Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79332 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79332 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
“Can’t you just tell me?” I moan.
“We’re almost there.”
When he comes to a stop, it’s outside a house that looks as though it hasn’t been lived in for years. The yard is overgrown, and the windows seem dark with dirt. There are no lights on, and a pot that used to contain flowers stands empty by the door except for three dry sticks protruding from the earth. I look around the car, waiting for someone to tell me what’s going on.
Seb clears his throat. “We know our current living arrangements haven’t been ideal,” he says. “Our parents have been accommodating, but they tend to cramp our style.”
I snigger, remembering last week when they banged on the wall because one of us was being too noisy. We all died a little inside that night.
“So, we’ve pooled all the money that mom saved for us before she died, and the life insurance payout, and dad has stepped in to lend us the rest, just until we can secure a mortgage,” Micky says.
“It might not look like much right now,” Colby adds, rubbing his top lip, but we can take our time to renovate. We can put our stamp on it."
“Are you telling me you bought this house?” I say, completely stunned.
“YES!” they all say together. They’ve been so focused on keeping this a surprise that they forgot what they needed to tell me.
“Oh my god. I can’t believe it.” Clasping my hands over my mouth, I gaze up at the house I now know is ours. Our first home. “Do you have keys?”
Colby pulls a set from his pocket and dangles them on his index finger. “We sure do.”
I snatch them and fling the car door open, not waiting for them to follow me as I dash across the driveway to the front door. I notice things I hadn’t before: the original door with glass detail, a brass knocker, and the black and white tiled step.
My hands are trembling too much for me to open the door, so Colby reaches out to help.
The staircase leads up to a second floor that I can’t wait to explore. Micky finds the light, and suddenly, the house is illuminated. The downstairs is mostly open plan with hardwood flooring and a kitchen that has seen better days. There’s a lot to do to make it a home, but I can see why they chose this house. I can picture us here together, with our son and maybe more children in the future.
“Do you like it?” Micky asks, watching me from where he’s leaning against the wall.
“I love it!” I gasp. “I can’t believe you managed this. I can’t believe you all kept it a secret.”
“It wasn’t easy,” Seb admits. “But it was totally worth it.”
“How many bedrooms?” I ask, resting my foot on the bottom step.
“Four,” Colby says, and I detect a sense of pride.
We don’t need that many now, providing at least one bedroom can fit a bed that’s big enough for me and my three perfect men.
“Noah gets his own room,” I say excitedly.
“We’ll decorate that one first,” Micky says.
“Can I pick the theme?” I ask hopefully, and they all laugh.
“You think we’d be any good at interior decorating?” Colby asks.
“The whole place is yours to design,” Seb adds, grinning. “Although I’m pretty sure your mom is going to want to be involved too!”
Before I take any more steps, I look down at my three amazing men who’ve gone to such lengths to put a roof over our heads and a smile on my face, and I still don’t know what I did to deserve them. I move toward them, grabbing Colby’s hand and then Micky’s and leading them closer to Seb. I stand on my tiptoes to kiss them all, one after another, and then I ask for a hug.
Hugging in a relationship like ours can be a complicated operation but I need all my men around me tonight, and that’s what I get. I slide my arms around Sebastian’s waist, and Colby wraps his arms around both of us, followed by Micky, who finishes our bundle. The laughter that bubbles up from somewhere around my heart feels so overwhelming that it becomes a sob.
“Hey, no crying,” Micky says.
“They’re happy tears,” I blub.
As we pull apart and I swipe my face, there’s only one thing left to say.
“I dare you to live happily ever after with me,” I say.
“Now that’s a dare I’d be happy to take,” Colby says.
“It’s a dare we’re all happy to take,” Seb says.
“Damn right,” Micky adds.
So that’s what we do.