Waking Up To Love (Lakeside Porches Book 4) (22 page)

“It means I have Miriam’s and Justin’s support for my work, for as long as I play by their rules.”

“So there’s no question we have to comply with Justin’s mandate, correct?” Lyssa asked him.

“True.”

She carried the platter and salsa dishes to the counter for Kyle.

“Thanks, luv.”

She rubbed his back, and he gave her an appreciative head-to-toe sweep.

“Well, I have an idea,” Manda said. “And my idea lets Lyssa continue to investigate but also lets the two of you go public with your relationship. Lyssa and I will get dessert on the table, and we’ll all talk about it over pie and coffee. Okay?” She took her dishes to the sink.

“I’ll do anything for your sister’s pie, Manda.” Kyle winked.

Once the coffee was brewed and the pie sliced, Kyle ferried plates and forks to the table. Manda carried the carafe. Lyssa followed with the pie plate and a silver serving piece.

Joel handed empty dessert plates to her, one at a time, and then passed around the thick juicy wedges. “Good team,” he said. “Let’s figure this out. Manda’s ideas are usually genius.”

“He’s right, and the pie’s delicious,” Manda said. “I’d forgotten how perfectly flaky your crust is, Lyssa.”

“You’re sweetening me up.” Lyssa grinned.

“I think you’ll like my idea. You get to act.”

“And what exactly is my role?” Lyssa asked her.

“You are the beautiful new professor who will fall under the spell of the handsome computer nerd.”

“I like that. I get to play myself.” Kyle reached for Lyssa’s hand. “What do I have to do to win over the beautiful professor?”

“You have to buy a house.”

“But that’s nonsense. I’m perfectly comfortable as Justin’s guest.”

Manda set down her fork and folded her hands on the table. “Anything for pie, I think you said, Kyle? You are, as of tomorrow morning, house hunting. Joel probably knows a realtor who will go along with it.”

“Oh, it’s pretend?” Kyle perked up.

Joel spoke up. “It can’t be pretend if we’re enlisting a realtor. I won’t dupe my fellow businessmen.” He fixed Manda with a stern look.

“Okay. But the important point is, Kyle needs a financial advisor. Professor Lyssa Doughty will accompany Kyle and the realtor to make sure the house he buys has outstanding resale value.” She opened her hands as an invitation for their comments.

“It’s perfect,” Joel said, “because, to all appearances, they’re uninvolved before the house hunt begins. And they gradually, openly fall in love. Is that the plan?”

Lyssa turned to Kyle. “I like it. What do you think?”

His mouth curved, and his eyes twinkled. “Let’s change ‘gradually’ to ‘quickly’ fall in love. And how’s this? In the very beginning, Professor Doughty must be all business and standoffish. Let’s stage the initial meeting on campus, so the gossips pick it up and run with it.”

Lyssa grinned. “Okay, but Dr. Pennington should insist we debrief after every house we see, just the two of us. Over coffee at first, then lunch, and later dinner. I’m dying to have dinner with you at the Manse Grille.”

Manda hummed her delight, and Joel laughed.

“Is anyone else thinking the plan will drive Rand crazy?” Kyle asked with a grin.

The café at the library was jammed with students the next week. Mid-semester grades had been a wake-up call for many, and the serious students found themselves competing for computers and table space, with the overflow spilling into the coffee shop.

On Wednesday morning, Kyle Pennington entered the café and wove through the crowd to a tiny table in the center of the action where a pretty redhead sat grading projects. “Ah, Professor Doughty, I wonder if I might have a word?”

Lyssa looked up from the stacks of paper on her table. She scowled at the tall, well-dressed man. “You’re . . .”

He held out his hand. “Kyle Pennington.” When she took his hand, he bowed over it.

God, don’t let me laugh
. “Kyle, you’ve got to make your voice carry to the kid with the beard behind me. He and the girl with him are serious gossips.”

“I can see that you’re very busy.” This time Kyle got a discreet thumbs-up from her. “I won’t keep you.”

“Actually, I’d love a break.” She dropped her pen and stretched her arms overhead.

His gaze took in her lovely curves.

“Have a seat,” she invited.

