“Look at these stairs!” Radley exclaimed. “I would sweep down in my dressing gown every single morning. These stairs are made for drama.”

“You could carry me up to bed every night,” Sarah said.

“And totally ravish you!” Radley said. He tried to pick Sarah up, but failing (he was a scrawny thing), he and Sarah nonetheless ran upstairs, laughing like hyenas.

Josh and Frank trailed behind. “You’d have fifty-five hundred square feet,” Frank said. “Five full bathrooms, two half baths, central air, a really gorgeous master bath—”

He stopped in the doorway of the master bedroom. Radley and Sarah were rolling around on the king-size bed like puppies.

“I love me a hard mattress,” Radley said with a Southern drawl.

“I love me a hard man,” she returned, and they dissolved again into laughter.

“Um . . . they’re so . . . in love,” Josh said.

“Whatever you say,” Frank said, doubt heavy in his voice.

The house had a study, a beautifully redone kitchen, a dining room, family room, office, butler’s pantry (whatever that was), a formal living room, the aforementioned five bedrooms.

“The yard’s a little small,” Josh said, looking out the back window. “And I think the house is a little too large.”

“Are you two planning on having kids?” Frank asked Radley gamely.

“We are,” Sarah said. “God willing, we’ll have eight.”

“We’re waiting till the wedding night to consummate the marriage,” Radley said. “Sarah didn’t want to, but I insisted. I want to be pure for my bride.” They darted out of the room, where they could be heard gasping with laughter, congratulating each other on their funniness.

“Sorry. They’re idiots, but they’re mine,” Josh said. “What else have you got?”

“You want to stay in Providence proper, right?”

“I think so,” Josh said. “I honestly haven’t thought about it until recently.”

The next house was another breathtaking beauty, and about a third smaller than the first house. But again, the backyard was teeny. Pebbles wouldn’t be able to run anywhere.

Maybe Lauren was right. Being in a neighborhood would be good for him. The mill building was gorgeous, and while Josh was cordial with his neighbors, he barely knew them (and didn’t see any reason to change that now).

But working outside in the yard, or sitting on the porch, saying hello to neighbors as they walked . . . well, it could happen. Especially with his two goofy friends. They’d help break the ice. He pictured Octavia and Sebastian there, Darius grilling up some brats on the grill, Jen holding the new baby. “Maybe something with a little more room outside.”