample cans and see what you like, though.”

“So you’re a designer now, too?” Ginny teased, more familiar than she ever would’ve imagined during that first meeting.

Something flickered across Mike’s face and the smile he offered her was tight. “Something like that. I’ll leave you to it.”

He didn’t even give her a chance to demand a better answer, instead walking up to the cash register, pausing to pay, and then heading out the door.

All Ginny could think was something that she often found herself thinking when it came to Mike Lawson:

What the hell is his problem?

It was another few days before Ginny got around to trying out the samples she picked out. (Fortunately, none of them were Fuzzy Duckling or whatever the hell greige was.) Which wasn’t to say she hadn’t been busy. She’d driven up and down the coast in her dad’s pick up more times than she could count, scoping out estate sales and flea markets, trying to find furniture to fill the bedroom. And the rest of the house when she found the perfect dining room table and an antique carved screen she had no idea what to do with, but it was too pretty to just leave.

Sure, it would’ve been much easier to just go to the nearest Ikea, but that felt too close to cheating. The house itself would be such a labor of love, she couldn’t just fill it with the same dresser and couch combination as every college student in America.

So, she waded through heaps and piles of junk, hoping to find a few things that spoke to her, or whatever.

Okay, maybe she’d been watching some HGTV in her spare time, or at least had it on in the background as she coded. Ginny was relatively sure her intention—gaining a few interior design instincta purely through osmosis—had been largely unsuccessful, but she’d definitely picked up on the lingo.

Things like window treatments and wood finishes spoke to her now. She had opinions on chair rails and subway tile. Barn doors were beyond over done, but she kind of liked them anyway. And if Ginny never heard anyone say the words man cave again, she would gladly sacrifice her soul to whatever kind god was looking down on her.

And yet, she still found herself cuing up another episode of House Hunters to play in the background as she finally tested out the three shades of blue she’d picked for her bedroom walls.

Ginny must have dropped into some kind of painting zen because the next thing she knew, she was laughing along to Mike Lawson’s familiar snark, as she swept broad swathes of her final sample, a delicate robin’s egg blue, onto one wall.

At first she didn’t realize it wasn’t actually him. She almost called out a reply, the way she had when it was only them in the house, when reality caught up to her.

Ginny blinked, shaking herself. Was she hallucinating? Had seeing him at the hardware store triggered some delayed response to how alone she was all the time now? Before Ginny could really settle in to psychoanalyze herself, another voice rang through the house.

Unless Evelyn had neglected to mention some very active ghosts in the house, Ginny was relieved to believe that her mental health was still intact.

Dropping her roller brush back in the tray, Ginny padded over to her computer, which she’d left well out of the way of the open paint cans. Thankfully, the screen was still paint free. However, the clear screen didn’t help her in figuring out what the hell was showing on it. Hulu continued to play, but that was not a good enough explanation for what she was seeing there. It took her a minute to process it, actually. It didn’t matter how long she looked, though, her brain always reached the same conclusion.

That was Mike Lawson.

Mike Lawson talking into a camera outside a construction project.

Mike Lawson on his own TV show.

What in the actual fuck?

Staring first in confusion and then amusement and back to confusion, Ginny struggled to wrap her head around the sight of him, a few years younger and a beard (and probably a few pounds, though Ginny didn’t think it did much for his appearance) lighter talking into the camera, smiling charmingly as he explained something about what he must’ve been working on.

What was even harder to wrap her head around was the pretty redhead leaning into his side.

“Y’know, I was sure Rachel’d lost her mind when she told me to save all that old flooring, but she was absolutely right. That’s why she gets to make the decisions, and I just follow orders.” He looked adoringly down at the woman beside him, who laughed, tossing her long, red hair.

“It’s true,” she said, resting her head on his shoulder and beaming straight into the camera. “I made him put that in our wedding vows.”

Automatically, Ginny paused the playback.

She blinked. Then blinked once more. She hadn’t realized Lawson was married. Then again, she didn’t actually know anything about him aside from his general disdain for open-concept living spaces and laminate flooring. Well, that and how well he got along with his crew, as both their leader and their friend. And how good his forearms looked when he had his sleeves rolled up to work the power drill—

Okay, back to the topic at hand.

The man was married. 

Or had been, Ginny rationalized as she struggled to recall if she’d ever seen a wedding band in all the time she’d known him. He was definitely wearing one on screen.

She could still see it under the dark overlay announcing, “You are watching: Building Character.”

Telling herself that what she was feeling was not disappointment, not at all, Ginny pressed play again.

It wouldn’t hurt to watch a little more. Just to satisfy her curiosity. Nothing wrong with that.

Before she knew what she’d done, it was dark outside, the paint had dried out in the tray, her laptop was about to die, and Ginny had watched half a season of Building Character.

Which at least had the distinction of not being the worst name in the HGTV pantheon.

She forced herself to close Hulu’s tab and shut down her computer for good measure before plugging it in and leaving it alone for the rest of the evening.

What she did the next morning, however, was an entirely different story.

If asked, Ginny wouldn’t be proud to admit that she looked up the show’s Wikipedia article before letting herself get sucked back in the next morning, but she was curious, all right? There were worse reasons to do things. Mike Lawson did not seem like the type to get on board with being followed around by a camera crew, and she wanted to know what could possibly convince him it was a good idea. 

There were no answers on that front, but she did skim over sections on the show’s premise and ratings, scrolling until she hit one titled: “Cancellation.”

It was a short paragraph, hardly even deserving of its own heading. All it said was: “Building Character was cancelled after its second season, aired in 2014, following several developments within the cast. Many speculated that its cancellation was due to competitor Bravo’s announcement of a new interior design show in development in the vein of Millionaire Matchmaker or Flipping Out, which Patrick had been tapped to headline. The series shot a pilot, which was never picked up. Patrick also filed for divorce from Lawson at this time.”

That wasn’t nearly enough information. It was hardly even information. There weren’t any sources cited, and no way to tell how true it all was. 

Ginny had questions. About a million of them, actually.

(Even if her most burning one had been answered pretty definitively.)

And what better source for answers than the show in question? So, telling herself it was merely to sate her curiosity, Ginny felt only slightly weird about pulling up the next episode to play in the background as she went back to her neglected tasks from yesterday.

Ginny’s discovery left her in something of a strange, quasi-ethical quandary. At what point did she tell Lawson that she’d found his TV show? Should she even? No one on the crew had ever brought it up; he probably wasn’t trading on his semi-fame to drum up business. If he was, he definitely wasn’t doing a good job of it. Maybe Lawson just wanted to leave it in the past? If his short stint as a TV personality had ended in his divorce, there were probably some pretty bad memories tied up in it all. Ginny didn’t need to go digging that up just to sate her curiosity and soothe her vaguely guilty conscience.

And what was there to be guilty about? So what, she watched a publicly available TV show. A publicly available TV show that happened to feature someone she actually knew, but who didn’t know she’d seen his—

It was weird, okay? Just super weird.

Luckily, it was an easy enough conundrum to ignore when Ginny didn’t actually have to see the man in question. Well, not in person at least. In spite of her (more than) daily trips to the local hardware store and even striking up something of a friendship—well, Ginny was determined it would be a friendship by the time she was through—with its curmudgeon of an owner, Al, she hadn’t run into Mike Lawson again.

She thanked God that she hadn’t started her HGTV kick earlier. If she’d found the show while he was still around every day, slowly growing on her, Ginny couldn’t begin to imagine what she would’ve done. He probably would’ve ended up quitting and she would’ve been left with a real problem on her hands.

For all Ginny had actually met the man before she stumbled across his cancelled home renovation show, she wasn’t prepared to come face to face with Mike Lawson again now that she had this information. It was easier to separate them into two entirely different people: Lawson, the grumpy contractor who’d made her house technically livable and wasn’t always as big of an asshole as he’d first seemed was miles away from Mike, the TV personality who both provided Ginny with some excellent inspiration as she fumbled her way through her DIY restorations and was utterly smitten with his pretty interior designer wife.

(Well, ex-wife now.)

Of course, just because it was easier didn’t mean it would always be that way.

Or would even last that long.

A few days after stumbling on Building Character, Ginny was once again at the hardware store, ready to pick up all the paint for her house, as well as drop cloths and tape and brushes and all the other supplies the internet had told her she’d need.

She was just loading the last of her freshly mixed paint cans into her cart when a far too familiar voice drawled, just behind her, “Of all the gin joints in all the world.”

Ginny whirled, paint clattering to the bottom of her cart, a hand to her chest. “Jesus, are you stalking me?” she blurted, ignoring any irony in her accusation.

(Watching a TV show wasn’t stalking, okay? Even if she was using said TV show to glean a few personal details—

Okay, okay. She got the picture.)

Lawson squinted at her, like he wasn’t sure if she was being serious or not. Ginny wasn’t sure either, though at least half her discomfort had to come from the fact that over the past week, she’d binged every episode of Building Character. She kept getting flashes of his TV self, leaner and fresher faced, laid over the current one, like a double image.

“No,” he finally answered, something like a smirk playing over his mouth. “And, y’know, I’m the one who’s been coming to this store for years. Wouldn’t you be the one stalking me?”

Ginny laughed, a little too high and a little too hard to be completely natural. “In your dreams, Lawson.”

“Just Mike is fine.”

The laughter dried up in Ginny’s mouth as her eyes went wide. “What?”

“Mike. That is my name.” His head tipped to the side as he regarded her, curious and amused and too much for Ginny, in all honesty. “You might as well use it if we’re going to keep running into each other.”

“How do you know we’re going to keep running into each other?” she demanded, scrambling to find her footing in this exchange and focus on the Mike who existed in the present, not just on her laptop screen. “So much for making me believe you’re not a stalker, by the way.”

He rolled his eyes. “It’s not such a big town, and Al likes to gossip. He told me you’ve been in at least once a day all week. Given the shape of your house, you’re gonna be here pretty often.”

“Oh, uh, yeah,” she said, dodging the question of whether or not she’d be calling him Mike any time in the near future. Maybe when Building Character and the way she’d chattered at the show like Mike was actually at work somewhere in the house as she painted was further in her mental rearview. God, she needed to make some friends around here. People who would keep her from talking to Hulu to feel like she had company. “There is a lot of work left to do.”

“And you’re starting with the painting?”

Grateful for the segue—and it didn’t even sound nearly as judgmental as she was sure he wanted to be—Ginny eagerly latched onto this topic. “Sort of. I’ve been getting some furniture, too.” She couldn’t seem to stop the steady flow of chatter, even as she was aware Lawson couldn’t be that interested. “Oh! And I just picked up this door from a flea market down in Encinitas. It’s got this art deco stained glass that’s all ocean waves. I’m thinking of painting the shutters blue to match.”

Mike nodded along anyway, but when he opened his mouth, it wasn’t to praise her thriftiness or design instincts. Instead, he asked, “You’re putting a door from a flea market in your house?”

Ginny shrugged. It was cheaper than getting a brand new one and it fit in the frame she already had. Which was exactly what she informed a despairing Lawson. Plus, how many people have hundred year old front doors?

“There’s a reason for that,” he said, clearly exasperated. “It’s gonna splinter the first time someone tries to bash it in.”

It was the sheer grouchiness in his voice that finally shook Ginny out of her awkwardness. This man in front of her, the one frowning so forbiddingly, was Mike Lawson. The one she’d gotten to know over piles of 2x4s and through a fine sheen of plaster dust. Whoever he’d been when Building Character was filmed didn’t really exist anymore.

All she needed to do was look at his beard to know that.

“Who’s bashing in doors around here?” she joked, trying to settle back into their customary banter.

“You can never be too careful,” Mike replied without actually answering the question.

“I’ve managed to protect my house from burglars just fine on my own, thanks.”

Lawson was still frowning when he asked, “You’re really doing this by yourself?”

Ginny rocked back, surprised by the shift in topic. “How else am I supposed to do it? You got me through the difficult stuff. I can manage to strip some cabinets and install a few light fixtures on my own.”

He was smart enough not to argue, though his skepticism was hard to miss. “I’m sure you’re more than capable, but that doesn’t mean you have to do it on your own.”

Ginny snorted, but didn’t bother to explain herself at his curious look. Lawson must have forgotten what it was like to be new in town. Especially a small town like this. Vaguely suspicious stares and curious murmurs still followed Ginny almost everywhere she went, though she’d done her best to present a friendly face, willing to wait out the distrust. Having grown up in a small town of her own, she knew that strangers weren’t always met with open arms. She had her small circle of friends—Blip and Evelyn, Cara, Livan and most of the other guys, and even Lawson on good days—which was so much better than what she’d started with. Ginny could afford the wait on this front. 

“Well, I’m going to,” she replied, decisive and determined. (And entirely missing the thoughtful frown on Lawson’s face.)

After all, what other choice did she have?

As it turned out, Ginny had more than a few choices.

Somehow—and the exact mechanics of this information exchange were never quite nailed down to Ginny’s satisfaction—word got around quickly among her limited acquaintance that she might be in a little over her head.

The first person to show up and offer her help was Evelyn Sanders, Ginny’s realtor. Ginny had seen the woman a few times in the past months, but it was mostly in passing. Friendly smiles as they maneuvered past each other at the grocery store and quick hellos in line for coffee. So, Evelyn’s sudden appearance on her doorstep, ready to work, was nothing short of a shock.

Ginny nonetheless invited her and her two rambunctious seven-year-olds inside, falling back on ingrained manners to get over her surprise.

“I’m so sorry it took me so long to come check up on you,” Evelyn said in place of an actual greeting as she ushered her boys in ahead of her. The kids, a set of twins by all appearances, looked up at Ginny, and she looked back, at a loss. Their frank curiosity was a refreshing change of pace from the veiled interest that dogged Ginny’s steps in town. At their mother’s permission, however, they both scampered out the backdoor to the waiting beach. No stranger could compare to the pull of the ocean to two seven-year-olds. “There was this whole thing—there was a house and a contested will and a court order—that just took forever to wrap up, and then Gabe and Marcus started school…”

Evelyn smiled winningly as she trailed off and Ginny looked uncertainly back.

