CHAPTER 82 - KAITLYN
The next night Magnus said, “Master Cook, how much trouble would it be for ye tae add an extra bedroom tae the house?”
Hayley said, “Two extra bedrooms!”
James laughed. “Y’all want me to build this out into a big family compound? Okay, will do, but first I gotta get permits.”
“Permits for what?” asked Magnus
“Remember how we had to ask to put the stables in at the house?”
“They wouldna let me.”
“Yep, they might not let you.”
“Why nae, what sense does it make?”
“They have to look at easements, property lines, how many toilets on the septic tank, the seasonality, and the codes.”
Magnus said, “Och, well we will hae tae find the man who we pay tae make it happen.” We all laughed.
Tracy chuckled, shaking her head, “So this is pretty great, right?”
Everyone nodded.
“But you’veneverbeen here during a Maine winter?”
Everyone shook their heads.
She looked incredulous. “Now how are a bunch ofFloridiansgoing to decide to live full time in Maine?Also, the road out here is impassable much of the year — you cool with that?”
We all kind of looked at each other.
She said, “Zach here goes to the grocery store every single day.”
He looked sheepish. “I do do that, but it’s just because I want everything to be special.”
“I think all of you need to decide if you want to put up with the worst weather ever and then you can decide to add on.Or, if you decide to add on anyway, pay someone to do it for you, so that James here isn’t stuck in Maine figuring out how to lug lumber through the snow on top of your old Jeep.”
James raised his beer, “Good point, Tracy, and now you mentioned it, wasn’t it getting cold today?” He shivered.
She laughed.
Zach said, “Tracy are you telling us that you don’t want to work for me anymore?”
“Nah, not at all.” She pretended to wipe her eyes. “This has been the best job I ever had, butseriously, I can’t let you decide to live here during the one good two week stretch this year. What kind of Maine native would I be to let a bunch of southerners think that Maine is all canoes and fishing?”
Magnus said, “Some of us are from Scotland.”
She waved her hands. “Scotland? I’m not even sure that place exists, whenyou’retalking about it you’re always saying castles and fireplaces and horses and—”
Sophie said, “We had a verra long winter last year, we had tae all huddle in one room for warmth.”
She said, “See! I think half the time you’re kidding me and I don’t believe you know anything about winter weather at all.”
Magnus shrugged, “So ye think we ought tae move back tae Florida?”
Chef Zach said, “Won’t you miss us?”
