Sid followed Beck and Olivia inside, and from the moment she stepped foot inside the church, she was filled with wonder. She left Beck and Olivia and walked around the entire church herself. From the main worship room to the alcove off the back, then up to the loft. Tucked away in the far corner was a door that led to a small library filled with dusty old books, a quill and dried-up ink bottle, as well as paper with words long faded. A smaller window let in a lot of natural light. When she peeked out, it was the river she saw.
She walked back out to the loft and stared down at the space still full of pews, carved long ago from trees taken from the nearby forests. There were a few wall hangings, maybe silk? And her mind started to turn as she thought of where to send them to be refurbished and of plans to open the place up into a home. How best to incorporate all the elements here, to save this sliver of time and place and worship and make it into something spectacular.
The design of the pulpit was simple and standard, not too big and not too small, but the wood was solid oak with hand-carved words running the length of it. Scriptures from the looks of it. She’d never seen anything like it before. She walked back down to the main level just as Olivia and Beck came out of the small alcove.
The woman said something soft and low to Beck before giving Sid what Sid called the professional smile. Sidney knew it well because she used it all the time. It looked open and warm and inviting, but didn’t quite reach the eyes. It was a smile saved for business acquaintances, or folks you interacted with in a non personal way. Or those you didn’t care all that much for.
When the Realtor left, Sid turned to Beck, who stood there holding the keys in his hand, eyes on the loft overhead.
“You’re going to take it, aren’t you?” she asked, walking over to where he stood.
“It’s a big project.”
“It’s amazing,” she replied, turning in a full circle. “God, I’d make a great room over here, with a huge kitchen and family room. That area over there could be a guest room or two, and a bath. The alcove could be an office, and the loft would be an amazing master bedroom, with a huge walk-in closet, bathroom, and there’s the cutest library up there.”
Beck smiled at her. “You’re more enthusiastic than Olivia.”
“Well, that’s because Olivia was looking to sell something other than the house.”
“Yeah?” Beck looked surprised at her comment. “And what was that?”
She stared at him, kind of shocked, but not really. The man honestly didn’t know the effect he had on women. Or if he did, he chose to overlook it or ignore it altogether.
“Never mind,” she replied with a smile. “Thanks for bringing me out here.” She turned in a full circle again. “I really liked this. How long have you been doing this? Flipping houses?”
“I kind of fell into it, I suppose.”
“It happens. I sorta fell into my line of work too.”
“And how does one fall into being famous?”
She blushed. First off, she hated it when people called her famous. Her face was recognizable, yes, but she was no Aniston or Jolie. She didn’t have to hire security or hide from the paps, and she could still be anonymous if she wanted to.
“It just happened,” she said. “I started posting things on Instagram that I liked, food and makeup and books I enjoyed. All kinds of stuff. And it kind of blossomed from there.”
“I enjoy working my hands,” Beck admitted. “And after I decided to stay in Crystal Lake, I started working as a carpenter, which is still my main gig. But I found I needed more projects to fill my time and bought a wreck of a house that turned a tidy profit. I reinvested that profit into the next one, and things kind of snowballed.”
“Well, the stone cottage is amazing, so I’m not surprised.”
He held up a set of keys.
“These belong to the house I’m considering as an investment. Olivia had to meet up with another client, so she gave them to me. I’m heading there next. You want to tag along, or do you need to get back to the cottage?”
She followed him back outside, though she paused to take one last look around. “I’d love to come.”
She spent the next hour looking over an average two-story that was in quite the state of disrepair, which they discussed thoroughly when Beck insisted on taking her out for breakfast. They stopped at a small place in the downtown core, and the owner, a Mr. Barton, knew Beck well.
“It feels like everyone knows everyone in this town,” she said when they were done.
“It’s both a curse and a blessing, I guess.”
They were headed back to the lake and her stone cottage, and Sid found herself wishing she had the rest of the afternoon to spend with him.
“Did you ever consider leaving?”
And just like that, the atmosphere changed. His lips thinned, his eyes darkened, and his voice was flat. “I had plans once. Had my sights set on different things. But my reason for leaving left, and I stayed.”
Sidney didn’t know what to say to that, so she kept quiet. When they got back to her place, she pasted a smile to her face and slipped out of the truck. “Thank you. I really enjoyed today.”