“Oh,” Ginny said, upon realizing the other woman was waiting for a response. She was very aware that she’d gotten a streak of paint in her hair earlier in the day and could in no way compare to Evelyn’s spotless dress. “That’s all right?”

Evelyn flapped her hand, “Thank you, but I still should’ve come earlier. I always try to come for the housewarming, at least.” Then, with an evaluative glance around the living room, which had mostly turned into storage for Ginny’s estate sale finds, she added, “Although maybe I’m not as late as I thought. Blip told me he was done working on the house.”

Right, Blip. It’d honestly slipped Ginny’s mind that Lawson’s right hand man was married to her real estate agent. She hadn’t seen him in so long; he’d been one of the first to disappear from the project, apparently heading up the next one a few towns over. “He is,” she assured. “But I’m not.”

With the enthusiasm of a woman who loved a good project, Evelyn demanded all the details. If she was disappointed that Ginny was largely flying blind, she didn’t show it. She did, however, march through the house to take in the state of things for herself. In no time at all, showing off a mind built for organization and a personality for delegation, she’d helped Ginny catalogue all the remaining projects and construct a feasible timeline to finish them. As she left barely an hour later, apparently late for the boys’ baseball practice, she promised to take Ginny to all the best antique stores and salvage yards.

Ginny wasn’t holding her breath. Evelyn clearly had a lot on her plate, and while the help today was certainly appreciated, Ginny was more than prepared to finish this thing on her own.

All too soon, though, she learned just why no one underestimated Evelyn Sanders twice.

Not only did the realtor make good on her promise to take Ginny bargain hunting, she proved to be a formidable haggler and a determined friend.

Whether she liked it or not, Ginny was going to become part of the Sanders’ social circle.

(She definitely liked it.)

Suddenly, like a switch had been flipped, Ginny’s house was the new place to be.

On the weekends, some combination of the old crew—Sonny or Melky or even Livan, taking a break from his punishing social schedule—came over and helped her pull out the overgrown tangle of weeds in the front yard and, when that was done, moved on to repainting the siding. Blip would sometimes show up with the boys after school to jump in on whatever needed doing. He said he wanted them to learn the value of hard work, but since they were seven and had the attention spans to prove it, they mostly ended up eating cookies and milk in the kitchen while their dad and Ginny stripped cabinets, shit talking one another’s taste in basketball teams. Evelyn would breeze in after her office closed, take a quick tour to survey the newest improvements, and round up her boys so Ginny could “have some peace and quiet.” 

Sometimes, she even rounded Ginny up and brought her home for “a proper home cooked meal,” which Ginny would never turn down, even if she thought she should. The sandwiches Cara made down at the cafe were good, but there were only so many of them that she could eat.

In payment, Ginny always made sure to have more than enough beer (or juice for her underage helpers) in the fridge and pizza to feed an army waiting at the end of the day. She, personally, thought she should be doing more in repayment, but every time she offered, they all shook her off. All they’d take was food and gratitude.

Which Ginny was more than happy to give.

She would’ve given a lot more for the comfort that came with knowing there were people here who had her back.

Even if one of those people wasn’t Mike Lawson.

It wasn’t that he wasn’t around. She’d see him at the bar when Livan dragged her out of the house to escape the paint fumes, or at the hardware store when she inevitably had to go back to pick out a different sealant for her salvaged dining room table. He regularly showed up at the Sanders house for their bi-weekly potluck, and never empty handed.

Okay, Ginny saw him a lot, actually.

And every time she did, they got along just fine. Better than fine, even.

It was funny, getting to know the real him, and not just whatever version of Mike Lawson had been deemed fit for TV. On screen, he was clearly meant to be someone’s wish fulfillment: An appropriately rugged man’s man, but also a dedicated husband. Someone who not only worked with his hands, but could appreciate the finer things in life, too. 

He was pretty much a walking wet dream.

And, don’t get her wrong, he did an excellent job of it, but he wasn’t quite real, either.

The real Mike had a bit of a dour streak, one Ginny hesitated to believe grew into existence along with his beard. He couldn’t stop rolling his eyes if they were in danger of falling out. He was terminally inclined towards grumpiness. 

But he also watched out for his guys like they were his own brothers. He was funny, with a sarcastic bent that Building Character utterly failed to reveal. While he was personally affronted by Ginny’s taste in movies, and threatened her with a Film 101 crash course every other time they saw each other, he didn’t treat her like a moron for liking Mean Girls more than The Maltese Falcon. 

Honestly, Ginny liked the man she was slowly coming to know even more than the one she still watched on Hulu sometimes.

For all his faults, Mike always listened to her progress, and Ginny got to pick his brain about particularly stubborn problems she ran up against. He offered advice and Ginny mostly took it with grace. Ginny fed him gossip from his guys, and he pretended not to squirrel away every bit of intelligence.

She even divulged that she’d found his show.

(“I didn’t know I’d hired a famous contractor,” she teased, elbowing him as they both waited for their drinks at the bar. Ginny probably didn’t need any more; she was already pretty buzzed. If she weren’t, there was no way she’d consider this an acceptable topic of conversation. As it was, she kept going. “You had your very own TV show, and you didn’t tell me.”

He rubbed at the back of his neck, sheepish. “It’s not something I really advertise.”

“Well, if I hadn’t heard you complaining about cherry finishes first hand, I wouldn’t have believed it. I never would’ve recognized you.”

“No?” Mike asked, one eyebrow raised and a corner of his mouth turned up, too.

“Nope,” she answered, ignoring how good he looked with that sly grin. “That thing you’ve grown on your face is a pretty excellent disguise.”

He laughed, a sharp burst of surprise that, like always, made Ginny’s stomach flutter. “Don’t hate on the beard, Baker.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Whatever I feel about the beard, it’s only what it deserves.”

The fact that it was the truth, no matter which way she meant it, only made it harder for Mike to argue.)

They were, at least in a casual way, friends.

But he never came to her house.

Ginny tried not to read into it. He renovated homes for a living. Of course he didn’t want to do it in his spare time, and for no money to boot. She couldn’t blame him for spending his free time doing other things. Things that didn’t involve her. (Even if they often involved other women, if the gossip around town to be believed.)

It didn’t mater that he always made sure to seek her out at Blip and Ev’s or the bar or even when they crossed paths in town. He was just being nice.

That was all.

“Son of a bitch!”

Ginny glared down at her phone, though the Lou the tow truck driver had already hung up and could appreciate neither her cursing nor her unimpressed stare. One of the unexpected problems of living in a small town was when there was a big accident up the coast, the only available tow truck was going to be kept busy for a while.

Which meant she was currently stuck on the side of the road, victim of a blown tire.

It was too dark and too far for Ginny to risk the walk into town, though Lou’d assured her he didn’t need her to stick around for the tow if she wanted someone to pick her up. Unfortunately, though, everyone she would’ve considered calling was busy somewhere that wasn’t the side of the road. 

Blip and Ev were having a date night down in San Diego, Livan didn’t believe in answering phone calls (and was probably already knee deep in some flirting at the bar), and, well, those were the only people Ginny was actually comfortable calling.  Cara the barista had insisted on trading numbers back when it became clear Ginny would be a new regular, but they rarely talked outside of the coffee shop. Their first foray into friendship couldn’t be Ginny demanding a favor.

Mike’s phone number was still somewhere in her contacts, not that Ginny actually had any plans to put it to use. He wasn’t that kind of a friend.

She sighed and flopped back in the bed of her truck, flinging an arm dramatically across her eyes for good measure.

She was so wrapped up in her pity party, she didn’t even hear the other car drive up. She also didn’t hear its driver kill the engine, get out, close the door, and make it within five feet of her.

“Need some help?”

Ginny bolted upright and was immediately blinded by a set of halogen headlights. All she could make out was a large, dim shadow approaching her. She jumped to her feet and immediately wished she’d thought to grab the tire iron or something from the bed of the truck. It might not’ve helped with her blown tire, but Ginny’d seen Criminal Minds, okay? If someone wanted to try and grab her, it would’ve been a hell of a help.

Panic flooding her veins and well before she’d gotten a good look at whomever had approached her, Ginny jabbed out with a fist. Who cared that she didn’t know who it was? She was alone on a dark road, but she was not going to end up as inspiration for the writers of Law and Order.

Unfortunately, blinded as she was, her aim was pretty shoddy. Her hand collided with something solid and unforgiving.

“Ow! Fuck!” her assailant protested, knocking her next punch out of the way. “Jesus, Baker! It’s me.”

“Lawson?” she demanded, reason catching up with panic and battling for control. She squinted against the glare of his headlights, and realized that: yes, she had just tried to punch out Mike Lawson. A hysterical burble of laughter climbed out of her stomach, and she pressed a hand over her heart, trying to calm its furious rhythm. “You scared me!”

He grimaced, holding out his hands placatingly and stepping to the side so Ginny didn’t have to stare straight into the light. Bright spots danced across her eyes, but she could still make out how guilty and concerned he looked. “Sorry,” he said, making sure to keep his distance. “Just, I saw your truck and pulled over to make sure you were all right. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Ginny’s heart was still thundering away in her chest, but she managed to nod. “Okay,” she said, swallowing back the bitter tang of adrenaline. As it went, she felt her knees begin to go, too. Before they completely dissolved beneath her, she leaned back against the lowered tailgate, hoping it seemed nonchalant and not necessary. “I get it. Next time, though, maybe try to avoid startling a woman alone at night.”

“Noted,” he agreed, his eyes sweeping over her in something almost like worry. “Are you okay?”

She waved him off, though the furrow of his brow didn’t ease up at all. “I’ll survive. And maybe by the time Lou gets here with the tow truck, I’ll have my heart rate back to normal.”

Mike ignored her dig in favor of frowning. “Tow truck? What’s wrong?”

“Blew a tire.”

“Don’t you have a spare?”

“That was it,” she replied, nodding to the shreds of rubber still clinging to her back wheel. Carefully, she eased herself up onto the tailgate. Her knees felt less watery now, but the tow truck was still a good half hour away. Might as well settle in for the wait.

Mike rolled his eyes. “You know you’re not supposed to drive around on it, right? It’s just to get you into a shop.”

Ginny rolled her eyes right back. “No, I had no idea, Lawson.” At his unimpressed stare (maybe it was just the shadows playing tricks on her eyes that made her think he was smiling a little reluctantly, too), she threw her hands in the air. “I was prioritizing, okay? I’d rather definitely be able to take a shower than maybe prevent, well. This.”

“What happened to your shower?”

“Nothing. It’s great.” It was. It was maybe her favorite place in the house, and not just because it was the only thing she hadn’t had to put any work into. Mike had turned what was once a tragically outdated bathroom into a mini spa, and Ginny would be lying if she said it hadn’t affected her tiny crush on him at all. “But the hot water heater died last week, and I had to get it replaced.”

He shook his head and heaved himself up onto the bed of her truck, too. “That house is a money pit. How you haven’t already gone bankrupt is a mystery.”

Ginny ignored his halfhearted probing in favor of leaning away from his warm and far-too-close bulk.

“What’re you doing?” she demanded, maybe a tiny bit shrill. But it was only natural. The only times she was ever this close to Mike Lawson, they were surrounded by other people. Now here they were, sitting in the bed of a pickup on a deserted road. It was like they were teenagers parking, only without any of the making out. As Ginny was all too aware.

“Getting comfortable,” he drawled, eying her askance. Once he’d settled in, leaning back on his hands, he let out a gusty sigh. “I’ve been on my feet since 6:00 AM.”

Ginny didn’t need to check her watch to know it was well past 9:00 now. She elbowed him, and replied to his affronted expression, “So you should be going home. Not waiting around in the dark for a tow truck that’s still twenty minutes away.”

Why she didn’t tell him that they didn’t, actually, have to wait at all—could, in fact—leave the truck for Lou to pick up, Ginny couldn’t say. Probably, she didn’t want to impose, didn’t make him drive all the way to her house when he’d done such a marvelous job of avoiding lately.

“I think that’s a pretty good reason for me to stay, actually,” he responded, dry as kindling. “Can’t go around abandoning damsels in distress, can I?”

“Such chivalry.”

“Someone’s gotta keep real manners alive.”

“Well, you’re not much good to me if you’re falling asleep,” Ginny grumbled, feeling warmth rise up her chest. She’d made the mistake of turning to look at Mike, and nearly lost her breath. His eyes were closed, face relaxed and tipped up into the cool night air. He seemed so at ease. Even just sitting on the corrugated metal of her pickup’s bed.

He laughed, low and rich and the goose bumps that erupted across Ginny’s skin had nothing to do with the breeze.

“Just wake me up if someone tries to kidnap you,” he said, laying back and getting comfortable.

She didn’t reply, or even look at him. Just curled her fingers around the edge of the tailgate and tried not to flinch as his automatic headlights went out, plunging them into darkness. With only the moon to illuminate them now, it all felt dangerously intimate. Which was ridiculous. Just because Ginny thought he looked perfectly climbable (and there was a thought she shouldn’t be having about her friends, no matter how their jeans clung to their thighs) didn’t mean—

Her phone buzzed just in time. Before Ginny could become too aware of the sound of Mike’s breathing next to her, or the warmth of his thigh practically pressed against hers.

Eager for the distraction, she pulled it out to see a message from Blip.

Hey, Lou said you’re stuck somewhere on Route 11. Do you need me and Ev to come get you?

Jesus, news traveled fast around here.

“Who is it?”

Mike’s voice was a little dreamy, distant enough to make Ginny turn and look at him against her better judgment. His arms were tucked behind his head, biceps straining against his sleeves in a way that was embarrassingly familiar. In the dim glow from her phone, Ginny could make out one eye open and squinting towards her.

“Uh.” She swallowed and made the plunge. She couldn’t sit out here in the dark with Mike Lawson for much longer. “Lou. He said I should find a ride because the pile up north of town is taking forever to untangle. I can leave the key under the seat.”

Automatically, Mike pushed himself upright, only groaning a little on the way. “All right, let’s get going, then.”

Still, Ginny hesitated. “You sure?”