Kyle grabbed a chair as someone at the next table stood up. He positioned it opposite Lyssa and frowned at the piles of work between them. Lyssa made no move to free up table space for him. “What did you need to talk about? Have I done something terrible with my account?”

“Your— Oh, no. There’s no problem with your computer use. It’s— I need some financial counsel, and I know your reputation as the Wise Woman Investor.”

Lyssa laughed with delight, drawing attention from those at nearby tables. “You’ve seen those public television spots in the UK, have you?”

“They’re really very good. And now that I’ve accepted the job as CIO for the remainder of the year, I think it would be wise to purchase a house in Tompkins Falls. However, I know absolutely nothing about smart real estate investment in the US. I’d like to engage your assistance.”

“Smashing. That will give me a head start on my own house hunting next year. Do you have a family you’re moving here, Dr. Pennington?”

“Kyle. Please. And no, it’s just me. I do need to pay attention to resale value, as this is an interim position and I may not be living here long. I do have the name of a good realtor, but I also want an independent person to advise me. You, Professor Doughty, if you’re willing.”

She crossed her legs, and his gaze went to the shapely, stockinged knee and calf and foot. Her ballet flat swung at the end like a metronome and seemed to mesmerize him.

“Only if you call me Lyssa.”

He returned his gaze to her face. “Lyssa. Lovely name.”

“And only if we can be reasonable about my investment of time.”

“Yes, of course. I’m thinking we could see a house or two each time with the realtor, and then you and I could analyze them and give the realtor a revised set of criteria. I want to put in a bid by year’s end.”

“Good plan, but it’s called making an offer, not bidding.”

Kyle snapped his fingers, and all those at the neighboring tables jolted to attention. “I knew you were the right person. And I’d insist on treating you to a nice tea or lunch each time.”

“Brilliant.” She gave him a dazzling smile. “When did you want to get started, Kyle?”

“I’ll be away next week in the UK, and I’m keen to get started before that. Does this Saturday morning suit you?” At her nod, he proposed picking her up at her residence. She scribbled her address and cell number on the back of a business card and handed it to him with a smile.

“Say, ten o’clock, Lyssa?”

“Perfect. See you then.” With a nod, she bent her head to her grading.

The moment he stood, someone snatched the chair he’d borrowed. As he walked to the door, Lyssa stole a look behind her and openly admired his backside. She made no effort to hide a speculative lift of her eyebrow and slight smile.

When Kyle reached the door, he turned back to look at her. With a gasp, she swiveled her head back to work. At least three people sniggered, and someone said, “I’m going to tell Professor Cunningham.”

Let the games begin
.

“Today I’m showing you a large, center-entrance arts-and-crafts-style home in College Heights. This was built forty years ago for a family with three children. It has been updated in the past seven years. I’m interested in what you like and don’t like, what you’d change and, of course, your overall impression.” Their realtor Andrea Santilli tugged at the hem of her tapestry jacket and stood quietly, waiting for a response.

“Beautiful hardwood floors,” Lyssa said and made a note on the iPad mini she’d brought along. “And I love the crown molding.” She snapped a couple of pictures.

“The stairway is lovely as well,” Kyle said. “It looks as though the hallway skips on past the stairs to the back of the house. I suppose the kitchen is back there?” He started down the hall.

Andrea raised her voice. “Formal dining room to our left, formal living room to our right. The kitchen is behind the dining room. And there’s a good-sized office behind the living room.”

When she and Lyssa caught up to him, Kyle asked, “Why is my counselor frowning?”

Lyssa pointed to the kitchen. “Forty years ago, this was an ideal layout, with a large kitchen adjoining the dining room, connected by a standard door. Now, however, families look for an open space with a family room integrated with the kitchen.”

“What do you think of the kitchen, Lyssa?” Andrea asked.

“It’s beautiful. They’ve upgraded it.”

“Granite countertops,” Andrea said, “and high-end stainless appliances. A functional island and a table with banquettes in the bay window. In terms of resale, I don’t see any issue, since Mom can be preparing a meal while the children do homework at the island or the table.”

“True, but if my friends came for a party and wanted to be in on the action, that wouldn’t be possible,” Lyssa said.

