Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 87005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87005 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
Her eyes are bright as she processes what I’m saying.
“Gerald and Helen’s place?” Emerson asks. She’s right on Monroe’s heels as they step into the living area.
“Yep.”
“Mo! That place is massive and so pretty. Come on.” She grabs Monroe’s hand and pulls her out of the house and across the street.
“Wow.” I hear Monroe say as we step up onto the porch. “I guess I never paid much attention to this place.”
Emerson knocks, and Gerald calls for us to come in. I take Monroe’s hand and lead her over to him. “Gerald, this is my wife, Monroe. Monroe, this is Gerald. He and his wife are looking to downsize.”
“It’s so nice to meet you,” Monroe says politely.
“You too. Come on, let's take that tour.”
Gerald leads the four of us, five if you count Lilly, through the house again, and I know she loves it. I can tell by the smile on her face. An hour later, after Gerald has pointed out every aspect to the ladies, I pull Monroe off to the side.
“Well?”
“Legend, this is… more than I ever could have dreamed of. Can we afford this?”
“We can. Gerald and I already talked numbers. I’ve invested a lot of my money, and I do well at the shop. Besides, we’ll also be able to sell my place and replace the cash we use for the down payment.”
“You want to do this? You want to buy a house with me?”
“Of course I do. Our babies need their own rooms.”
She launches herself at me. “I love it. I want it.”
I chuckle. “I knew you would once I saw it. Come on, let’s go talk numbers.”
Thirty minutes later, I have Gerald’s number and a promise to call him after I talk to the bank on Monday.
“This is really going to be our home?” Monroe asks as we follow Roman and Emerson back to their place.
“Yeah. We get to live across from our best friends, and our kids will be raised together. Just like you wanted.”
“You do know we’re not pregnant, right?” She grins up at me.
I wink at her, and she shakes her head. Once we get the house bought, I’ll start convincing her it’s time to start our family. Not that I think it will take much convincing. This is what we both want. We’re building our forever.
CHAPTER
TWENTY-TWO
Monroe
I plop down on the couch next to Legend and place my feet on the coffee table. “We’re going to need more furniture.”
He laughs. “That we are. Welcome home, baby.”
“I can’t believe we live here.”
“You know the best part about this house?” he asks.
“The master is on the first floor, so the kids won’t be able to hear us when you ravish me?”
He points an index finger at me. “That is an excellent point, but no, I was going to say that when we’re at Forrest’s or Rome and Em’s, and we’re drinking, we don’t have to drive home or stay with them. We can just walk across the street and sleep in our own bed.”
“Good point. I like that we’ll be able to host too. All the pressure won’t be on them.”
“I don’t think they see it as pressure. I know Forrest bought his place for Emerson, and he was good with all of us hanging there. I also know that Roman and Emerson are fine hosting as well, especially since they have Lilly. She can be snoozing away in her own bed, and they can be with us, just hanging out.”
“Yeah, I guess when we have kids, that will make things easier for us too.”
“We should work on that.” He winks. “At least get a few hundred practice sessions in.”
“Oh, you think so?”
“Definitely.” He reaches over and tugs me onto his lap.
“We have boxes to unpack, and tomorrow is Forrest’s Labor Day cookout.”
“I wish we could have gotten the keys a little earlier so we could have celebrated here.”
I look around the room at all the boxes. “Yeah, we’re not ready for that.”
“Agreed. When’s the next holiday?”
“Halloween.”
“We’ll have to have a Halloween party.”
“Or we could have our one-year anniversary party.”
“That one. I choose that one. I’m down for any kind of party that celebrates you being my wife.” He buries his face in my neck, and all I can do is close my eyes and soak up the moment.
There’s a knock at the door, and Legend yells for whoever it is to come in. We’re too exhausted to move right now.
“Hey, hey!” Emerson says.
“In the living room!” I call out.
“We went home and made lunch, and I brought some for you all. I know you don’t have groceries or anything, and I’m sure you’re exhausted after moving everything in today.”
“I love you.”
Emerson just laughs. “Don’t go professing your love for me just yet. It’s chicken salad sandwiches and chips. Nothing fancy.”
“It’s food.” I stand, and Legend playfully swats me on the ass. I turn to give him hell, but his words stop me.