“Huh.” He paused, like he was thinking it over. “Now that you mention it, yeah. I’m gonna go ahead and leave you here alone.” Ginny didn’t laugh, so he leveled her with a wry glare even as he offered her a hand down. “C’mon, Baker. I’m takin’ you home.”

Trying, and mostly failing, to rein in her grin, she took his hand and followed him back to his car.

The ride was pretty quick, passing easily as Ginny and Mike traded bits of news and gossip. You heard Salvamini’s wife is pregnant again? They think it’s twins this time. Natalie Luongo and Oscar Arguella think they’re doing such a good job at this secret dating thing, but half the town’s talking about them anyway. Tommy Miller got in another brawl with Theo Falcone; he’s lucky he didn’t break his other hand this time.

In no time at all, they were pulling up to Ginny’s house, which was looking more and more like a place someone actually lived. When it wasn’t pitch dark, the blue shutters stood out cheerfully against the window boxes of yellow and white tulips. A jasmine vine curled over the front door, and wafted its scent through the open windows. The place had some curb appeal again.

Mike parked and killed the engine, but Ginny didn’t make a move to get out. She didn’t want this moment to end yet.

“You painted,” Mike pointed out, rather obviously.

“Yeah,” she agreed, feeling a well of words bubble up and not knowing quite how to stop them, “that dingy tan wasn’t working for me. Maybe white’s a little on the nose for a seaside cottage, but I like it.”

“It looks good,” he said, a little too surprised for Ginny’s tastes.

“Thanks,” she replied, dry enough to make him chuckle. Then, in the interest of fairness, she added, “I did have help.”

“So I heard. By all accounts, it’s gone pretty well.”

“All accounts, huh? You gossiping about me, Lawson?”

In the darkness of the car, it was hard to tell if his ears flushed a dull red the way she’d sometimes seen them do when he got caught out in a lie. Still, he tried to play it off, saying, “You hear things around town.”

“Uh huh,” Ginny said, grinning wide and not bothering to conceal it.

He rolled his eyes. “When basically everyone you know is doing something, you hear a lot about it.”

“When everyone you know is doing something, you’d think you might check and see what all the fuss is about for yourself.”

When Mike remained stubbornly silent, refusing to meet her gaze, Ginny’s eyes narrowed. She let herself wonder why exactly Mike had not once shown up when most of his employees and friends—though, okay, the Sanders were the only people in town Ginny could say with any certainty Mike actually liked—were helping her out. Even Al had finally warmed up to her persistent small talk. 

(But only after she mentioned having to go see his daughter Natalie after an unfortunate incident involving a hammer and both of Ginny’s thumbs. As it turned out, Al could take a shine to anyone who gave one of his children a compliment. Well, if someone had told Ginny earlier, she’d have been singing the Luongo girls’ praises as soon as possible because she definitely could’ve used that Friends and Family Discount back when she had no idea what she was doing. Now that she mostly knows what she’s doing, it’s still pretty handy, though.)

But Mike had remained curiously absent. Conspicuously absent, now that she thought about it.

“You sent them all, didn’t you?” she demanded indignantly, things falling into place. “You felt bad for me and told everyone I was in over my head!”

“No,” was his immediate response, sure and firm. “I maybe suggested to Blip that Evelyn check up on you, but everything after that was all her. And you, too. You won over people on your own.”

Ginny frowned, trying to hang onto her annoyance even as it fled as quickly as it’d come. “I could’ve done it on my own.”

“I know that,” Mike replied, easy as anything. “But you shouldn’t have to. You know how many people have tried to take on this house and failed? More than I can count. Here you are, though, all on your own and refusing to back down no matter what gets thrown your way. Kinda blows me away.”

She didn’t know what to say, so she just ducked her head and smiled. When she finally felt up to it, Ginny glanced at Mike through the screen of her eyelashes. This time there was no mistaking the flush riding across his cheeks.

“Thanks,” she murmured, shy.

“It’s just the truth,” he said, trying to frown forbiddingly like if he was gruff enough now, Ginny’d forget the soft center hidden behind all that sarcasm and flannel.

“Okay,” she replied, opening her door and flooding the interior with light. Mike blinked, and he looked so endearingly startled, Ginny couldn’t help the next words that came out of her mouth. “Wanna come in and see the progress?” At his hesitation, she teased, “I bet it’s been killing you not to tell me exactly what I’ve been doing wrong.”

He rolled his eyes, but he was already pulling the keys from the ignition. “Fine. But only so I can make sure you haven’t ruined all my hard work.”

“I mean, if you’re pulling everything down to the studs and changing the entire layout, can you even call it a renovation anymore? It’s basically new construction.”

Ginny, who had no horse in this race, just shrugged, making Mike scowl a little. Well, a little more than he already was. It didn’t seem to matter how good of a mood he was in, he was usually scowling at least a little. It made his grins all the brighter.

Except, Ginny had other matters on her mind right now. Well, other matters that should be on her mind. Namely, installing the new faucet she’d picked out for the kitchen sink. The old one had sprung a leak and was ugly as sin, anyway.

Mike had offered to put it in for her, but Ginny’d gotten this far without his help; he only showed up after she’d gotten the old one mostly taken apart, after all. She wanted to finish it herself. He accepted that easily enough, but still claimed he was going to stick around to “supervise.”

If “supervising” meant complaining about the current lineup of HGTV shows, he was doing a bang up job.

He had, at least, managed to keep her from giving up in frustration when it turned out the old faucet was basically rusted into the water pipes. He’d deigned to wedge himself under the sink and put some elbow grease into the wrenching required to free the plumbing from the leaky faucet. If Ginny’d appreciated the picture he’d painted, his shirt riding up a little over his stomach, more than the actual help, that was her business.

Mostly, that was par for the course when Mike came around. He didn’t do much actual work around the house, but he’d show up and look over what she’d accomplished since he was last there. Every so often, he’d be her muscle, wrestling a door into the frame or helping her move around furniture.

More often, though, he was just eye candy.

Not that Ginny ever planned on telling him that.

“Seriously,” he continued, leaning heavily on the counter as Ginny finished tightening the new handles and checked over the coupling between faucet and pipe, “what’s the point in buying a old house if you’re just gonna rob it of all the things that make it unique?”

“What do you do when someone wants to knock down all the walls in a house, then?” she asked because she couldn’t help herself. “Just tell them no?”

“With more tact than that.” At Ginny’s snort, he straightened and pointed a finger at her. “I can be tactful. I can be downright charming when I want.”

Ginny snorted again and set aside her wrench. “Sure you can. You think I can try turning this on?”

Mike shrugged, though he did run a critical eye over the setup. “You can definitely try.”

Since that was as good as she’d get, Ginny ducked down to turn the water on again. When she straightened, his eyes didn’t dart away from her, but there was a hint of pink blooming across his cheeks. Biting back a smile Ginny paused with her hand poised dramatically over the handle. “Moment of truth.”

He rolled his eyes, but came to stand next to her. “All right, Baker, let’s see what you’ve got.”

She flipped the handle and beamed as water began to flow from faucet head. Ginny turned to preen up at Mike, but before she could annoy him into congratulating her, an ominous hissing sound came from the kitchen sink.

In horror, they both turned and watched as the stream slowed to a trickle and stopped for a moment as the pipes began to rattle. Then, right from the base of the faucet, a gushing spray of water burst forth.

“Shit!” Ginny shrieked, ducking away from the sputtering faucet and right into Mike’s warm, firm chest. His arms, which had been reaching around her to fix whatever she’d done, now caged her in, right in the path of the spray. She cringed back from the cold water, further into his embrace. “Mike, move!”

She had to duck under his arm to get out of the way, since he didn’t react quickly enough. Any thrill that she had at being caught up in Mike’s arms was dampened by the situation.

Literally.

Water dripped from her hair into her eyes, and she could only imagine where it hit Mike as he took the full brunt of the spray now that she wasn’t shielding him. He squawked a little, flinching away. Ginny scrambled to reach into the cabinet and shut off the valve.

The spray stopped and kitchen descended back into quiet. Ginny straightened and took in the sight before her.

Mike stood, dripping water like an angry cat. Drops fell from his hair and beard and rolled down his already soaked flannel. It clung to him like a second skin, which was not what Ginny should’ve been taking away from this, but she was only human, okay?

He dashed water out of his eyes and glared as giggles helplessly fell past Ginny’s lips. She covered her mouth with her hand, but she couldn’t stop. She shook her head in apology, but that just made her ponytail swing from side to side, splattering them both with more water as it went. Mike’s grimace finally lightened, his own mouth twitching as he struggled to keep his own laughter in.

When it burst out, it mingled with Ginny’s, a harmony she’d never get sick of hearing.

And there was a thought she shouldn’t really be having. Mike was her friend, and that was all. Get over it, Baker, she told herself, trying to school her features and take a deep, calming breath.

“C’mon,” she said. “I just had the washer and dryer put in. We’ll get your shirt drying and then come back and clean this up.”

“Did you pay someone to come and install it?” He frowned, following her anyway to the hall closet that now doubled as her laundry room.

“No, they do it for free when you buy the warranty.”

“Yeah, ‘cause the warranty’s already a rip-off,” Mike grumbled, stripping off the sopping wet flannel. The white t-shirt he wore underneath was a little damp, though it already fit across his chest in a way that, ironically enough, made Ginny’s mouth go dry.

She blinked and turned to fiddle with the machine’s controls, pulling off her own soaked sweatshirt and tossing it inside with Mike’s flannel. Her tank top had a few damp patches, but it was a dark red and didn’t present the same issues as Mike’s. And there definitely wasn’t a part of her that wished that it did; if there was no reason for Mike’s eyes to go dark with desire, there was no reason to be disappointed when they didn’t.

“Well,” Ginny finally made herself say after getting the dryer started, “I didn’t have much of a choice. If I can’t even install a kitchen faucet correctly, I don’t think there’s much hope I could’ve handled this.”

“You would’ve been fine,” Mike replied with a certainty that always made Ginny’s gut tighten in gratitude. For all he’d been so skeptical of her ability to let someone else fix this disaster of a house, Mike definitely didn’t think that now. And every reminder of that fact, his quiet belief, bolstered her on. “And you could’ve called me, y’know.”

“I could’ve?” She eyed him sidelong, sure that if she faced him head on, she’d do something stupid.

Stupid maybe, but also so, so satisfying.

“Yeah.” There was no eye roll this time, which made Ginny turn and lean one hip against the rumbling machine. Mike’s face was open, even a little fond. “You could’ve. That’s what friends are for, right?”

Ginny’s smile froze and she found herself nodding automatically. When Mike’s brow furrowed, she rushed to cover up any of her disappointment. “I’ll keep that in mind, old man.”

Mike just laughed and shook his head. “Old man, huh? Now I’m definitely not telling you how to fix your faucet.”

He eventually did, but only after Ginny’d pouted at the offending object for a full five minutes, unsure of where she’d gone wrong. When he finally came over to lean against the counter beside her, she soaked up both his advice and his body heat and tried to tell herself that just friends stood this close all the time. And just friends smiled at each other just like this, too. And just friends thought about how easy it would be to pull one another into their bedroom and become more than just friends.

Okay, maybe that was just wishful thinking.

(It definitely was.)

Later, Ginny would blame that for what she did next.

When she turned on the faucet again and they weren’t treated to a second impromptu shower, she maybe forgot herself. Just a little.

Before she really thought about what she was doing, Ginny’d flung her arms around Mike’s neck, laughing in delight. Immediately, one of his arms wrapped around her back, his big hand splayed out over her ribs and pulling her in. Not that she needed much encouragement, rolling up onto her tiptoes to stay as close as possible. She hid her smile against his shoulder and only pulled back when he did. For a long moment, they stared each other in the eyes, Mike’s hand still firm on her waist, fingers flexing. She was so, so sure, something was going to happen. 

She wanted something to happen.

And Ginny would swear that it was going to, except—

His phone rang.

Even hours later, as she lay in bed, Ginny couldn’t get the feel of him pressed so tight against her out of her head. The way he smelled, the sound of his pulse near her ear, it all played over and over, making it impossible to sleep.

There was no way her dreams would live up to reality.

What also made it impossible to sleep was the way he’d stepped away to take the call and dismay rushed in to take his place. For a second, she couldn’t quite look at him, feeling like her cheeks might really burst into flames if she did. Nonetheless, Ginny could feel his eyes on her, even as he listened and nodded along to whatever he was being told. 

She lifted a hand to her lips, telling herself she couldn’t still feel his breath on them. Her heart threatened to pound its way out of her ribcage, but it wasn’t panic. No, it was thrilling and electric, bright enough to make her feel like she could take off flying.

As soon as Ginny came to this realization, Mike ended his call and disheartening silence rang between them. 

Awkwardly, he cleared his throat, looking anywhere but her. For her part, Ginny couldn’t look away now, cataloguing the bob of his Adam’s apple and the almost invisible spray of freckles across his nose. 

She might as well, since she had a sinking suspicion she wouldn’t be seeing much more of them in the near future.

Sure enough, Mike made up some excuse—offering up far too much information about the lumber crisis Blip was having for it to be anything but a lie—and was out of the house before she could protest.

No matter how much she’d wanted him to kiss her, he hadn’t.

And she was starting to think he never would.

That didn’t gut her. Not even a little bit.

In spite of her slightly inconvenient—because, really, he’d given no real indication that he wanted to be anything other than friends—feelings for Mike, life did go on. So, while Ginny tried to get over her stupid crush, she also threw herself into finishing up the last repairs and furnishing her house.

In a whirlwind of determined activity, from which there was one conspicuous absence, Ginny threw herself into finding the perfect area rug or refinishing the desk that would go in the guest bedroom or hanging the swing for the back porch.

Anything to take her mind off that absence.

Not that it was all that easy to do. For all Mike had made himself pretty scarce lately, it seemed like he was all anyone wanted to talk about. Everywhere Ginny went, people were dying to give her updates. She heard through the rumor mill that he’d taken on a huge project up near LA, run into his ex-wife, and hadn’t been back in town for weeks.

Well. That was fine. It was even fine that people always seemed to give her this gossip with sympathetic smiles and pitying looks.

