CHAPTER FIFTY EIGHT SOPHIA

CHAPTER FIFTY EIGHT

SOPHIA

Thursday afternoon I arrived at the lot just as the crew finished sheathing the east wall. Alexander was reviewing measurements with the foreman. The moment he saw me, he excused himself and walked straight over.

“You’re here,” he said, pulling me into a quick, firm hug.

“I left the gallery early. I couldn’t stop thinking about the studio wall going up.” I looked around the structure. “Show me how it looks now.”

Alexander took my hand and led me inside the framed space. “The north studio is almost fully sheathed. They raised the window headers like you wanted. Walk in and tell me if the feel is right.”

I stepped into the corner that would become my studio and turned slowly. The space already felt taller, more mine. “It’s perfect. The light will hit exactly where I need it. You kept every adjustment I asked for.”

He watched me closely. “Of course I did. Your needs are part of the design now. I can’t look at a drawing without wondering if it will work for you. That’s new for me, and I like it. You’ve gotten deep inside my process. I’m fascinated by how you see the space so clearly and speak up without hesitation.”

His words sent warmth through my chest. I stepped closer. “And you actually listen and change things. That combination makes me feel safe to want more. I sat through two meetings today thinking about your hands marking lines for me, then imagining coming home and having those hands on me. The pull toward you keeps getting stronger.”

Alexander’s hand settled on my waist. “Good. Because I feel the same pull every time you walk onto the lot. I kept checking the time, waiting for you to arrive. Having you here turns the noise of the crew into something shared. I crave your company on site more than I expected. Your questions, your ideas, the way you stand next to me like we belong here together.”

We walked through the rest of the structure while the crew packed tools. I pointed out a small transition detail on the south wall.

“What if we add a small ledge here for plants?” I asked. “It would bring some life into the living area without taking up floor space.”

He studied it, then nodded. “I like that. It’s practical and personal. I’ll note it for the interior phase. See? Your mind makes the house warmer. I keep thinking about how we’ll actually live in these rooms because of ideas like that. It fascinates me how naturally you improve everything.”

I smiled and leaned into him. “I like improving it with you. I blocked my Friday completely so I can be here all day for the remaining sheathing. I told the foundation team I had site obligations. They can wait. Being here with you feels more important right now.”

Alexander’s eyes softened. “You’re clearing whole days for this. For us. That choice does something deep to me. I yearn for more days like this standing in the frame with you, making small decisions that will shape our life together. Your dedication makes me want to be just as dedicated to protecting your time and energy.”

The crew left for the day, leaving us alone on the lot. We continued walking through the skeleton, talking about cabinet layouts and stair details.

“Tell me about your morning,” Alexander said.

“Busy but manageable. One artist pushed back on pricing, but we found middle ground. Still, I kept thinking about you out here in the cold. It made the hours move faster. I like knowing I get to come to you at the end of the day and hear about the build. It feels like the best part.”

He stopped and faced me. “Then keep coming. I want to hear about your artists and donors too. Your world matters to me as much as this house does. I crave the full picture of your days the wins, the frustrations, the small moments. You make me want to be part of all of it.”

We sat on the truck tailgate and shared the coffee I had brought. Our knees pressed together comfortably.

“I keep imagining us in the finished house,” I said quietly. “Me working in the studio, you downstairs at your table. Then I call down and you come up with coffee. Simple things like that keep running through my mind. They make me yearn for the life we’re building, not just the walls.”

Alexander took my hand. “I imagine the same. You coming down the stairs after a long stretch of work and finding me waiting. Or us cooking together in the new kitchen, bumping into each other on purpose. That everyday closeness with you is what pulls at me the most. I’m fascinated by how you balance your own demanding work and still choose to be here. It makes me want to earn that choice every single day.”

The light was fading when we finally left the lot. Back at the apartment we moved around the kitchen together, preparing a simple dinner. Our bodies brushed often in the small space.

“I like this rhythm,” I said, handing him vegetables. “Site, then home, then us. It already feels natural. Like practice for when the house is done.”

Alexander caught my hand and pulled me closer for a moment. “It does. I keep thinking about evenings there us talking through the day, then forgetting everything and just being close. Your presence next to me makes the hard parts of the build feel lighter. You steady me, Sophia. Your honesty, your focus, the way you touch me after long days. I crave all of it.”

After dinner we settled on the couch. I curled against his chest, his arm around me.

“What are you most looking forward to next week?” I asked.

“Closing in the roofline,” he said. “But honestly? Having you there when we do. Watching your face when the house starts to feel like a home. Your quiet reactions have become my favorite part of the process. They make the work mean more.”