Kyle was completely relieved when she explained that she was carsick rather than sick of him. He wondered if her blood sugar was low, too, which might make things even worse. He went on to smile at her crack about him breaking rules on a regular basis.<br/><br/>“You know me,” he added with a faint smirk. “Break one rule every day.”<br/><br/>While he joked she hesitatingly brought her hand up towards him. He didn’t think much of it until her fingertips brushed his cheek ever so gently. The unexpected sensation was overwhelming to Kyle and his eyes closed involuntarily in response. Without realizing it his mind had drifted back to a memory of a time long ago.<br/><br/>It was summer and classes had ended for the year. They and a large group of classmates had visited a friend’s rented beach house the day before. As the sun peeked in the windows the next morning Kyle was awoken by fingertips gently touching his face. He slowly opened his eyes to find his old friend Angie right next to him on the couch, stroking his cheek as she slept. They had been friends for years and Kyle had never thought of her as anything more than that. In that moment, though, the half-asleep college boy saw Angie as an angel as she slept in the glow the morning sunlight. In that instant he realized that she truly was someone special – and in fact she was the one for him.<br/><br/>Lost in the blissful memory, Kyle’s body responded to the touch physically without him even realizing it. His breathing became halting; he blushed and his jeans moved visibly in response to her brief touch. It took him a long moment to snap out of the trance and open his eyes, blinking rapidly as he did so.<br/><br/>“Um, right,” he said, embarrassed and completely at a loss for words. After clearing his throat Kyle took a step back and opened the rear door for Alex to get in, who did so without being asked. After closing that door Kyle then opened Angie’s for her as well.<br/><br/>“Should only be a few minutes now,” he said as his confidence returned. He smiled at her pleasantly after he was collected enough to make eye contact again.<br/><br/>Once on the road Kyle was initially quiet as they drove. He sat with his arm stretched out across the truck seat but didn’t make any moves towards his friend and former lover. If she wanted to lean up against him he certainly wouldn’t stop her, but he didn’t push for more contact either. After a few awkward moments of quiet Kyle asked about dinner.<br/><br/>“So at Ol’ Syc I have some Jambalaya cooking in the oven. It should be ready just around the time we get back. I figured it would be a nice way to welcome you home. I have seafood and chicken in it, in case you don’t like one or the other. You haven’t gone vegetarian or vegan since we last talked, right?” he asked without judgement. “Either way if Jambalaya doesn’t work for you I can make something else.” After a moment he added, “I’ve really taken to cooking as a hobby. I have a fair amount of down time and great kitchens to work with, so why not?”<br/><br/>After a moment Kyle would go on to explain.<br/><br/>“Basically you can’t put a period kitchen in a historic house since nobody wants to cook in a cauldron over an open fire. For these buildings to have a purpose – either as a private residence or a B&B – there has to be modern, working kitchens and bathrooms. So, I always build out a top-notch chef’s kitchen as a selling point. I figure if the kitchen is the only modern room in the home then it needs to be killer. Either way I do my best to add architectural features like woodwork to make it blend with the rest of the house. I usually spend a lot of time in the kitchen since it’s one of the first rooms I finish – so I can eat! In this house the master bedroom, two of the guest rooms and their adjoining baths are just about finished. The rest of the house is a work in progress. The dining room, for instance, has this great old table but no electricity right now. I’ll light the fireplace and some candles, though, and it will be perfect to eat in.”<br/><br/>By the time Kyle pulled into Ol’ Syc’s long driveway the sun had begun to set.<br/><br/>“I’m sorry you’re seeing this place without much sun. I don’t have avenue lights yet so it’ll be hard to see the place in all its glory. I have replaced the roof, siding and decking completely to make sure the envelope was tight. If you don’t mind I’ll show you the inside tonight and the outside in the morning when you can see it in all its glory. Work for you?”<br/><br/>The long, secluded driveway was ringed with huge, old-growth Sycamore trees on both sides – which gave the old plantation it’s famous name. According to his plan Kyle took a side road that led to the back of the massive, colonial-era building near the kitchen. White-washed and columned, the plantation house was two stories tall plus an attic level with dormers.<br/><br/>When the truck stopped Kyle let Alex out right away. The dog was thrilled to jump down and run for a while, happy to be home. As she ran around Kyle fetched Angie’s bags from the back.<br/><br/>When Angie was ready Kyle opened the back door into a gleaming, brand-new kitchen that looked like it was from the set of a cooking show. With stainless steel appliances everywhere and a full collection of chef’s tools hanging from overhead – the room was spectacular. Kyle pointed out where he kept his keys, including the keys to his truck and car, flashlights and emergency gear. After that he led her up an ancient spiral staircase to the second floor. From there they entered a dark, creaky corridor leading to the bedrooms.<br/><br/>“This is the master suite,” he said as he opened a solid door that looked to be two hundred years old and in need of some paint. “Literally. This is where the master slept. His wife had the suite next door, which isn't quite ready yet. This will be your room while you’re here,” he added with a warm smile.<br/><br/>Inside, the bedroom was well appointed with a new, yet antique-looking bed and bedroom set. Within was a door that led to a full bath with a Jacuzzi tub. There was also a double-door leading to a small balcony overlooking the rear of the house, facing east.<br/><br/>“Do you like it? If so why don’t you crash for a bit and meet me downstairs when you’re ready?” Kyle asked, hoping to read in her expression what she thought about the house and how he was improving it.