Ginny didn’t need his help. There were plenty of other people who would help her out.

And soon enough, all that help and hard work had paid off.

The ramshackle little beach cottage she’d bought on impulse a little more than three months ago was finally finished.

To celebrate, Ginny invited everyone who’d played a role in buffing her diamond in the rough to its current shine to a housewarming party. She set up a bonfire out on the beach and bought enough marshmallows for her own Stay Puft Man. That was exactly what a grown up housewarming party needed, right? S’mores.

For other food, Cara, her barista friend and the woman who’d kept her fed while she was functionally kitchenless, brought all the leftover pastries from the café and Al insisted on manning the grill. Natalie put in an appearance, too, strategically timed so her dad wouldn’t notice she and Oscar showed up in the same car. Of course, so did all the guys from Mike’s crew, along with Blip and Evelyn and the boys.

She even invited Mike, though she didn’t really expect him to show up.

Which, of course, meant he had to go and make an appearance, anyway.

It was late into the evening before he showed up. Well after some guests had already been and left. Still, there were enough people milling around not to make his presence too strange.

Ginny looked up in the middle of a conversation with Sonny and Butch, and even before she caught sight of him, frowning faintly at the arrangement of furniture in the front room she knew he was there. She actually liked her delightful hodgepodge of things. None of it was supposed to go together, not when she’d found it all at estate sales and salvage yards and antique stores, but once it was in the room, it felt like home.

For some reason, it felt even more like home with Mike standing there, too.

Like her weeks of disappointment meant nothing at all, Ginny felt the flutters erupt back to life in her stomach. God, she’d missed him, no matter what she’d told herself.

She made vague excuses to Butch and Sonny, ignoring their smirks and knowing glances, and made a beeline straight for him.

“You made it.”

Mike looked up from inspecting the cushions she’d put on the window seat, maybe startled, maybe not. “You invited me.”

“And I never heard if you were going to come or not.”

“Sorry, I can—”

“No,” Ginny blurted, reaching out when he turned over his shoulder towards the door. She stopped herself just in time from taking hold of his wrist. Her hand fell back to her side, dangling limply. “I was just surprised.”

He nodded, and an awkward silence descended over them both.

Ginny searched for something to say, chewing on her lip and looking over her remaining guests, all of whom were very studiously avoiding this area of the living room. A hot flush started to climb up Ginny’s cheeks.

Just as she was about to make an excuse to leave herself, Mike broke the quiet, gesturing to the eclectic mix of furniture. “Where’d you even find this stuff?”

“Here and there. Evelyn reads the obituaries so she can get a jumpstart on all the good estate sales.”

He snorted and Ginny felt her shoulders relax. Like that was the cue he’d been waiting for, Mike offered her a soft smile.

“I can’t tell if there’s a theme or not,” he grinned, taking in the wingback chair placed next to a Lucite side table. “Am I missing something?”

“Unless ‘Stuff I Like’ is a theme, not really.”

“Not if you’re planning on a career as an interior designer, it’s not.”

Ginny wrinkled her nose, the prospect of having to do all this again making her head spin. “I think one house was all I had in me.”

“That’s a relief,” he said, grinning but still making it sound nothing like a joke. “I’ve had more than enough of interior designers.”

She shrugged, but didn’t bother to wipe the exuberant smile off her face at the certainty in his voice. “Good thing I like my job, then.”

“Good thing,” Mike agreed, his head tipping at a slight angle to take her in. 

Ginny simply looked back, the flutters in her stomach now a veritable rush of quivers. Hope clogged up her throat, making her eyes shine.

He shifted, his shoulder closing in on her, creating a pocket of space, just for them. In response, Ginny could feel herself rock forward, just ever so slightly, onto her toes, ready for whatever move Mike might make. Just as he opened his mouth to say something more, something that looked so promising, Livan called out for Ginny from the kitchen.

Ginny shouted a reply automatically, but by the time she’d answered to his satisfaction and turned back, Mike had closed his mouth again, a bland smile on his face.

“I’ll let you get back to everyone.”

“Okay,” she agreed, prompt and more than a little hollow. But what was the point in that? Ginny was sick of missing opportunities with one man when she didn’t let any others slip through her fingers. “Don’t try and leave without saying goodbye, though.”

He smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes, and nodded a polite agreement.

In all honesty, she didn’t much expect him to keep his word on that front.

So, it was with something of a jolt that much later, while taking a short break from collecting the empties littered across the sand behind the house, Ginny looked up and caught sight of Mike through the window above the sink, sleeves rolled up his arms as he washed dishes. He was the only one left in the house, everyone else long gone.

She blinked, but he was still there when she opened her eyes.

He hadn’t left. She would’ve sworn he left.

But he hadn’t.

Ginny let her feet carry her to the back porch as she processed this information. But rather than open the door and step inside, where Mike was blithely washing her dirty dishes, she sank onto the swing and tried to reorder her thoughts.

Here was what she knew:

Mike Lawson, against all odds, had gone from grumpy contractor to one of Ginny’s closest friends. Mike inspired feelings that were distinctly more than friendly in her. Mike had disappeared on her after sharing an arguably romantic moment. Mike may or may not have seen his ex-wife recently, which could have done any number of things to his mindset. Mike had come to her party.

Those were the facts. (Though nothing close to all of them. What was she supposed to do with the fact that he smelled the way fall should or that he liked alfredo sauce more than marinara? How about the fact that what he called her “constant interruptions” only annoyed him about half the time? Or the fact that she wanted to know more and more until there was nothing she didn’t know about Mike Lawson?) She just wasn’t sure what to make of them.

Before she could reach any conclusions, though, Mike’s voice broke into her thoughts.

“There you are. Aren’t you gonna come in?”

Ginny stared up at him wide eyed for a moment too long. His head tipped to the side and it was so similar to how he’d looked at her earlier tonight, eyes soft and shoulders relaxed, she couldn’t take it. Not another close call with no resolution.

“There’s so much sand in there!” she babbled instead, unwilling to give any of her other thoughts voice. “I’ll never be able to get it out.”

“You live on the beach,” he pointed out, a chuckle not quite burbling through his words.

“My house is very close to the beach,” Ginny corrected. “Which should stay outside where it belongs.”

“I’ll make sure it gets the memo.”

Ginny laughed, but when Mike didn’t say anything else, just continued leaning against the door frame like some kind of burly male model, she scrambled for something appropriate to say because “Can I climb you like a tree?” definitely wasn’t it.

“I should’ve made everyone rinse off before they came back in. How hard would it be to put a spigot right here? Or an outdoor shower? Those are things, right?”

“For you or me?” He pushed away from the door and ambled closer, making Ginny all too aware of how quickly she was breathing. Mike didn’t seem to notice, though, sinking down next to her, a warm shield against the chilly ocean breeze. 

It didn’t seem to stop her shivers any.

“Are you an option?”

It was out of her mouth, the hurt and confusion she’d tried to ignore embarrassingly clear, before she could help herself.

He ducked his head and winced. “I probably deserved that.”

She didn’t argue, just waited.

“It’s been a long time since I felt even close to the way I feel about you, Ginny,” Mike admitted to the dark. “And that scared me. I tried to pretend that I wasn’t feeling anything, but…”

“But?”

“It hasn’t worked.”

Around the knot of hopeful expectation wedged in her throat, Ginny managed a breathless, “What are you saying, Mike?”

“What am I—” He cut himself off with a self-deprecating laugh. “I’m saying that I’m an option. For more than just home repair, if you’ll—”

Ginny didn’t care that he’d undoubtedly get on her case later for interrupting him again. She didn’t want to hear it, not when he’d finally given her more than a hint that she wasn’t in this thing alone.

So, she laid her hand on his cheek, turned his face towards hers, and silenced him with a kiss.

He pressed back against her, his mouth stretching to mirror Ginny’s grin before moving gently, insistently against it. One of his arms wrapped around her, pulling her close and making the swing sway. She threw her arms around his neck for the second time in her life, sighing into his mouth.

When they drew away, foreheads still resting together as their breath mingled, Ginny knew she had to say something. “You’re the only option,” was what she came up with. Thankfully, Mike’s responding grin only grew when she followed it up with, “For home repair, too.”

Their laughter twined together once again, rising into the night like smoke from the dying bonfire. But nothing about Mike and Ginny, except maybe all of the home improvement projects, was at an end.

It was a little funny. Ginny’d left North Carolina—her home, her family, and the man who wanted to marry her—in search of a fresh start. She would never have expected she’d need to buy and renovate an entire house just to find it, but just because the process wasn’t what she’d planned didn’t make the results any less sweet.

As an ocean breeze rocked the porch swing where she sat cuddled into Mike’s side, Ginny was happy to realize that she wouldn’t trade this house, or any of the headaches it had given her, for the world.

Ginny rose and turned to pull Mike up along with her. He came willingly enough, but she answered his silent question anyway.

“You missed the grand tour,” she announced, studying him from beneath her lashes.

Mike, who’d seen every square inch and worked on most of them, just quirked a brow. “Oh, did I?”

She nodded solemnly, struggling to keep her giddy smile under control. “And it might go very late. Too late for you to drive home. You’ll have to stay the night.”

Clearly, he had no such reservations about letting his blinding grin free. His cheeks appled and his eyes sparkled from the sheer force of it. Ginny didn’t get much of a chance to admire it before he was back in her space, his hands buried in her hair and lips pressing against hers. Only once his tongue had swept into her mouth, making her clutch at his broad shoulders as her knees went weak, did he pull away.

“Staying sounds perfect.”

Ginny didn’t need to hear anything else. Shy and excited all at once, she took his hand and led him inside the house.

Except it wasn’t just a house.

It had taught her how to stand on her own while still accepting the help she needed. It had given her friends and a new family all of her own. It had given her Mike, who might not want to marry her, but the thought of someday being his wife didn’t make her want to run for the hills. Which was definitely a step up from where she’d been just six months ago when she’d come looking for something new.

Maybe she was feeling a bit sappy—and who could blame her when she was still swimming through the daze of kissing Mike Lawson for the first time?—but this place really was so much more than a house.

It was her home.

(But one day, it just might be his, too.)

[nightmare-afton-cosplay]

Tiny-House Revolution Redux—Will the Pandemic Drive Demand for Affordable Homes Without Shared Spaces?

emilystarbuck/Getty Images

Shannon McMillan Thompson has moved a dozen times over the past several years. Now she’s prepping for what she hopes will be her last move for a long while—into a tiny house.

When the pandemic hit, Thompson lost her job taking care of a homebound elderly couple, whose relatives decided to take over their care. And since Thompson was living in an apartment off the couple’s home, the loss of her job also meant she needed to find a new place to live.

Trying to make the best out of a lousy situation, she decided to take a leap she’s considered for several years. She’s buying a tiny home, which she plans to park on a piece of land owned by a friend.

“I like the low overhead, mobility, and using everything I have,” Thompson says. “I want to move forward. I want to travel.”

The pandemic that has swept around the world has motivated many Americans, like Thompson, to get out of dense and crowded cities and head for the hinterlands, where little effort is needed to stay more than 6 feet away from other people.

As unemployment ripples through the economy and even the employed fear for their financial stability, it looks like tiny-house living is ready to shift from an HGTV novelty to a lifestyle that more buyers might truly consider.

With demand on the rise, a key question is whether the tiny-house industry can ramp up to satisfy consumers in search of a small retreat.

Thompson is pulling together the money to fund the construction of her tiny house, so she called an expert for advice on her project.

If you want to know about tiny homes, John Kernohan is the guy to call. The founder and chair of the United Tiny House Association, he also owns and operates the Beloved Cabin Homestead Community of tiny homes in Georgia.

He also organizes tiny show events, workshops, and festivals to connect the industry with people who are considering living on a much smaller footprint.

Escape to tiny homes

Kernohan told us he’s seen an uptick in inquiries like Thompson’s since the coronavirus outbreak began to spread across the United States this spring.

He added that Beloved Cabin Homestead is booked up for the foreseeable future, and that there’s a backlog of people looking for a spot to park their own tiny home.

He says there’s a common theme behind these inquiries: “Individuals [want to] get away from larger, populated areas.”

Since widespread stay-at-home orders meant to limit the spread of the coronavirus, people have fled densely populated areas like New York City and Los Angeles for more remote locations.

Some popular retreats have put restrictions in place to keep out anyone who isn’t a full-time resident, including tony beach towns in the Hamptons, outside New York City.

Tiny homes can be DIY affairs, or a buyer can choose professional-grade construction. The United Tiny House Instagram feed is filled with images of innovative, cozy, and beautiful spaces on four wheels, up in a tree, or in any other number of adventurous places.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B_U8lGoJGiY/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Demand on the rise

Texas-based tiny home builder Andrew Pleban says it’s tough to keep up with nationwide demand—after all, there was a housing shortage even before the health crisis.

His company, American Tiny House, is currently constructing more than 1,000 tiny homes for planned tiny-home communities around Texas, the largest of which is a 6-acre tiny-house oasis outside Dallas.

“That’s just in Texas, they’re popping up everywhere,” he says. “I work from 7 a.m. to midnight.”

Boomers drive the tiny house boom

Pleban says there’s a common misconception out there that tiny homes are mostly sought after by adventure-seeking millennials. He told us it’s actually older folks and retirees who make up the bulk of his customers.

“I get calls all the time from producers from tiny house [television] shows looking for people to feature,” he says.

“But they want eye candy, young people. Most of my customers are baby boomers who want to downsize.”

Once their nests are empty, boomers yearn for the simplicity of going small—and want to avoid an onerous monthly mortgage payment.

One of Pleban’s most popular models is the Phoenix, a tiny home with a modern design and 256 square feet of living space. It could easily work as a vacation spot ideal for keeping proper distance or as a year-round residence, thanks to its insulation.

Phoenix model

American Tiny House

  Tiny-house financing

However, according to Pleban, there’s one major hurdle holding back further expansion of the tiny-house concept. While they’re less pricey than traditional homes, it’s difficult—if not impossible—to get a mortgage for a tiny home through a bank or credit union.

