The house’s exterior had suffered from years of neglect, which was most likely why it had been on the market for several years before he purchased it the year before. “I had all the exterior projects completed last summer, but went overseas before anything could be done inside.” He led her up the front steps and unlocked the door. “After you.”
A quick glance around the entryway showed that the maid service he’d hired had done a fabulous job. Sunlight from the windows gleamed off the polished wood as well as the granite tiles. Not a single cobweb or speck of dust showed on the light fixtures and the barest scent of sandalwood permeated the air.
“Do you have any idea what you’d like done?” Next to him, Addie looked around the empty space.
“Not a one. Honestly, this is the first time I’ve been in here since I bought it.” He held a hand out toward her. “Why don’t we take a tour and then come up with some ideas.”
It took a second or two before she accepted his hand. “You haven’t spent any time here?”
In the past year he hadn’t stepped foot in this house or the condo he owned in Aspen, but he kept that to himself. While she knew exactly who he was, he didn’t want to reinforce the differences between them. Doing that could backfire on him and ruin his plans before he even got started. “My previous job required a lot of travel.” Before he’d accepted his current position within Sherbrooke Enterprises, he’d spent only a handful of weeks in the US. With his hand still wrapped around hers, he led her to what had once been a library.
A large fireplace with an intricately carved mantel, a large gilded mirror above it, filled the far wall. Built in bookcases, which stretched from the floor to the ceiling, filled two of the walls while windows facing the manicured lawns took up the last one.
“Other than furniture, I wouldn’t touch this room.” Addie pulled her hand away and stepped closer to the fireplace. “It’s gorgeous just the way it is.”
He agreed. The room held a classic beauty that time hadn’t ruined. “I think you’re right. Let’s see what else we have down here.” He took her hand again and led her across the room.
Hand in hand, they went through every room on the first floor and then headed up the stairs. “In the description I read, it stated that the house contained separate his and her suites,” Addie said as they entered the first of the large second-floor bedrooms. Light pink silk wall coverings lined the walls and all the woodwork was painted white. “This must have been for the wife.” She released his hand and walked toward the full-length mirror mounted on the wall. “It mentioned that the door leading to the bathroom is hidden behind a mirror. This must be the one.”
“You know more about this place than me.” Trent’s eyes followed her every move as she searched for the latch behind the mirror.
“I like to know all I can before I start a project.” Her hand stopped; then she leaned closer to the space behind the mirror. “Found it.” Addie looked over her shoulder at him, a triumphant smile on her face. “There’s a small release right here.”
From where he stood he saw nothing. “Let’s see what’s on the other side.” He crossed the room and when she pushed on the small release the door swung open.
Light from the bedroom spilled into the hidden bathroom. Unlike the rest of the house, dust covered the built-in makeup table, and the mirror mounted on the wall contained a thin layer of dirt from years of neglect. A large claw-foot bathtub sat in one corner of the room while a pocket door remained partially open revealing a toilet in its own private space.
“This is fantastic. I love these old tubs.” She paused next to it. “When you remodel this room you have to keep this tub.”
The old fashion tub did add a certain charm to the room. Without even trying, he could picture Addie soaking in it, her hair draped over the back and bubbles all around her body.
“You’re the expert here. If you say it needs to stay, then it stays.”
Addie moved away from the tub and pulled open another door in the wall revealing a long closet. “Unless you knew about this room, you’d never guess it was here.” She pulled the chain hanging from the ceiling and the overhead light switched on. “If what I read is correct, this closet will lead us to the bathroom in the husband’s suite.”
Trent followed her further into the closet and past the shelves to the door at the end. Coming up behind her, he reached around her and opened the door before she could. Sure enough, the door led them into a masculine version of the room they’d just left. It even contained an identical tub.
“You really didn’t know about this?” she asked, looking back at him.
“No. I bought it with the assumption I’d gut most of the interior, so I did only a quick tour before I made my offer and I never opened the original plans they gave me. I brought them with me today. I thought maybe you’d find them useful.”
“You can’t gut this house. It has too much character.” Alarm echoed in her voice. “Sure it needs some updates and a few changes here and there, but it would be a shame if you got rid of everything.”
Now that he’d taken his time and gone through the home, he agreed with Addie’s assessment. The home contained too much classic elegance to scrap everything. Taking Addie by the elbow, he led her toward a door he assumed would bring them into the bedroom.
“Why don’t we finish our tour? Then discuss your thoughts over dinner.”
“Sounds like a plan to me. I already have a few ideas in mind.”
Unlike on his last visit, Trent took his time exploring the second floor with Addie. In addition to his and her suites, the second floor also contained three guest bedrooms, a bedroom that had once been a nursery judging by the mural painted on the ceiling, a small office and access to a balcony that ran the entire length of the house, providing an unobstructed view of the ocean.
“I could stand out here all day and look at this view,” Addie said as they both stood at the railing looking out at the rolling waves that crashed onto the small strip of beach at the end of Trent’s property.
