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Butterflies erupted in my stomach as we pulled up to a mansion on the outskirts of the city. Not as far or isolated as Angelo’s, but equally grand in a different way.
Angelo’s house was Gothic-inspired, with turrets and dark wood. This house was like a cozy craftsman on steroids. Intricate details adorned the peaks and wood pillars of a beautiful wrap-around porch. Or I assumed it did, but there were gigantic trees and bushes for privacy hiding my view.
“Where are we?” Vander grabbed my hand as he helped me out of the car. His palm was warm in mine as he led me to the front door. But he didn’t answer my question as he slipped a key from his pocket and let us in.
The ceilings were high with more of those beautiful wood details. There was an office on the right. Stairs went up to an overlook with a view of the foyer where we stood.
But Vander guided me through a hall next to the stairs. My fingers glided over the polished wood railing as I followed him. Someone refinished the hardwood floors with care. The age of the home was evident in the arches of the doorways. They didn’t make houses like this anymore. With so much love and attention.
You could feel it in the warm tones and tiny details. It was nothing like the sterile, modern penthouse we lived in.
A living room was on the left, followed by a dining room leading to a giant kitchen. It had soft white wood cabinets and a large table with bench seats under an enormous window. The perfect place for coffee in the mornings.
The kitchen had all the best appliances. Including two stoves in the wall and a six-burner cooktop. Even the fridge was fancy, matching the cabinets.
There was a sunken in living room on the other side. The space needed an oversized sectional for cozy movie nights.
It was beautiful and restored without feeling cold. No, there’s nothing cold about this place. It was full of warmth and comfort. Painted in warm beiges and little pops of yellow.
I could almost smell cookies in the kitchen. Hear kids running out the backdoor. I could picture a giant Christmas tree in the front living room that could be viewed from the street. And garlands on the banisters.
It was a home, unlike the penthouse, that felt like an office to me.
“There are six bedrooms upstairs with their own bathrooms and another bathroom under the stairs on this level.” Vander’s voice came from behind me as I looked out the backdoor into a beautiful yard. The door was tucked in a small hall between the kitchen and living room. “One could be your craft room, or there’s a full-finished basement you could use.”
“Wait?” I whipped around to face him. He buried his hands in his pockets. “I could use?”
“I thought about decorating a nursery, but wasn’t sure if you wanted to do it yourself.” He sounded vulnerable as he rushed to explain. “But there’s plenty of room for a baby or a few.”
“A few?” My voice wavered with emotion as I took in everything he was saying. He bought this house for us. For kids. For our family.
“I have one more thing to show you.” He grabbed my hand, once again ignoring my question, as he pulled me through the door. “Right here.”
My entire body buzzed. It was like my mind was full of bees as he led me to a spot in the yard, under the window near the kitchen table. Yard was a loose term. It was at least a few acres until you hit the stone walls that bordered the property.
There was some manicured lawn, but also wildflowers, a pool, a giant play-scape, all spaced apart to not make the yard crowded.
“We’d put it here.” He dropped my hand, and my skin tingled to reach for him.
“Put what here? What are you talking about? A craft room? A baby?” The questions were rapid fire, and my chest tightened because I already knew the answers.
“Sunflowers. I want to plant sunflowers right here so we can see them in the kitchen.” My heart pitter-pattered on my ribs as he turned to face me. “The house is ours. I bought it for you. So you didn’t have to live in a place with so many terrible memories.”
My heart stopped beating entirely as he looked at me with so much affection and nerves in those dark green eyes.
“But if you don’t like this one, we can find another.” He ran a hand along his jaw as his gaze fell. “I just want you to be happy.”
No one had ever done anything just to make me happy. Certainly not something this big. But it wasn’t only this.
It was a million little things. Having breakfast together. Letting me have a craft room in the penthouse. For that matter, encouraging all my desires and whims while I tried to find what made me happy.
All the stuff Alessandra had told me. The memories I’d lost in the fog of grief. He’d held me at the hospital. At the funeral. Fed me in the months after when I couldn’t get up.
It was all those things and more that made me realize I might be falling in love with my husband.
“Sunflowers would look good here.” My voice cracked as his gaze shot up to mine.
“Yeah?” His hand stilled on his jaw, a smile pulling on his lips.