To alleviate that headache and propel the industry forward, Pleban is working with investors to launch a national financing infrastructure that will make loans more readily available to potential tiny-home owners. He hopes to have it off the ground in the next few weeks, which could make this option even more appealing to buyers.

After all, like Thompson, we’re all just looking for a way to move forward. And for a growing number of Americans, living with less might just be the best way to do it.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B2M-bDCBLgn/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

The post Tiny-House Revolution Redux—Will the Pandemic Drive Demand for Affordable Homes Without Shared Spaces? appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

from https://www.realtor.com/news/trends/tiny-house-revolution-redux-will-pandemic-drive-demand-tiny-homes/

[janicecpitts]

Bathroom Remodelers Near Me Orange County CA 92678

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Bathroom Remodelers Near Me Orange County CA 92678

Bathroom Remodelers Near Me Orange County CA 92678

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Bathroom Remodelers Near Me Orange County CA 92678

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Bathroom Remodelers Near Me Orange County CA 92678

What $550,000 buys around Orange County now. 10 most common mistakes in bathroom renovations. CHARMING RENOVATION WITH ADORABLE GUEST COTTAGE!. Best and Worst Return on Investment with Home Renovation Projects.13 Big Ideas for Small Bathrooms Big Ideas for Small Baths. A few things all old house lovers are familiar with: Drafty windows,... Rich, Asian-Inspired Design. This homeowner wanted to bring her home out... Day at the Beach. These homeowners opened up their space by getting rid... His-and-Her ...

Spruce up your bathroom design and get great bathroom ideas on bathroom remodeling with these gorgeous bathroom photos and helpful ideas on bathroom makeovers. Get inspired to make over your bathroom with these gorgeous before and after photos and simple, clever tips.Find inspiration for a beautiful bathroom, improve your bathroom functionality and save water and money with our new bath fixtures. A new vanity with coordinating mirror and modern faucet will go a long way toward improving the style of your bathroom. Add storage cabinets, light fixtures and bathroom accessories to make it complete.Looking for great bathroom ideas and inspiration for your bathroom renovation? The trend of contemporary bathroom designs is scaled down, minimalist, highlighting warm, earthy tones. However, amenities and features have taken on a new level of awesomeness. Presenting are 50 of our top bathroom ideas for upgrades and renovations.10 Best Bathroom Remodeling Trends Matt Muenster, a licensed contractor and host of DIY Network's Bath Crashers and Bathtastic! , shares his list of the 10 best bathroom remodeling trends. Keep in mind: Price and stock could change after publish date, and we may make money from these links.The average bathroom remodel costs $10,364 Most homeowners spend between $5,957 and $14,848. You can spend as little as $3,500 to $7,000 updating the essentials in a small or medium-sized bathroom. On a large or master bath, you could spend $25,000 or more. Labor averages 50 percent of the total ...Thank you for the informative article, Bryan! I am loving the aesthetics of the 2019 trends! I've been going down a rabbit hole with information overload and these images have helped me get some ideas and options narrowed down for a bath remodel and kitchen remodel we are working on for a homeowner in Bryan, TX. We have polished concrete ...Thousands of beautiful room design photos from HGTV and the HGTV Photo Library.Bathroom remodeling, along with kitchen remodeling, takes its toll on homeowners in terms of misery, unmet timetables, and high costs.Given the staggeringly high cost of bathroom remodeling, it pays to think outside the box and search for smarter and more economical alternatives.Maximize Space. Remodeling your bathroom calls for a balance between functionality and esthetics. To that end, Cosentino offers high-quality materials with a collection of unique features: resilient materials, in large-format pieces with the minimum number of joins, to facilitate a hygienic and low-maintenance environment.Find local contractors to Remodel a Bathroom. HomeAdvisor will connect you with prescreened and customer-rated contractors in your areaIf your bathroom is a small space in your home where you don't spend much time, it's time to think about alternatives. Whether you're going for a full renovation or just a refresh; making your bathroom design brighter, cleaner and more attractive will make you feel happier to use it every day.Bathroom Bathroom Accessories Bathroom Cabinets & Vanities Bathroom Remodeling Bathtub Liners & Refinishing Ideas to Save Money during Your Bathroom Remodel Experts agree that bathroom remodeling, even in larger markets such as Chicago, doesn't have to cost thousands of dollars or weeks of intensive labor.All-Inclusive Bathroom Remodeling. Since our founding in 2000, One Week Bath has strived to deliver quality, innovation, and exceptional customer experience. Planning and designing a bathroom is a complex process, and too many contractors fall short at one stage or another.Small Bathroom Remodel Ideas - Have you ever visiting your grandpa old house?Have you ever listen to their story about their old house looks like? One common model of their old house design were small bathroom, it's just 5-8 feet in average.Bathroom remodeling guide: Dos and don'ts ... This website lets you keep a digital ideas file of inspiring images you find on the Internet, say for tile styles, favorite fixtures, and clever ...Bathroom Remodel Ideas (Ultimate Guide) Welcome to our page dedicated to bathroom remodel ideas. Nowadays, remodeling the kitchen and the bathrooms are two of the best ways to add money to a home's resale value.The bathrooms in some of the major hotels, shopping malls and real estate have "The Bathroom Chaps" mark of renovation expertise attached to them. This is why, before deciding on your next contractor read what our clients say about us.Bathroom Remodel Ideas Share Tweet Pin If you want to add a splash of style to your bathroom then probably it is the time for a remodel to transform it into something chic and modern.Bathroom Remodeling Ideas A glass shower door or tub enclosure in your bathroom can be the beginning of your home's renovation. Let Glass Doctor ® provide you inspiration for your dream bathroom.While basements get a bad rap at times, if built finished out or remodeled later on, they actually offer a wealth of extra living space for many purposes and activities. For instance, a media room, living room, wine cellar, wet bar, gym, office, playroom, man's cave, laundry and guest room are ...Renovating a small bathroom. When you're renovating a bathroom, space is the biggest factor. If you have a limited area to work with, you need to take advantage of clever ideas and design solutions to make the most of your available space.

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Find inspiration for a beautiful bathroom, improve your bathroom functionality and save water and money with our new bath fixtures. A new vanity with coordinating mirror and modern faucet will go a long way toward improving the style of your bathroom. Add storage cabinets, light fixtures and bathroom accessories to make it complete. Whether it's a tiny powder room or a shower stall with barely enough room to scrub, a small bathroom can make mornings even worse than they already are. But you don't need to move, you just need ... Bathroom Ideas Welcome to Bathroom Ideas, a one-stop resource for everything bathroom-related. Whether you're searching for inspiration and design tips for your bathroom or looking for some expert advice, you'll find it all here.

Vanities are getting bigger and bigger every year, and for good reason — bathroom storage is in constant demand. Because of this, think about ways that you can add more to your space. A lot of successful bathroom ideas feature an oversized or double vanity, while wall-mounted cabinets and medicine cabinets are helpful too. If space is at a minimum, recessed or built-in designs can help save precious elbow room while adding enough spots to stash your toiletries. One of the best aspects of modern, contemporary design is the seamless, clean lines that create an open and airy feel. This updated bathroom from OneKindesign feels much bigger than it actually is, in part because the eye is drawn to the crisp, straight lines of the vanity, which elongates the room and almost seem to push the walls out. Bathroom Ideas Welcome to Bathroom Ideas, a one-stop resource for everything bathroom-related. Whether you're searching for inspiration and design tips for your bathroom or looking for some expert advice, you'll find it all here.

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Bathroom Remodelers Near Me Orange County CA 92678

via Bathroom Remodelers Near Me Orange County CA 92678 Local Contractors Blueprint

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How This Family of 4 Saves $3,600 a Year Living in a 200-Square-Foot Home

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in 2017 and has been updated.

Several years ago, Andrew and Gabriella Morrison and their two kids lived in a 2,200-square-foot house in Ashland, Oregon.

Andrew describes it as the perfect house on the perfect street in the perfect town — the American dream, really.

On the outside, the family appeared to have everything. But on the inside, they were feeling increasingly stressed by their finances.

“We started recognizing the financial and energetic cost of living there and how busy we were trying to maintain it,” Andrew says.

So, the family of four decided to downsize — in a major way.

Discovering Tiny Homes — Long Before HGTV Did

The Morrisons’ decision to ditch their seemingly picture-perfect suburban lifestyle happened fast. Andrew describes it as an “aha” moment.

In the midst of their frenzied days, Gabriella received an email from someone whose signature line read, “Tiny House Blog.” She’d never even heard of tiny houses before. So naturally, she did a quick internet search.

“It was literally like dominoes,” she says. “We went down the rabbit hole and never looked back.”

Within 30 minutes of researching the tiny-house lifestyle, Gabriella says everything became clear about why they were having issues and what needed to be done.

The Ultimate Purge: Getting Rid of 80% of Their Belongings

Gabriella learned the average U.S. household holds something like 300,000 items — everything from paperclips to armoires.

That’s a lot. So the family created something they called a “365-day rule.” Each time someone went into a room with a drawer or cabinet, every single item was pulled out.

With each item, they asked, “Have we used it in the last year?”

If the answer was yes, then they could decide if they wanted to keep it. If the answer was no, it went in an ever-growing pile in their two-car garage.

After a couple of months, that pile of cast-off items grew about two feet high. Once an item was in the pile, they decided if they still wanted to keep it or if they wanted to sell or donate it.

“The more we did it, the easier it became and the more excited we got,” Gabriella says.

When the pile dwindled to heirlooms and childhood tokens, the family took a breather. They put them in a small storage box to return to a few years later.

Their inevitable solution for many of those items? Take photos of them or digitize them. For example, they’d transfer old photos to CDs and take photos of old trophies.

The more we did it, the easier it became and the more excited we got.

Then they’d purge.

In the end, the family rid themselves of about 80% of their belongings.

Including their home.

Although it was their perfect home, the family was excited for their newest adventure: pop-up living on the shores of Mexico.

Moving Into a Pop-Up Camper and Testing the Tiny Boundaries

After purging material goods, the family decided to test out the tiny lifestyle by living in a pop-up camper for nearly five months on the beaches of Baja, Mexico.

The couple continued to operate their business, Straw Bale, which focuses on homes made of straw bales.

Their son, Paiute, was off at boarding school, so there was one less body in the newly adopted living space.

However, it wasn’t all frolicking in the Sea of Cortez (though that did happen a lot). Gabriella remembers being “shocked and disturbed” during that first month in the camper.

The emotional withdrawals from the lack of electronics and material goods were surprisingly intense for Andrew and Gabriella — even for their home-schooled daughter, Terra, who was 11 at the time.

“Before, our lifestyles involved a ton of work — 10 hours a day, 7 days a week — and constantly being on screens, returning phone calls, receiving emails,” Gabriella explains. “Then, for our daughter, it was with the social media channels. They start pretty young these days.”

At one point, the trio was so uncomfortable, they almost packed up and returned home.

But near the 30-day mark of their adventure, Andrew woke up and “some switch went off,” Gabriella says. “He was able to see the incredible paradise we were living in and the incredible opportunity before us.”

Gabriella and her daughter soon followed.

Today, the Morrisons consider it the best experience they’ve ever had.

Returning to Oregon to Put Down Some Tiny Roots

After five months, the Morrisons returned to Ashland to scout out the perfect piece of land for a permanent tiny house.

Although the ZIP code was expensive, the family resolved to stay where they’d already established a life.

But the couple wasn’t willing to go into debt. So they waited.

During that time, which ultimately lasted two years, they rented the smallest house they could find. Even then, the space wasn’t small enough. Andrew and Gabriella settled into the walk-in closet — about the size of a queen mattress.

“It was our bedroom, it was our library, it was our hanging clothes closet,” Andrew says. “But even that was too big. We couldn’t find anything small enough for us.”

Gabriella chimes in: “We weren’t comfortable being in a big space [anymore].”

Finally, Andrew and Gabriella found what they were looking for: five acres in the Rogue Valley, amongst the mountains. There was even a creek cutting through the property.

Although it posed some problems, like a lack of approval for a septic system and challenging access to the building site, Andrew was a former builder with ample experience, and he accepted the challenge.

The Struggles of Constructing a Tiny House in the Dead of Winter

Andrew and Gabriella moved back into their pop-up camper to start building their tiny dream home on their newly-acquired land.

Rather than commuting from town each day — about a 30-minute haul — they figured they could be more efficient living right on the job site.

But it was cold.

“I can tell you that living in a pop-tent trailer in the winter in Oregon is not the same as living in a pop-tent trailer on a beach in Mexico,” Andrew says. “It got cold. We had snow. We didn’t have any running water. It was definitely a mistake.”

The two returned to town to stay with a friend and resumed construction while Paiute and Terra were off at boarding school.

It took about four months for Andrew to complete the 207-square-foot tiny home — plus 110 square feet for a sleeping loft.

How Much Money Can You Save Living in a Tiny House?

The biggest perk? They’re no longer financially stressed.

Gabriella estimates that in about two more years they’ll have paid off their tiny home with the money they’ve saved by not having a mortgage.

Utilities have been slashed, too. Heating a 207-square-foot home is a lot less expensive than a 2,200-square-foot home. They’re also technically off the grid, so their solar power is free and the water runs from a well.

Their monthly bills have been shaved down to internet, phone and garbage. They pay their propane heating bill twice a year.

They’ve also noticed a difference in their grocery bill.

By American standards, their refrigerator is about half the size of a “normal” one. But because they don’t have any of those deep, dark corners, items can’t be tucked away and forgotten; every food item is in view and consumed.

Andrew and Gabriella have also become more aware of their spending habits. Neither was ever a shopaholic, but impulse buying definitely happened. Now, they just don’t have room for it.

They’ve even stopped taking freebies. Andrew shares a story about how he opted out of the “free” counterpart of a BOGO deal for pants. He had to explain to the cashier that he lived in a tiny home; he didn’t have room for another pair of pants.

The couple laughs. “It’s taken our mindset to where, even if it’s free, if you don’t need it, cut it,” Andrew says.

Gabriella suspects they’ve cut at least $300 from their spending each month — just by living in the smaller space. That’s $3,600 a year — at least, Gabriella emphasizes.