“Do you like the beach?” He turned away from the ocean view, more interested in the way the breeze played with Addie’s hair than the waves.
“It’s okay. I don’t spend a lot of time there, but this view is unbelievable. I wish I had my sketch book with me.”
The wind blew several strands of her hair across her face. Before she could react, he reached out and tucked them back behind her ear, the back of his fingers brushing against her cheek. At the contact Addie turned away from the view and met his eyes.
“You draw?” he asked as she kept her gaze locked on his rather than turn back to the ocean.
“It’s kind of like a hobby. Some people knit, I draw and paint.” Once again the breeze blew some of her hair toward her face. This time before he could react, she pulled all her hair back in a ponytail and held it in place. “I should have tied my hair up today. I didn’t consider how breezy it might be near the water.”
“Why don’t we go inside and check out the third floor? Then we can have some dinner before we head back to your house.”
***
Situated at the beginning of Newport’s famous cliff walk, The Spiced Pear remained a popular five star restaurant that welcomed anyone who could afford its pricey meals. Over the years, he’d taken a few women to the exclusive restaurant partially because it provided its clients with privacy. Members of the paparazzi never made it past the front entrance thanks to security guards stationed near the valet parking stand. But the privacy of the restaurant wasn’t the main reason he’d picked it tonight. Instead, its romantic atmosphere had been first and foremost on his mind when he’d made the reservation.
“It is nice to see you again, Mr. Sherbrooke,” the maître d’ greeted when they walked inside. “If you’ll please follow me, I’ll show you to your table.”
Placing a hand at the small of Addie’s back, he followed the maître d’ into the main dining room. Although on the early side, several couples sat at
tables, already enjoying drinks while they waited for their dinners.
“I hope this table is satisfactory.” The maître d’ stopped at a table near the windows overlooking the Cliff Walk. A single candle sat in the center of the table and a red rose had been placed in front of one chair.
“Perfect, Pierre. Thank you.” Before the other man could do so, he pulled out a chair for Addie and gestured for her to sit.
“Your waiter, Allen, will be right over.”
With a slight nod, Trent took the seat across from Addie. “Is something wrong?” Uncertainty clouded her expression as her eyes darted around the restaurant.
When he spoke, her eyes swung toward him. “When you said dinner I thought you meant one of the restaurants on Thames Street, not here.”
Trent let his forearm rest on the edge of the table. “The Spiced Pear is my favorite restaurant in Newport, but if you’d prefer somewhere else we can go.”
Addie’s eyes swept across the room one more time. “No, this is fine.”
Her feeling uncomfortable here hadn’t crossed his mind, but evidently it should have. Time for a distraction. “What are your initial thoughts for the house?”
Across the table, she took a sip from the water glass she’d just picked up. “I know you had other ideas, but in some of the rooms I wouldn’t do anything more than redecorate.” She placed the glass back on the table, but her fingers remained on the stem. “The house contains a lot of character. I think it would be a shame to tear it apart. That said, there are some areas where I’d make major design changes, starting with the kitchen. Its layout may have made sense in the 1900’s but it’s poorly laid out for today. There is a lot we can do in there.”
Even as a person who spent little time in the kitchen, he’d noticed the antiquated design. “I agree with you. Any other thoughts?”
“The bathrooms. Although I wouldn’t change everything. The clawed-foot tub and built-in makeup table in the woman’s master must stay, but I’d include a shower stall and additional cabinets. I’d leave the connecting closet to the other bathroom but reduce the number of shelves so it’s not so narrow.”
As the evening progressed and they enjoyed dinner, Addie went through each room, listing what she believed needed to remain and what needed to be changed. With each suggestions she made, she listed her reasons, demonstrating just how well educated she was on the matter.
“You’re the client, so if you want me to do some designs for the entire home I will, but I believe it’d be wrong to destroy what you already have.”
He speared the final piece of tenderloin on his plate. After his tour of the home that afternoon, he’d noticed many fine details that he’d missed on his previous walk-through. “I agree with you. Can you start on designs for the kitchen and bathrooms and at the same time come up with less drastic changes for the rest of the house?”
Addie blinked a few times as realization dawned on her face. He was offering her an opportunity at a million-dollar project, and she knew it. “Yes.” Her voice resonated with excitement. “I’ll need proper measurements and a few ideas of what you may have in mind, but I can start right away otherwise.”
Much like a current of electricity, Addie’s excitement traveled across the table and zapped him. “Like I said, I have the original architectural plans with me. You’re welcome to them. If they’re not sufficient we can head back to the house after dinner.”
Across from him, she placed her fork down beside her plate. “I’ll take the plans, but if you don’t mind I’d like to go back and get some photographs as well.”
By the time they walked into his home again, the sun had begun to set, casting shadows across the main entryway. “Let’s start in the kitchen since that’s the room that requires the most work. Then if I don’t finish before it gets dark I can come back and get more pictures later.”
“You’re the expert here. Start wherever you want and I’ll follow.”
