Page 48 of Tension

My neck and cheeks lit up instantly, easing when I caught the way Nicole’s face twisted for half a second before she smoothed it back out.

Good, bitch!

“Come on,” she said, voice all business now. She led us toward the first house.

It was a whole lot of house for one man. Too big. Open-concept everything. Echo-y high ceilings. Cold light. It looked like it belonged on the cover of a luxury magazine but had no soul. No comfort. I paused just inside the doorway. I didn’t even need to walk through it.

This wasn’t it.

He glanced back and noticed me standing there, arms crossed.

“You don’t like it?” he asked, coming to my side.

I shook my head. “Nah.”

He nodded without a second thought.

“Alright. On to the next.”

Nicole turned sharply.

“Wait, you haven’t done a walk-through. Is she going to be living here, or are you, Vel?”

He didn’t miss a beat.

“I brought her for a reason. If she said no, then it is a no. I trust her. Next house.”

I didn’t think he meant to dismiss her, but I smiled widely, walking past Nicole.

Right before I got into the car, I felt like someone was watching us. I looked around, and Vel noticed. But neither of us saw anything out of the ordinary.

The next three houses were more of the same: too flashy, too extra, and clearly not what he’d asked for.

Nicole kept trying to corner him, steering him away from me, talking like I wasn’t there. She mentioned how he once said he wanted a big open kitchen, but I could tell Vel wasn’t vibing with any of it.

Surprisingly, I stayed calm. Maybe because every time she tried to cut me out, Vel reached for my hand. Asked me what I thought. Brushed his arm against mine. Kept me in it without even realizing he was doing it. Like it was second nature. Like he didn’t have to think about it. Or maybe he did.

I looked up at Vel. “I’m tired of this, Grandpa.”

“Well, that’s just too damn bad,” he responded, and we laughed while Nicole looked annoyed.

“Show us something you think is basic,” I finally told Nicole.

She looked to Vel.

“She’s the captain,” was all he said.

When we pulled up, I felt the shift immediately.

It was in a quiet, tree-lined neighborhood, not too far from his new gym. Cozy, but not cramped. A nice-sized backyard that was big enough for a grill, maybe even a fire pit. Inside, four bedrooms, all with good light. The master had a window seat and built-in shelves. The kitchen wasn’t huge, but it was warm, opening into a big living room with patio doors. Lived-in. Like it was waiting on someone to start fresh.

I could see us having game nights, BBQs, family…

Us? Chris, this is not your home.

I watched Vel walk through it with that look on his face. Like he was already making plans. He looked back at me, standing in the kitchen, and his eyes softened.

“What do you think?” he asked, voice quieter now.