It’s taken our mindset to where, even if it’s free, if you don’t need it, cut it.

“We had a choice what to do with our money, and, had we not gone through the experience of living minimally, I have no doubt that we would have just put that money into a much bigger home,” Gabriella says.

“Then we would have been sitting on a half-million dollar housing payment for the next 30 years.”

Instead of paying off debt, the power couple built a business from their passion: Tiny House Build. Because they live and breathe the lifestyle, they offer resources and host workshops for those who hope to build tiny homes of their own.

Carson Kohler (@CarsonKohler) is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder.

This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.

How This Family of 4 Saves $3,600 a Year Living in a 200-Square-Foot Home published first on https://justinbetreviews.tumblr.com/

[morrisbrokaw]

Our Top 10 Instagram Accounts to Follow for Home Decor Inspiration

Social media, of any kind, these days is tough. The number of times you are assaulted with headlines you only thought you’d read in The Onion has quadrupled, and I sense it’s really taking a toll on all of us. One of the upsides of all the noise in the news is I’ve returned to seeking out inspiration and solace on my social channels. I scroll through these apps in spare moments of my day to catch up and gain some perspective. Instagram, though, is by far my favorite social channel for collecting home decor inspiration and finding new artists and designers to follow. And since Instagram’s Collections feature launched, it’s been even more addicting. I follow thousands of influencers, designers, and all-around inspiring people on Instagram but there is a handful that stand out in my mind as go-tos for a little interior design pick-me-up. I figure it was about time to share my top 10 accounts you should follow for home decor inspiration, so I rounded them up all in one place for your viewing pleasure. But I’d also like to hear your recommendations! Is there anyone you love and think I should be following? Let me know in the comments below! I’m always on the hunt for my latest interior obsession.

1. Studio McGee // @studiomcgee

Studio McGee immediately came to mind when thinking of accounts I am constantly oogling with design envy. After doing an interview with them, I become even more obsessed and now have a deeper understanding of how they create these fabulous spaces. The wife-husband duo has styled hundreds of interiors and each one is better than the next! Studio McGee is all about livable spaces that pack tons of personality while still being unfussy. Sound like your cup of tea? Give them a follow!

2. Amber Lewis // @amberinteriors

Amber Interiors has serious design chops with an Instagram account that’s 10 out of 10. When I’m feeling stuck or uninspired with a design of my own, Amber’s page is my go-to. She’s got a room for every style and every vibe. And in addition to all the interior envy, she has a beautiful shop for all of your decorating needs. Chances are, Amber Interiors has what you’re looking for.

3. Emily Henderson // @em_henderson

If Emily Henderson’s name doesn’t sound familiar, it should (HGTV Design Star, anyone?!) Emily’s an all-star in the interior design community– and for good reason. She has a spot-on eye for style, color, and pattern that is second to none. Her Instagram page is chock-full of home decor inspiration for every room in your house, each one more nuanced and daring than the next.

4. Patti Wagner // @patticakewagner

Maybe I’m biased as a fellow Minnesotan, but Patti Wagner is one of my favorite remodelers here in the cities. Her home and projects have a perfect balance of warmth and restraint that’s totally charming. Her use of texture and thoughtful accessories is definitely something to take notes on for your next big or small home reno. She also posts some exterior shots that’ll have you thinking about buying a new house.

5. The Tiny Canal Cottage // @whitneyleighmorris

Struggling to maximize your small space? Or just need some fresh ideas? The Tiny Canal Cottage is calling your name! Whitney and her family of three live in a 400 square foot cottage in Venice, California that looks anything but cramped. Her light-filled space and travel snaps are major interior goals. A cute bonus are the pictures of her adorable pups and baby boy!

6. Anne Sage // @citysage

Co-founder of photo studio Light Lab LA and neutrals-master, Anne Sage has one of the most aesthetically pleasing Instagram accounts around! She has some inspiration on her page for everyone, from restaurant interiors to nurseries to retail storefronts. And it’s all perfectly curated. Anne and I have been internet friends for years and its so fun to see her style evolve and grow, especially as she remodels a home with her new husband!

7. Justina Blakeney // @justinablakeney

Looking for a dose of boho dreaminess? Justina has you covered. Her spaces are a dream made in color and textile heaven that’s such a fabulous break from neutrals and minimalism. If you need some ideas for incorporating texture into your home or want to get more comfortable with color, Justina is your gal! I wish I embraced color and pattern with such gusto.

8. Ginny Macdonald Design // @ginny_macdonald

A cohort of Emily Henderson’s, Ginny Macdonald knows her way around a space! A native Brit living in the States, Ginny brings worldly design sensibilities from across the pond. Her interiors are luxe but still approachable– a perfect combination for people who want a bit more than bland IKEA furniture. Ginny’s Instagram page is my go-to for inspiration on injecting character into any home.

9. Kelly Vittengl // @francesloom

I’ve waxed poetic about Frances Loom time and time again, but I honestly can’t get over her rugs or her Instagram! Kelly’s page is all about color and print– two of my favorite things in home decor. I’m always majorly inspired by how she manages to integrate vintage pieces into any home and make them cohesive.

10. Cassandra Lavalle // @coco.kelley

Cassandra is a jack of all trades and has a knack for pattern and pops of color. There’s nothing boring about her Instagram page. From tips on incorporating tropical wallpaper to picking patterned tiled, Cassandra knows what she’s talking about. She’ll also give you serious inspiration for your next vacation– wanderlusters beware!

–

Top image via Emily Henderson; rest of images courtesy of linked accounts

The post Our Top 10 Instagram Accounts to Follow for Home Decor Inspiration appeared first on Wit & Delight.

Our Top 10 Instagram Accounts to Follow for Home Decor Inspiration published first on https://workbootsandshoes.tumblr.com/

[andreafestefano]

TEN year blogging anniversary!

I can't even believe it, but May 20th marked ten years I've been blogging. TEN YEARS! That is crazy. Blogging is the longest I've ever worked the same job for sure. ;) 

I started the blog when our boy wasn't even two, and here he'll be 12 this year. It really blows my mind. I'm a grandma as far as this career is concerned. 😂

Ten years ago I frequented an online decorating chat group called Cafe Rocks and a couple of the ladies started blogs. (One later became a friend!) I know a few of you actually knew me from that group! SO old school. :) 

I thought a blog might be a fun way to share my house projects with family and friends. I started the blog and sent an email out letting them know about it, even though it made me feel a little silly and nervous. Would any of them really want to read?

I would never have dreamed in a million years that it would have turned into a full fledged business. A job that I absolutely, positively adore. I am a writer at heart (my degrees were in journalism) but the hands on DIY stuff has always been something I enjoyed too. Blogging about our home is the absolute PERFECT combination of the two. When I tell people about what I do I always say I have the best job in the world, hands down. No question. 

My favorite part of this career is that I've been able to stay home with our son. When he was young I worked at night because I didn't want him to look back and remember me on the computer all the time. When he went off to school I started working during the day and it's been wonderful. Blogging is a tough nut to crack nowadays, but if you are successful at it will be one of the best things you'll ever do. (Check out my posts about blogging with tons of tips from over the years here.)

This site has brought me so many blessings, I can't even begin to list them. The first decorating blog I ever read was one called Just a Girl. It was then that I realized people did this and people they didn't know actually read them. I thought, wow, this is COOL. The author of that blog is now one of my best friends in the whole world. The people I've met (readers and fellow bloggers alike) are my favorite part.

I've been able to visit some amazing places and do some really, really cool stuff. Some of my favorites were visiting the Ballard Designs headquarters and seeing them shoot a house for the catalog. The staff there were so much fun and down to earth. Years later I started working with Better Home and Gardens and got to tour their headquarters and gardens. Another highlight for sure! Awhile back I toured the HGTV Dream Home, which was super cool. And waaaaay back a bunch of us met up in NYC to attend one of the first episodes of the Nate Berkus talk show -- remember that? We had such at great time. 

More recently was the La-Z-Boy event last year where I had to design a room with their products in just a few hours. It was the gig I was most nervous about in ten years of doing this and it turned out to be the best. I had a blast and because of YOU lovely people I ended up winning the competition! That one is near and dear to my heart. 

Over the years I've attended many conferences -- it's a great way to meet and get close with fellow bloggers. (And I HIGHLY recommend them if you're blogging!) Years back a bunch of sat around a big fireplace in a hotel in Nashville and talked about what if? What if we tried this and created a conference just for our niche? Years later the Haven Conference was born and to this day it's one of my proudest accomplishments. 

I've had the honor of being featured in magazines, appearing on our local television numerous times, and even got a segment on Nate's old show! I know many of you found me that day. :) I was supposed to go on the show many times, but we always had to reschedule. I'm eternally grateful for him and his staff. 

I've been offered a few book deals (nothing I ever felt strongly enough about) and even asked to attend or host television shows. I never say never but on that one I'm going to -- you'll never see me host a show. I actually feel quite comfortable in front of the camera, it's not that. It's that I just love being HOME. There's nothing that could take me away from working at home. 

Anyway -- I thought about going through a bunch of room redos over the past ten years for this post, but instead I just wanted to talk to you. Wanted to tell you how thankful I am that I get to do this. I'm incredibly, overwhelmingly grateful. It has been a joy to share with you all every week. A JOY. 

So to thank you, I'm going old school. Back in the day many of us would sponsor giveaways for companies. Some of the ones I worked with have become huge successes! It's kind of crazy to see how little start ups have grown so much. To celebrate ten years I decided I'd do a giveaway including some of my favorite things. One of you will win all of the items below! :) 

I've shared most of these before, but there's a couple new ones too. First up, a set of my FAVE dish sponges, the Scrub Daddy. Actually if I can find the Mommy version (it has a soft side too), I'll send those. Either way, these are awesome! I shared my love of them in this post:

The one on the left is showing how the look when it's time to replace them. ;) 

Second in the "prize package" is my favorite little vacuum! I told you about it here. It's so, so good and so so cheap!: 

I still love it as much as the day I got it. 😍

Next up, a newbie. I've tried so so so many stainless water bottles and (affiliate) this Thermos version knocks them all out of the park: 

The ones with the screw tops are great -- they all keep water cold forever. But I never used them because I found them to be wobbly, and when I have to twist off the cap every time to drink I just don't do it. It's a little thing but was enough that I didn't drink as much water. 

THIS one (affiliate) is perfection because you push the little button and the top flips open. SO much easier. I have stopped buying plastic water bottles because of these. And drinks stay freezing cold all day. I'll leave one in my car in the hot sun and still have ice hours later. The added benefit is that I'm drinking triple the water I used to daily. So good! You need one! :) 

Ahhh yes. One of my all time favorites. The Open It scissors. We use them nearly every single day: 

I shared why I love these in this post from years ago. They make opening hard plastic packaging so much easier. Plus they have a tiny screwdriver and a razor as well. LOVE!!

And finally, another new product I'm a huge fan of. On my last trip to IKEA a few months ago I came across their new Bluetooth speakers. I decided to give it a try and it's fantastic! Way better than any of our smaller portable (cordless) versions:

Yes, this one is corded. But it has a handle on the back and it's super lightweight. The sound is REALLY good. And you don't need a code to connect your phone to it -- love that. It makes it easy for other people to use it too. The sound is big and the volume can go way up -- both aspects I love. 

These favorite items all total around $200 and I'm going to send them all to one of you! Can't wait! It's a small thing but I wanted to do something to celebrate and thank you. And this is from me, nothing is sponsored. :) 

I just need you to comment below and make sure to include at least your first name and an email address. I have to have the email, don't forget! :) Oh and only one comment per person. Let me know how you found TDC? Do you remember what project brought you here? 

I'll leave this open till Monday at noon to enter, so be sure to add yours till then. Have a great weekend my friends!

Again, thank you so much for reading my sweet little blog over the years!! I absolutely love seeing your comments every week and I appreciate you all so much. Here's to many, many more years of fun experiences and writing TDC!

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[yourcompaniesthatbuyhousess-blog]

Vital Pieces of Sell Your House San Antonio TX

Sell Your House San Antonio TX - Is it a Scam?

You don't will need to prepare your home for showings or deal with other prospective buyers. If you're thinking, Sell my home fast, we buy houses in San Antonio and all Texas. You're expected to move from the house immediately. Don't let your home sit on the marketplace. It could be sold in days no matter the condition of the house or your financial situation. No matter the reason, if you want to knock out the home and do so now, our team can likely help. If you would like tosell your San Antonio house we're prepared to supply you with the greatest all-cash offer.

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Get with individuals who buy houses fast! Selling a home isn't a joke! Houses can have a lengthy time to sell, and realtor fees and commissions really can pile up during that moment. Yes, it's completely feasible to sell your home in San Antonio in a few days. Even in case you don't know the very first thing about selling a home, with or without an agent, we can assist.

The Sell Your House San Antonio TX Chronicles

Once you discover where everything is situated, it is going to begin to feel a whole lot like home. Conventional ways of selling a house can be extremely slow and tedious. There are various reasons to want to sell your house, and whatever the reason, we won't turn our back on you whenever you're letting go of a property you just do not require. Whether a house is in good shape or requires just a couple fix-ups,  there are numerous elements which could make it challenging to sell quickly and at an acceptable price listing. Maybe you want to obtain a house in San Antonio or searching for a start-up home to purchase, HomeVestors need to be your very first call. There might be lots of explanations for why you're looking to sell your San Antonio home fast and we know that isn't always quick.

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The Hidden Treasure of Sell Your House San Antonio

The Chronicles of Sell Your House San Antonio

You are able to then keep residing in your house as normal. Your house usually means a lot to you and you will need the cash you make from it to purchase a new property. If it is worth more than you owe, you can try to list it and complete a sale before the foreclosure takes place. If you're searching for a house that's move-in ready, a HUD home might not be suitable for you. Deciding to get a house is a huge step. anchoredsunshine.com Quickly let take a look at ways to sell your home fast in Cleveland. If you're planning to purchase a new house, there are various vital problems that you want to check properly before purchasing.

