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When I pull into Grant and Aurora’s driveway, I can’t contain my smile as I climb out of the car and jog to the front door. My hand is raised to knock when Grant opens the door. “Hey.” I smile.
“What’s up? Come on in.” He steps back, allowing me room to pass.
“I did a thing, and since I was closest to your place, you’re the first to know,” I tell him, barely able to hold in my excitement. With each minute that passes, I get more and more excited.
“First, to know what?” Aurora asks.
I smile at her and notice the similarities she and Aspen share. “I have news.”
“Oh, yeah?” Her eyes sparkle. “Come on in and fill us in.”
“Wait, how was the honeymoon?”
“Too short,” Grant replies.
“Wonderful.” Aurora beams.
“Glad to have you home.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Aurora waves me off. “What’s this news you’ve been yammering on about? The suspense is killing me here.”
“Well, I bought a house.”
Both of their mouths drop open in surprise. “You did what now?” Grant asks.
“I bought a house.”
“That is not what I was expecting you to say,” Aurora admits.
“Where? When? Were you looking?” my brother fires off a round of questions.
“No, I wasn’t looking. However, it popped up on my phone this morning, and it caught my eye. I called the realtor, just looked at it, and put in an offer.”
“That’s… wow. Where is it?”
“We’re going to be neighbors. I bought the two-story brick just down the road. I timed it. We’re three and a half minutes apart.”
“For real? That’s a nice place. They’ve been working on remodeling from the trucks that have been there.”
“They did. The entire place is brand-new inside. Eleven acres, with a two-acre pond, in-ground pool.” I continue to name off all the attributes that I loved about the place, which is everything.
“And you bought it? Just like that?” Aurora asks.
“Yep.”
“What about your condo?” Grant asks.
“Selling it. The realtor is coming over Monday morning to list it.”
“You’re giving up the bachelor pad? You were stoked to find that place.”
“Yep.”
“You feeling all right?”
“Never better.” Well, one thing that would make it better would be for Aspen to be mine, but I’m working on that.
“What brought all this on?” Aurora asks.
Here goes. I look her in the eye and make sure she can see how serious I am. “Your sister.”
“My sister?” she asks, confused.
“She’s my magic.” I shrug.
“Son of a bitch,” Grant huffs out a laugh.
“What? Why is that funny?”
“Told you so.” He grins, pulling Aurora into a hug.
“I’m going to need some more information. Come on.” Aurora slides out from underneath Grant’s arm and grabs my hand, pulling me into the living room. “Sit.” She points to the couch, and I do as I’m told. “Tell me all the things.” Her smile is wide, and her eyes are focused on me.
“We spent time together at the cabin. She’s… amazing, and I want to spend more time with her.”
“Have you told her that?”
“I have. She seems to think that our time together was circumstantial. That’s fine, though. I get it. I’ve preached the entire time that she’s known me that the magic wasn’t real, and it was an excuse the oldest Riggins men used to be pussy-whipped. I understand why she feels that way. So, I’m going to show her.”
“So, you bought a house?” Grant clarifies.
“I’m over the party life. It was fun, but I’ve grown out of it. I’d slowed down a lot even before my week with her at the cabin. Now, I have no desire to go back.”
“You love your condo.”
“Yeah, I did. It was convenient after a night out, but that’s not me. I want a home.”
“Wow,” they say together.
“I promise you I’m not playing games with her.”
“I believe you,” they say again at the same time.
“This newlywed finishing each other’s sentences stuff is creepy as fuck.”
Grant throws his head back in laughter while Aurora giggles. “Just wait, brother.”
“If that’s what it means to have her in my life, bring it.” I didn’t really plan to just come out with it like that, but I’m not hiding how I feel for her, not from her and not from my family. She needs to see that I’ve changed, that I mean what I say. I’ll give her not only the actions but the words too.
“Listen, can you all keep this between us? I want to make sure the offer goes through and all that before I tell her or the rest of the family. You all were close, and well, I needed to tell someone.”
“We’ll keep your secret,” Aurora assures me. “I’m excited for you and for my sister. I hope the two of you can work things out.”
“Me too, sis, me too. All right, I need to get home and tidy up my place a little, so I don’t have to do it tonight. I’ll see you all later at Mom and Dad’s.” With a hug to both of them, I let myself out.
