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“I’m confident Laila will say yes to you, and it will have nothing to do with the house itself. She’ll say yes because she wants to be with you.”
“Well, that would be preferable,” I admit. “But I’m not taking any chances. You should have seen her excitement when she saw the fancy mansion we’re living in now. I don’t want a place as big as that. I don’t like big spaces. But I do want whatever house I get to have some kind of ‘wow’ factor. Maybe an ocean view. Laila said she loves the ocean. I’d want a home gym and hot tub, too. Oh, and a living room that’s big enough for a baby grand piano.”
“You play piano?”
“No, but Laila does.”
Amalia smiles. “That sounds lovely.”
“So I guess what I’m asking is will you help me find a house like that? My manager gave me the number for a real estate agent, but the whole thing feels overwhelming to me. I’ve never bought a house for myself, and certainly not one I’m planning to surprise my girlfriend with.”
“Oh, you’re not going to ask Laila to help you look for the perfect place?”
“No. Going house hunting with my girlfriend feels like way too big a thing. I just want to find the perfect house and surprise her with it. And when she’s feeling blown away by my new digs, I’ll surprise her by asking her to live there with me.”
“That sounds wonderful. But I’m not the right person to help you buy a house. Reed, however, is an expert when it comes to real estate. I’m sure he’d—”
Movement at the entrance to the kitchen attracts our attention, and speak of the devil, Reed enters the room, along with his fiancée, Georgina, both of them dressed to kill.
“Savage,” Reed says, sounding surprised, but not upset, to find me sitting at his kitchen table.
“Adrian needs a place to stay for a few nights,” Amalia explains. “His grandmother passed away recently and Laila is out of town. He’d rather not be alone.”
“Of course, you’re welcome here,” Reed says. He and Georgina offer their condolences about my grandmother and take seats at the kitchen table.
Amalia says, “Adrian, do you mind if I tell Reed about your house hunting?”
“Feel free.”
Amalia gives Reed the scoop, after which Reed enthusiastically offers his assistance, even without any prompting by Amalia.
“Wow, Reed, thanks,” I say. “I appreciate that.”
“Don’t look so surprised,” Reed says. “I told you in New York I’d owe you a personal favor if you appeared in Alessandra’s music video. Well, consider this that favor.”
“Don’t tell Laila about this, okay? I want to get a kickass place as a surprise and invite her to move in with me when the show is over.”
“Aw,” Georgina says. “That’s so sweet.”
I bite my lip. “Hey, Georgina, I feel like I should mention . . . I didn’t actually hit on you at that party. I mean, I did. But on a dare. It was Kendrick’s birthday, and Kendrick, Kai, and I have played ‘Birthday Truth or Dare’ for years now. We all knew Reed wanted you, even back then, so Kendrick thought it’d be funny to make Reed want to murder me.”
Reed chuckles.
“Sorry,” I say to Georgina. “That’s in no way meant to imply you’re not worthy of being hit on. But I know better than to step on the big boss’s toes. Plus, regardless of Reed, I’d already seen Laila that night. And from then on, she was the only one for me.”
“Oh my gosh,” Georgina says, swooning with Amalia. “That’s so lovely.”
“Reed,” Amalia says. “May I ask a favor of you?”
“Anything.”
“When Adrian has found his new home, could you spare me once a week for a few months, so I can get him and Laila nice and settled?”
“Sure,” Reed says. “As long as he doesn’t try to steal you away from me.”
“I’ve already tried, repeatedly,” I admit. “And she keeps saying she’ll never leave you.”
“Never,” Amalia confirms.
“That’s a loyal woman right there,” Reed says.
“And wise, too,” I say. “Why do you think I keep trying to steal her?”
We sing Amalia’s praises for a bit longer, until, finally, Reed gets up from the table and extends his hand to Georgina.
“Make yourself at home,” Reed says to me. “Stay as long as you like.”
“Thanks. I’ll be heading back home the second Laila is back in town.”
Reed stops in the doorway with Georgina. “Hey, I could move a few meetings around tomorrow so we can check out some places, if you’re free.”
“Free as a bird. I’d love it.”
Reed looks at Georgina. “Are you free tomorrow?”
“I can make myself free.”
“Please do. You make everything more fun.” Reed flashes his fiancée a beaming smile, the likes of which I’ve never seen on his face before. And in reply, Georgina pats Reed’s scruff playfully, causing the huge diamond on her finger to sparkle under the kitchen lights.