If you have to sell my home fast in Denver, don't rush a choice to sell to just anybody. Which is the reason why it is more beneficial that you sell your home without a realtor. If selling you have to sell your home fast, continue reading and I will explain to you why selling to a cash buyer is the best choice for you!

You ensure your home is always tidy and smells inoffensive. Yes, your home is clean. No matter the reason, you will need to sell your home after possible. The thing is you have to sell your home fast so the finances can be split according to the divorce deed in your state. To start with you'll have to determine whether any of you wants to remain in the home. Naturally, applying for a loan to get a new house can be cumbersome.

[yesbuissnesworks-blog]

Rumored Buzz on Stop Forelosure San Antonio TX Uncovered

If you are trying to stay in your house, there are options like a loan modification, a forbearance, or even Chapter 13 bankruptcy that may be used to block the proceeding. There are some perfectly legal techniques to stay in your house, even after foreclosure. If it is on the auction block, there is a good chance he is the guy you'll have to deal with. When you buy a house, a lien is put against it called a mortgage. Please be sure that you can still save your house. If you discover that you just cannot afford your home any longer and will need to have out of it but desire to prevent a foreclosure on your credit record, our office can negotiate for your benefit. There are a couple diverse kinds of foreclosure homes.

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Your lawyer should have a superb comprehension of the law while being capable of seeing the huge picture regarding your legal circumstance. It is important that you contact an attorney whenever possible, whether before, during, or following foreclosure proceedings, to ascertain if you're the victim of wrongful foreclosure. Our attorneys will provide you with straightforward advice on whether bankruptcy is best for you, and if that's the case, we'll steer you through the procedure. An experienced lawyer will be able to help you investigate the conditions of your foreclosure, gather evidence, and guard your rights as a property owner. Only a seasoned foreclosure lawyer will be in a position to safeguard your rights, file a claim, and pursue damages for a wrongful foreclosure.

If you're unsure what to do when it has to do with foreclosure, don't worry I received your back. The majority of us aren't aware there are several approaches you may avoid foreclosure and sell your home before it goes to auction. It is advisable to be cautious when thinking about a foreclosure. If you wish to stop a foreclosure you should understand what options you've got. With this type of charge card debt and no possibility of consolidation, a foreclosure was imminent. Taking the measures to sue your lender can help make sure that you're able to permanently halt the foreclosure.

When faced with mounting debt, you might wish to consider bankruptcy as an alternative. In some ways, a bankruptcy is much more dramatic than a foreclosure since it impacts your entire life. In these situations, it can be the perfect solution. Prior to taking the plunge, you'll want to thoroughly weigh how filing for bankruptcy will impact your existing debt-load, your debt-to-income ratio, and your financial wellness.

[gobussiness-blog]

Rumored Buzz on Stop Forelosure San Antonio TX Uncovered

If you are trying to stay in your house, there are options like a loan modification, a forbearance, or even Chapter 13 bankruptcy that may be used to block the proceeding. There are some perfectly legal techniques to stay in your house, even after foreclosure. If it is on the auction block, there is a good chance he is the guy you'll have to deal with. When you buy a house, a lien is put against it called a mortgage. Please be sure that you can still save your house. If you discover that you just cannot afford your home any longer and will need to have out of it but desire to prevent a foreclosure on your credit record, our office can negotiate for your benefit. There are a couple diverse kinds of foreclosure homes. Stop forelosure San Antonio TX

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A good deal of men and women become hopeless and need to just walk away from their property. Even though you may want to just allow the house go and receive a fresh start somewhere else. So, you're saying sell my property,'' please submit your premises by click on this link. It might be that you inherited the house with an outstanding loan or you would just like to convert it to cash as fast as possible. If you wish to sell your San Antonio house we're prepared to provide you with the very best all-cash offer.

Your lawyer should have a superb comprehension of the law while being capable of seeing the huge picture regarding your legal circumstance. It is important that you contact an attorney whenever possible, whether before, during, or following foreclosure proceedings, to ascertain if you're the victim of wrongful foreclosure. Our attorneys will provide you with straightforward advice on whether bankruptcy is best for you, and if that's the case, we'll steer you through the procedure. An experienced lawyer will be able to help you investigate the conditions of your foreclosure, gather evidence, and guard your rights as a property owner. Only a seasoned foreclosure lawyer will be in a position to safeguard your rights, file a claim, and pursue damages for a wrongful foreclosure.

If you're unsure what to do when it has to do with foreclosure, don't worry I received your back. The majority of us aren't aware there are several approaches you may avoid foreclosure and sell your home before it goes to auction. It is advisable to be cautious when thinking about a foreclosure. If you wish to stop a foreclosure you should understand what options you've got. With this type of charge card debt and no possibility of consolidation, a foreclosure was imminent. Taking the measures to sue your lender can help make sure that you're able to permanently halt the foreclosure.

When faced with mounting debt, you might wish to consider bankruptcy as an alternative. In some ways, a bankruptcy is much more dramatic than a foreclosure since it impacts your entire life. In these situations, it can be the perfect solution. Prior to taking the plunge, you'll want to thoroughly weigh how filing for bankruptcy will impact your existing debt-load, your debt-to-income ratio, and your financial wellness.

[onlinebussiness]

Magical Answers to Stop Forelosure San Antonio TX Exposed

If you are trying to stay in your house, there are options like a loan modification, a forbearance, or even Chapter 13 bankruptcy that may be used to block the proceeding. There are some perfectly legal techniques to stay in your house, even after foreclosure. If it is on the auction block, there is a good chance he is the guy you'll have to deal with. When you buy a house, a lien is put against it called a mortgage. Please be sure that you can still save your house. If you discover that you just cannot afford your home any longer and will need to have out of it but desire to prevent a foreclosure on your credit record, our office can negotiate for your benefit. There are a couple diverse kinds of foreclosure homes. sell your house San Antonio

If you have to sell your home fast in TX, connect with us we'd really like to make you the very best no-obligation no-hassle offer. You're not just purchasing the home, you're purchasing the neighborhood and everyone within it. Then you would have to repair, paint, and clean every tiny thing around your home so that it appears like it may be on HGTV. It's important to not forget that no one wants the home to be vacant. Selling your home in San Antonio is simply a phone call away. If you wish to sell your San Antonio house we're all set to provide you with a fair all-cash offer.

A good deal of men and women become hopeless and need to just walk away from their property. Even though you may want to just allow the house go and receive a fresh start somewhere else. So, you're saying sell my property,'' please submit your premises by click on this link. It might be that you inherited the house with an outstanding loan or you would just like to convert it to cash as fast as possible. If you wish to sell your San Antonio house we're prepared to provide you with the very best all-cash offer.

The Essentials of Stop Forelosure San Antonio TX You Can Learn From Beginning Immediately

Your lawyer should have a superb comprehension of the law while being capable of seeing the huge picture regarding your legal circumstance. It is important that you contact an attorney whenever possible, whether before, during, or following foreclosure proceedings, to ascertain if you're the victim of wrongful foreclosure. Our attorneys will provide you with straightforward advice on whether bankruptcy is best for you, and if that's the case, we'll steer you through the procedure. An experienced lawyer will be able to help you investigate the conditions of your foreclosure, gather evidence, and guard your rights as a property owner. Only a seasoned foreclosure lawyer will be in a position to safeguard your rights, file a claim, and pursue damages for a wrongful foreclosure. sell your house San Antonio TX

If you're unsure what to do when it has to do with foreclosure, don't worry I received your back. The majority of us aren't aware there are several approaches you may avoid foreclosure and sell your home before it goes to auction. It is advisable to be cautious when thinking about a foreclosure. If you wish to stop a foreclosure you should understand what options you've got. With this type of charge card debt and no possibility of consolidation, a foreclosure was imminent. Taking the measures to sue your lender can help make sure that you're able to permanently halt the foreclosure.

When faced with mounting debt, you might wish to consider bankruptcy as an alternative. In some ways, a bankruptcy is much more dramatic than a foreclosure since it impacts your entire life. In these situations, it can be the perfect solution. Prior to taking the plunge, you'll want to thoroughly weigh how filing for bankruptcy will impact your existing debt-load, your debt-to-income ratio, and your financial wellness.

[jodybouchard9]

Why Can’t Tarek and Christina Sell This House? Inside Their ‘Creepiest’ Flop to Date

HGTV; realtor.com

Tarek El Moussa and Christina Anstead might be in over their heads in their most recent “Flip or Flop” episode, “Additional Problems.”

At first, flipping a house in Long Beach, CA, seems like a safe bet to this former couple. They know the area, they’ve flipped houses there before, and comps in the neighborhood look promising. But the house they buy has a strange layout, limited space, and one long room that gives Anstead the creeps.

Will this house prove to be their first serious flop of the season? Here’s what they do to fix up this house, and some lessons we can take home with us.

A two-car garage is a major perk

When El Moussa and Anstead first tour this home, they’re not sure, when they look at it, if the house has a one- or two-car garage.

At the end of the driveway, there’s a single garage door with odd paneling where the second door should be. As it turns out, the house started out with a two-car garage, but its previous owners turned one side into a bare, narrow room whose exact purpose is a mystery. Anstead calls it “the creepiest room ever.”

Anstead and El Moussa aren’t sure what to do. Should they try to work with the awkward room, or convert it back to garage space?

In the end, they decide that garage space is just too valuable to pass up.

“Obviously, it’s a two-car garage in Long Beach,” El Moussa says, “that brings value.” So, they decide to reframe the space and put in a new garage door. Goodbye, creepy room!

No room for a kitchen island? Try a kitchen peninsula

Perhaps the worst feature in Anstead and El Moussa’s latest project is the tiny kitchen.

“What is this? This is the kitchen?” Anstead says when she first sees the space. “This is the smallest kitchen I’ve ever seen in my life.”

The space is indeed very small, but these flippers know they need to work with what they’ve got. One way they do this is by choosing a peninsula over a kitchen island.

While kitchen islands may be more on trend, the space is clearly not big enough for an island and room to walk around it. So, they go with the next best thing.

In the end, the peninsula is certainly the right choice. It not only adds counter space, but helps with the kitchen’s flow.

“This looks really nice,” Anstead says when the kitchen starts to take shape. “The peninsula is cool.”

This peninsula is the obvious choice in this small kitchen.

HGTV

Easy access to the backyard is a must

Anstead and El Moussa make a lot of changes to the layout of this house. They turn a living room into a large master bedroom and add a bedroom and bathroom. During renovation, though, they realize that there’s one big problem with the layout: The only way to access the backyard is through the master bedroom.

“I think we were just so busy focusing on the addition and the layout and all these different things, we completely forgot about the yard access,” El Moussa says.

Of course, convenient access to the yard is a must, and the team needs to correct the oversight. So, they add another door in the living area.

It’s an extra $750 to install the door, but the cost is well worth it. Not only does it make for a much better layout, but the window in the door also provides more light for the hallway.

In the end, Anstead and El Moussa are happy with the fix.

“I’m really glad we added this door,” El Moussa says, as he passes by.

Not all front doors need a pop of color

Speaking of doors, El Moussa and Anstead have another door-related issue during this renovation.

Together, they choose paint colors for the home’s exterior, and while Anstead wants a yellow door that will make a statement against the blue they choose for the rest of the house, El Moussa vetoes her choice and decides on a turquoise door.

But it’s soon clear that El Moussa’s pick was the wrong choice, too. The turquoise door clashes with the slate blue exterior of the house, and Anstead and El Moussa know they need to change it.

They decide to play it safe the second time—and paint the door white. Thankfully, the new door looks great with the rest of the house—and proves that not every front door has to have a bold color. Sometimes, a simple entrance is all a house can handle.

Second time’s the charm: The classic white door looks great on this flip.

HGTV

Add expensive tile sparingly

When Anstead shows El Moussa her pick for the shower tile, he loves it. There’s just one problem. The blue tile they both like is pricey, $10 a square foot, which El Moussa says is out of their budget.

So, instead of using the blue tile all over the shower, El Moussa comes up with a compromise. They could use the expensive blue tile for shower accents, in the shampoo niche, and on just one wall, and plain white subway tile for the rest.

In the end, they do both showers like this, and both look great.

“This bathroom is spectacular, I love the accent tile,” El Moussa says when he sees the finished product.

He’s right. With the mix of the light and dark tile, these bathrooms really pop.

The blue tile adds some color to this stylish bathroom.

HGTV

Light colors make small rooms seem spacious

In choosing designs for this house, Anstead and El Moussa lean toward lighter colors, and for good reason. The house is small, with only 1,400 square feet, two tight bathrooms and a small kitchen.

So, they brighten the space with light colors that make it feel more open. They choose white cabinets and light countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms to make the house feel less cramped.

“The white definitely makes the bathroom look bigger and more open,” Anstead says when the remodel is finished.

It goes to show that simply choosing the right color can make all the difference in a house with limited square footage.

A light palette makes this kitchen seem larger.

HGTV

So, is this a flip or flop?

While the asking price was $540,000 on this flip, El Moussa and Anstead end up paying $558,000. After investing $104,000 on the remodel, and calculating the closing costs, staging, and commission, El Moussa finds that their break-even point is $687,900.

They list the house at $779,000, but apparently, their price is too high. At the end of the episode, El Moussa explains that they haven’t been able to sell the house yet. One possible reason is that the house still has plenty of issues, including a small kitchen, cramped bathrooms, and a garage that isn’t connected to the house.

Although we can’t be sure when this house will sell (or if it has sold since this episode’s filming wrapped), we’d chalk this up as the season’s first and most serious flop. Hey, there can’t always be a happy ending, right?

The post Why Can’t Tarek and Christina Sell This House? Inside Their ‘Creepiest’ Flop to Date appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

[buildingcrane]

WHY DO YOU WANT TO BUILD A HOUSE?

December 19, 2017

This is the most common question you will encounter from parents, coworkers, friends, and anyone who has lived through a renovation. And for good reason. This will not be easy. Going through the land buying, loan closing, permit attaining, contractor bidding, inevitable blown budget is a headache that is totally avoidable if you go down the tried and true, great American practice of buying an existing house. And you probably considered that option first. We did. But then we came right up against the harsh reality of trying to buy in Los Angeles -- it’s bloody expensive. Not just Bel Air or Malibu. It’s expensive everywhere. Even little 500 square foot shacks in Mt. Washington go for three-quarters of a million dollars.  And good luck outbidding all cash offers, tens of thousands of dollars over asking price.

