But she merely reached down and squished the dog’s face between her hands before giving the undeserving mutt a kiss.

Silas wondered if sunstroke could lead to irrational calm. He’d ask his stepdad.

He caught up with her in the atrium, where the painters had spent nearly two hours cleaning lemon-yellow cat prints from the stair treads.

“You didn’t hit your head while you were on the river, did you?” he asked.

She frowned and started up the stairs. “I hit a rock. I guess a boulder,” she said. “But that just dented your kayak, not my head. Why do you ask?”

“No reason,” he said, trying to get a good look at her pupils.

“Why’s it so quiet in here? Everyone’s cars are still out front.”

“Listen,” he said. “Before you go upstairs, there’s something you gotta see in the kitchen.”

He expected a fight or a comment about what else could possibly have gone wrong. But she gave him neither. She simply followed him down the hall to the kitchen. He paused in the doorway and then stepped back to make room for her.

“Holy shit,” she said.

“Surprise!” Jim, Cody, Dean recording the whole thing on camera, and the rest of the crew shouted.

Maggie took in the finished kitchen in one long, lingering look. Silas had to admit that she’d been dead right on the blue for the cabinets. A step brighter than navy, it gave the room just the right vibe. The white quartz counters were a classic choice and kept the room bright and clean. The appliances were finally where they belonged, including the range under its cheery, hammered-copper hood. The plastic had finally been removed from the widened doorway between the kitchen and dining room. They’d even hung the pendants over the island for her.

“Now, the paint’s a little wet, and there’s no grout on the backsplash yet,” Jim explained. “But it’s a hell of a lot more done than it was this morning.”

“This is the most amazing surprise,” she said, putting her hands on her hips and drinking it all in.

“Figured you can’t sell a house without a kitchen,” Jim said.

“Kinda hard to live in one, too,” Cody pointed out.

“You’ve outdone yourselves,” Maggie said. She looked over her shoulder to where Silas leaned in the doorway. He winked at her.

Someone popped a bottle of champagne while someone else started doling out plastic cups. Maggie tested drawers and doors—all soft close—and admired the stools that Kayla had dropped off only an hour ago. The seats were wrapped in a warm cognac leather that reminded Silas of Maggie’s eyes.

“A toast to Maggie’s white whale,” Jim said, lifting his cup. “There were times we thought it would never happen, but when it came together, it was magic.”

“Cheers!”

“Wow. I am cooking in here tonight,” she announced.