“Good point,” Kyle said. “We three are a good team, aren’t we? I’ll just have a look at the office you talked about, Andrea.” He crossed into the hall to a square room.

Andrea’s eyes glazed over as Kyle described in detail where he’d place each piece of equipment. She confessed she had no idea if the electrical system would meet his needs. Finally, she cut short his monologue with an invitation to see the backyard.

Both he and Lyssa liked the backyard and the upstairs, but, as they returned to the first level, Lyssa pointed out a problem. “No garage.”

“Good catch,” Kyle said. “What are your overall thoughts, Lyssa?”

“It’s a very attractive home with a couple of limitations. If you don’t need a family room, or if it’s possible to knock out the wall to the dining room, that takes care of one limitation. But there’s no room to add a garage unless you put it between the house and the street, which—”

“That would look horrible,” Andrea said dismissively. She wrinkled her nose at Lyssa.

“Precisely my point. Not having a garage would be a deal breaker for some buyers,” Lyssa said.

“Andrea, did you have another house to show us today?” Kyle asked.

The next house was a mid-century ranch, and Kyle was turned off by the small rooms and cramped layout.

At the third house, Lyssa smelled mold and mildew in an otherwise beautiful colonial at the city limits.

“So I take it the first house was the only possibility among today’s houses?” Andrea asked as they walked to their cars.

“Quite right. Lyssa and I will talk it over at length over lunch, and I’ll get back to you with a clearer set of expectations for the next go-round. Does that suit you, Andrea?” At her nod, he charmed her with a smile and courtly handshake. “You’ve been a great sport, Andrea.”

Andrea blushed and squeezed his arm. She gave Lyssa nothing more than a thin smile as she slipped into her Volvo sedan.

Lyssa watched her drive away. “At last, Kyle, we can have a meal together in public.”

He put his arm around her shoulders. “I’d like nothing better than to take you to the Manse Grille, but I suppose we should make it Ralphs the first time.”

Lyssa teased him. “At Ralphs, everyone will notice if we play a little footsie.”

“Let’s do it.”

Tuesday morning, Lyssa arrived at the Cushmans’ guest suite, bearing warm-from-the-oven apple coffee cake. She cut a piece for each of them and poured coffee.

“Will you miss me?” Kyle asked as he checked his travel documents and laid his coat over his suitcase.

“I will, terribly. Ten days is a long time.” She set their places at the breakfast bar and perched on a tall stool.

“I agree, but I can’t have loose ends if I’m to give the college the attention it needs through next summer. Geoffrey has what he calls, ‘a list longer than Santa’s naughty list.’ And while I’m in the UK I’ll see to things at the estate in Cornwall.”

“Suppose you change your mind while you’re there, about being CIO at Tompkins College?”

“I’ve given my word, so that’s not going to change.” He joined her at the breakfast bar and gave her a kiss. “But I
am
concerned about overstaying my welcome with Justin and Gianessa. Which reminds me, I need to gift them with something significant for the holidays. Any ideas?”

“I don’t suppose they’d like a piano and a promise to serenade them at dinner each evening?”

He laughed with her and tugged a curl that had slipped onto her forehead. “Perhaps the piano without the serenade. I’ll keep my eyes open, too, as I walk around London.”

“Do you think you’ll regret giving up control of the business?”

“No. It never made sense for me to have my nose buried in it the way I did. It’s appropriate for me to handle client relations, but not to tinker with every detail of the day-to-day.” He glanced at the lake. The sun had just peeked over the horizon, coloring three jet trails a shocking pink. “For nearly ten years, I’ve neglected my responsibilities in Cornwall and closed myself off from other possibilities.”

“Why did you?”

“After my marriage failed, I couldn’t think what else to do with myself.”

“Tell me about that.” Lyssa held her breath.

He sat back, forearms resting on the edge of the bar. “She wanted a life of parties and balls, I think, as she’d had during her coming-out year. Living in London suited her, but she didn’t bargain on her husband being a quiet intellectual who played the piano and spent long hours building a business in London. It wasn’t six months before I realized she was playing around. We had terrible rows. Her paramour was wealthy and titled, and he somehow managed to have Victoria’s and my marriage annulled.”