So then you do the sensical thing and you start looking outside the city, somewhere like Claremont or Long Beach.  You try to picture your life there, negotiating whether you could stare down a 90 minute commute every day.  Hell no.  You tell yourself that you would rather rent for the rest of your life. But there must be a better way! And then you go on Zillow and click on that little land box that you had deselected, and an entire new world of cheap “vacant land” presents itself.  $75,000 for a piece of Los Angeles hillside.  Hey, I can afford that.  Then you remember that tiny house show you binged on HGTV that one Christmas.  How that cute, resourceful couple built something for super cheap, and you think to yourself, I could make that work.

Tiny homes lead us to container homes.  Container homes lead us to prefab.  Prefab homes finally lead us to our architect, Simon Storey.  Once we saw his Big & Small house in Mt. Washington, a 1200 square foot house he built for $210,000, we knew he was our guy.  The math was simple: House + Land = around $300,000.  Hell yes!  We were going to beat the system.  

One visit to Simon later, and we were met with the reality of building a house in Mt. Washington in 2017 -- it costs roughly $350 a square foot.  About double what Big & Small cost.  Even if we could make that work, there wasn’t a conversation until we obtained land.  

So started my hunt for land.  More on that later.

Fast forward to today and we own land.  If everything falls into place, construction on our Simon Storey designed house will begin in six months to a year.  But it hasn’t been easy.  In the end, we aren’t saving by building.  In fact, we are paying slightly more than we feel comfortable with.  Here's some helpful advice the architect Padric Cassidy once told me “custom anything is more costly than off the shelf, in a way an existing building is like a thrift store and new custom is like bespoke tailoring.” 

Just to be 100% crystal clear, building a house in Los Angeles is expensive and will likely not save you money compared to buying.

Financial reasons aside, I think the real question is not why do I want to do this, but DO I have what it takes to see this through?  I’m not talking about grit or determination — although those things will certainly help, I’m talking about the emotional fortitude to handle the myriad of feelings and frustrations that it will take to summit, and persevere through the hailstorm of Kafkaesque bureaucratic indignations, massive financial risk, overwhelming uncertainty and anxiety you are sure to suffer along the way.

And if you’re married or in a relationship -- it’s time to take stock of how it’s going, because this will test that relationship to the max.  When we first started tackle building, Katy and I got on a conference call with my architect friend Jim Bonner-Martin for any advice on how to find an architect.  “How’s your marriage?”  he asked us, not skipping a beat.  At the time we didn’t see what that had to do with building a house, and assured him we were doing great, and ushered him onto serious business.

How silly we were.

Like a house, you need a steady emotional foundation in place to survive.   And if there’s cracks, then those cracks will be stressed, and your relationship, just like any house, is in deep trouble. 

Half way through just the the land hunting, Katy and I were forced into emergency couples counseling.  House building was put on hold until we were back on good footing.  (I’m happy to report things are going swimmingly.)

But now that we’re in it -- designing the house, soon to submit applications — I think building isn’t something we chose, more than it’s inline with how we live our lives.  We’ve never done things “traditionally” or easy. We both work in creative fields.  When I first moved in with Katy we lived in separate rooms for a year.  (WATCH OUR MOVIE ON THIS HERE).  To the chagrin of my in-laws, we were married in city hall.  We want to build a house because, yes, it sort of makes financial sense, and two because we want to have something that’s ours.  Something special.  A space that speaks to our ideals and is also beautifully designed.  And if that’s not worth fighting for, than what is?

[dudence-blog]

Dear Dudence for 10 October 2017

What a great weekend, spent the whole thing with Little Dudence, gave Mrs. Dudence some time to be herself and not Mommy Dudence, and the Astros beat the Red Sox to move on to the ALCS.  Life is good for me, let’s see if I can help make it better for people who never asked me to help them.  As always, hit me up at askdeardudence@gmail.com, or check out Dear Dudence on teh Facebooks!

I just ended a relationship that I stayed in far too long because he gave me herpes. I felt like damaged goods therefore needing to make it work with him. I realized nothing was worth staying in that relationship and I ended it resigning myself to the fact that I would be single forever. Well now there's a guy I've been friends with that has been pursuing me since finding out I'm single. He really likes me and I like him as well. I'm nowhere near ready to date and it's perfect because he’s living out of state now and won’t be back in my area for another 8 months. We’ve been talking daily getting to know each other and I can tell he's falling for me. My question is, when should I tell him about the STD? Do I let the long-distance relationship develop and tell him once we actually can be together?

Dear To Tell or Not to Tell, it is probably not the info I’d open with, but sooner is better.  You say you have 8 months until there’s a chance you two could actually be together.  Is it because he’s in Afghanistan and will not be getting R&R leave?  Because it’s the year 2017, almost everyone on Earth is able to arrive at anyone else’s doorstep within 72 hours if they’ve got the money to spend.  You’re going to need to tell him sooner rather than later, he deserves the respect of being able to enter into a relationship with you knowing this information.  It is not unreasonable to think “sexually transmitted disease” is a deal-breaker for someone.  Suppose two months from now he messages you “Hey babe, I’ve got some time off and I’d love to come and see you <winky face>”  That is probably not the time you want to be mentioning you’ve got the herp.  Since “be single forever” is probably not a sustainable plan for you as a youngish woman, a long-distance relationship is probably not a bad way to get some practice on having the “I’ve got to tell you something…” conversation.

My childless sister “Sally” and I are close but are having a disagreement. Sally lives several hours away, and my 8-year old daughter and I try to visit for the weekend about once per month. The problem is that my daughter has severe pet allergies, and Sally has two cats and a small terrier. Though she keeps her house as clean as possible, the very presence of these pets causes my daughter to sneeze, congest, and sometimes break out in hives. I’ve repeatedly asked Sally to either get rid of them or keep them outside during our visits, but Sally claims that, though she loves her niece, she can’t keep her pets outside all weekend because the cats are “indoor only,” the dog is too little to stay outside, and coyotes are a danger. She also told me that I was out of line to ask. Was I? They’re only animals, after all, and her niece is family.

Dear Fed-up with Pets, yes.  You are out-of-line to be insisting on this.  You asked, she said “no”.  You then continued to ask.  Stop.  She’s made her position on this known.  They are only animals, and your sister is treating them like animals.  Animals which probably should be kept inside.  There are compromises available; have you tried giving your daughter some allergy meds before and throughout the visit?  Is it possible for you two to stay at a hotel or another relative in the area?  Since Sally is the one making it difficult for your daughter to visit maybe Aunt Sally just comes and visits y’all when you’d usually got to her and you use the money saved in travel to help her defray the increased boarding/sitting costs.  You two should not allow this to become an issue that drives you two apart, but your positions are going to require both of you to compromise if you want to maintain the closeness.  The good news is you don’t need to compromise your child’s health and your sister doesn’t need to compromise her pets’ comfort and safety.

My boyfriend and I have been dating for 18 months and moved in together about 5 months ago. We live in an apartment near the center of town. He's always been interested in sustainability and environmental issues. Recently, he's become interested in the tiny house movement, and we've now had a few conversations about moving somewhere rural and off-grid.

Dear Tiny House Dilemma, well congrats, you’ve managed to provide me a scenario where there is no way I’d recommend trying to salvage the relationship.  Pack up your shit and leave.  Hell, even better, pack up his shit and boot him out so he can go live in his horrifying environmentalist dystopia house.  There was an episode of one of those home-making shows extolling the virtues of a tiny house.  In the episode there was a youngish man who was so very proud of his dream tiny house.  Until he got to the bathroom.  It was a chemical toilet into which he spread sawdust to keep down poo-gas.  The man’s eyes went dead as he described his bathroom thusly:  “It doesn’t smell as bad as you’d think.”  The toilet was under his bedroom.  The smell from his sawdust and shit filled toilet wafted up into his bedroom.  Are you going to be able to bang your boyfriend knowing that five feet under your is a slurry of wood chips, crap, and chemical-toilet-safe toilet paper?  There is no Scentsy which can mask that.  Any time you watch one of those shows look at the reaction of the wife or girlfriend when the designer announces that the bathroom is 10 square feet.  They hate their husband or boyfriend at that moment.  And when there are kids involved?  You’re moving a family of four into a toy-hauling trailer.  It’s not like they can ever lock the door when they want to bang, because there is no door because there isn’t enough room for a door!  They’re living like 1800s homesteaders.  1800s homesteaders would murder their own mother to live in a city center apartment in 2017.  Millions of people have died to try and bring about the wonders and life your boyfriend wants to throw away so he can go shit in the woods like an animal and then wipe his ass with tree bark or a corn cob because he’s a particularly stupid animal.  Let me ask you something, suppose one of your friends at work came in and told you they were going to move in with their boyfriend into the pop-up trailer he keeps in his parents backyard?  That reaction is how decent people should react to a friend saying they’re moving into a tiny house.  They’re fucking trailers.  Hell, they’re worse than trailers.  A mobile home is actually a real fucking house with room for you to escape your significant other when they’re blowing out their colon from eating an entire Taco Bell Big Box of Tacos.  Your boyfriend is asking you to move into a house which a redneck with a Trans-Am up on blocks would look down on, and they would be right.  He thinks he’s trapped in a 9-5 city life, he wants to trap you in a trailer.  You know why they never follow-up on the couples who buy a tiny home, you know, the way they do with every other home-buying/building show on HGTV?  Because all of the follow-ups involve the now-divorced partner who was forced to keep the awful trailer, or the partner is under investigation for murder after other partner’s body is found in the composting heap.  Tiny houses, Dudence is not a fan.

I am married to a man who makes over $150,000 a year. He works from home, enjoys his work, and has many opportunities to make more money in the future. I however work long hours at a job I thoroughly despise and commute for over an hour each way to make less than $35,000 a year. I minored in art in college and would like to continue making art to sell.  I minored in art in college and would like to continue making art to sell. This is not an option with my current job; by the time I get home I barely have time or energy to cook dinner and clean the house.

Dear Dreaming of Something More, there is probably a happy medium between “quitting my soul-crushing job” and “reducing our household annual income by 23% so I can make art,” so you should certainly explore those options.  Your family and friends aren’t quite right; it’s not a “bad” idea, but it is probably an idea which deserves a bit more consideration and looking at the ramifications.  Not just on the immediate loss of income, but what it does to you for any future employment.  You’re now dealing with an employment gap.  Time you’re not working is time you’re not accruing Social Security benefits or eligible to contribute to an IRA.  A single-income household is significantly more vulnerable to changes in the job market.  What guarantee do you have that is 5 years, when your art career fails to take off, and your relationship sours that you won’t find yourself single and unemployable at the income you were earning previously?  Finally, not to be the person going “he’s working from home, why can’t he do blah” but why is the person with the two hour round trip the one making dinner?  It’s called a slow cooker; WAKE UP SHEEPLE!

I'm gay (23f) and attempting a 'serious' relationship for the first time. Only 3 months in, I can't tell if the doubts I have are real, or borne from a fear of change - I'm introverted and very used to my own company. My girlfriend (27f) is cute, caring, artistic, and has a heart of gold; we have compatible relationship ideals and life goals, and on paper our relationship makes sense.

Dear Loveless or Commitmentphobic, It’s a three month old relationship, your first “serious” relationship, and you’re not even 25.  Keep banging each other and let the chips fall where they may.  

I recently overheard two coworkers talking and joking about not wearing a seatbelt while in a car. One coworker stated her fiance never wears his, while another male coworker stated he never wears one. Both expressed the belief that seat belts cause more injuries than they prevent.

Dear Seat Belt Safety, I’m hopelessly personally biased on this issue to give a rational answer, but I’m going to do my best.  When it comes to butting into your co-worker’s conversation to share with them a message from high school driver’s ed, don’t.  You’re the office kill joy and no one wants to be that.  In addition, if they were seriously discussing how they refuse to wear a seat belt because it’s unsafe you’re not convincing them otherwise.  They’re not going to go “Oh, hey, you know what?  You’re right.  We’re being foolish and threats of injury, death, traffic citations, education programs since Sesame Street didn’t reach us, but you.  You Mx. Office Busy Body were the hero we needed.”  When it comes to the actual issue preach on brother/sister!  I will concede that there might be handful of scenarios where a seat belt increases risk.  Most of them involve terrorists or a surprise bear.  In every other scenario though the seat belt is safer and reduces injury.  Even in the stereotypical situation of “what if the car is flooding?!?!” guess what happened before the car wound up in the lake?  You drove into it at 50 mph.  Hit the water at an oblique angle in a car going 50 without wearing your seatbelt; you don’t need to worry about not being able to unfasten your seat belt because you’re unconscious after hitting the steering wheel face-first or crushing your C-3 vertebrae when you head slams into the roof.  Wear your fucking seat belts people.

I am a semi-retired professional in a high-tech field, and my services are in demand. I work from home. Other demands on my time are housekeeping (I can do as much as I want, because we have help and money) and babysitting - my husband and I have two lovely grandchildren, and we both enjoy taking care of the kids and providing their parents (our son and his wife), which is something we did not have when our kids were little. My problem is my husband, a former teacher (who does not do any professional work; me and the kids try to keep him occupied with tasks like online shopping and house renovation; he does not seem too interested in other things). He hovers over me, watching over everything I do if he is nearby, if he has the opportunity, commenting on what I should do.

Dear Do I have Dementia, let’s go ahead and embrace the healing power of “And”.  Your husband could be in need of an activity which keeps him out of your hair AND it’s not a bad idea for you to be aware of your cognitive health as you get older.  This is particularly true if you’ve got some risk factors.  Something I notice missing from this letter though is you bringing your concerns about your husband’s over-looking of you with him.  You’ve been together 50 years.  Ask him if he’s noticed you having issues and if he hasn’t then he probably needs something else to do in his retirement.  And even if he has, he needs something else to do in his retirement.  May I suggest Lego Dimensions?