With no further encouragement, she headed for the rear of the home. Inside the kitchen, she switched on the overhead lights, then began to snap pictures from various spots in the large room. In an effort to stay out of her way, he remained in a doorway, his shoulders against the frame.
“Do you want a kitchen designed for a staff or one where you would sit and eat meals you prepared yourself?” She lowered her camera and looked in his direction.
“Maybe something that could lend itself to both. I don’t cook much myself, but that could change. What about you? Do you enjoy cooking?” If everything worked out as planned, any changes he made here would affect her as well.
Addie moved to the opposite end of the room and snapped another picture. “I do, but I don’t do it much. Sometimes it is hard to scale down certain recipes for just one person. When I lived at home though, I used to help my mom in the kitchen all the time.” She looked around the kitchen one more time. “I think I have enough pictures from in here. I’d like to get the bathrooms next.”
Trent tucked away the extra tidbit of information and took her hand. “Let’s head upstairs then.”
In no time Addie snapped pictures of the rooms they’d agreed needed the most work and he led her back outside to his car and headed for her home.
Chapter 7
Addie concluded her conversation with the flooring company and hung up the phone. With the start date settled on, she turned back to her computer and typed up a short email with all the final details. She hit send just as a knock sounded on her office door. Seconds later Tara entered, closed the door behind her, and then rushed to her desk her eyes wide.
“Oh my God, Addison. Trent Sherbrooke is here to see you.” Tara sounded as if she’d just run a race.
“Now?” They didn’t have any meetings scheduled. She’d promised to set something up with his secretary once she finished some preliminary plans for him. At the moment her designs weren’t even half done.
“Yes! And God he’s even more gorgeous in person than in pictures. Do you know why he’s here?”
With all the extra work as of late, she’d never told Tara about the projects he’d hired her for. “I’m working on his office here in Providence and his home in Newport.” That answered Tara’s question but not her own. What brought him to her office today? “You can send him in, Tara.”
As Tara disappeared to deliver her message, Addie glanced around her own office. While well organized and functional it looked shabby compared to Trent’s. She’d purchased much of the furniture from a local office supply store. The pictures on the walls were a combination of her own photos and paintings she’d completed over the years.
He’s not here to assess my office. She turned back to her computer and pulled up what she’d put together so far. His unexpected visit must have something to do with one of his projects.
“I hope you don’t mind that I just stopped in.” Trent’s voice cascaded over her and kicked her pulse up a notch or two.
“No, not at all. Is there a problem with the work on your office?” Unless something had gone wrong the painter should have showed up at his office that morning.
With relaxed confidence, Trent dropped into the chair across from her desk resting his ankle on his knee. “No problems. I was in the neighborhood and I thought I’d stop in.”
“You were at Ambrosia again, weren’t you?” She eyed him with a bit of suspicion. The bakery was just down the street and she recalled his comments from the afternoon they’d first had coffee together.
Trent shook his head. “I had a meeting with my father. But now that you mention it, I could use a cannoli and an espresso. What do you say? Care to join me?”
Addie didn’t hesitate to answer. “Love to. I haven’t left my desk since I came in this morning.”
“Let’s go then,” Trent said, as he stood.
After a short stop by Tara’s desk to let her know she was leaving, Addie and Trent walked down the flight of stairs to the first floor of the historical building and outside. Much like the week before,
temperatures remained in the high nineties. Even with the oppressive weather, Addie turned her face toward the sky as the sunlight beat down on her. After an entire day closed up inside, the natural sunlight revived her.
For a few minutes they walked in silence, but as they approached the courthouse, she looked over at him. “Your father’s a Supreme Court Judge?” She remembered reading that Mark Sherbrooke was a judge and since the Supreme Court house wasn’t far from her office it seemed like a safe guess.
“He’s the Chief Justice here in Rhode Island. He has been for a while now.” A messenger on a bicycle came towards them and Trent moved closer to her, giving the rider more room to pass. When he did, his shirtsleeve brushed against her arm. Unlike their outing in Newport, he again looked like the well-polished business executive in a pair of dark blue dress pants, a crisp white dress shirt and a striped tie. Even in her light skirt and short-sleeved blouse the sweat trickled down her back, so he must’ve been hot. Yet, despite that fact, he appeared comfortable and didn’t complain.
“Your father is a Chief Justice and your uncle is the President—there must be some interesting political discussions at your family get-togethers.” Addie reached for the door into the bakery, but Trent beat her to it and pulled it open for her.
Following her inside, he placed a hand on her lower back and guided her toward an empty table. “It’s not too bad. My father and uncle share similar views on most topics.”
As if he’d done it a thousand times before for her, he pulled a chair out for her. “Have a seat. I’ll order for us. What would you like?”
She scanned the specials list posted on top of the display case. Each day her uncle featured a special pastry and sandwich. Judging by the case, they’d already sold out of the Angel Wings listed as today’s special. “I’ll have a biscotti and a coffee.” She pulled a five-dollar bill from her wallet and held it out to him.
Redeeming The Billionaire (The Sherbrookes of Newport Book 5) Page 7
