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“We are making our permanent dream house. But—”
“No pressure.” He kisses me gently, making me tingle all over.
* * *
After dinner, we decide to go for a walk by Cherry Lake. “It’s really beautiful,” Zander says.
“Yes, it’s like everything comes alive in spring with all the cherry blossoms painting the lake pink.” I look at the row of pink trees dreamily. “I can’t imagine being anywhere else.”
“And now you don’t have to.” He puts his arms around me as we sit on some rocks by the lake. I settle closer to him until I’m sitting on his lap, my head resting under his chin. I like being surrounded by Zander, his woodsy vanilla scent keeping me safe and my anxieties away.
“Can I tell you something?” I ask and feel him nod behind me.
“I’d never given much thought to a future home. I just wanted to feel safe, and I felt it with Kristy in my current place. Slowly, I made it mine by adding my personal touches.” I pull on his forearms, tightening his hold on me, and whisper, “I got nervous yesterday, first about the move and then about the house. I… I kind of worry that when we live together, you might think I’m too much.”
He turns me around so fast that I almost get a head rush. I grab his jacket and look into his smoldering eyes.
“Rose, I love you for who you are. Don’t you know that I’m in awe of everything about you? Your chic room, your supersmart mind, and your beautiful heart.” His hand rests over my thumping chest. “I want our house to be the happiest and safest place for you.” Caressing my cheeks with his fingers, he continues. “You’ve seen my condo in St. Peppers. It’s huge and classy, but every moment I’m there, I itch to run back to you. I crave to spend my days and nights in this small town, in your pink room, in your small queen-sized bed. It’s you I want. I don’t care where we live.”
“How did I get this lucky, Zander?” I whisper and close my eyes. I don’t want to jinx my happiness. “You’re all my dreams, seen and unseen, wrapped into one.”
“And you are mine.” He kisses me, taking away my fears and anxiety and replacing them with hopes and dreams.
Zander parked his car in front of my place thirty minutes ago, but I’m in no hurry to leave.
“Rose, are you coming in or having a sleepover with your handsome fiancé in his car?” Clementine shouts from the kitchen window.
I’m sure the entire neighborhood now knows about my handsome fiancé.
“I’ll have to leave before all the neighbors are out hoping to get a glimpse of you,” I say in between giggles.
He grabs my hand. “I don’t like this.” His rare, sulky pout is on display. “We should be spending every night together,” he repeats for the hundredth time.
“I know, but I want to tell Clem about this.”
“Do whatever you have to, babe, but tomorrow, I’m having you in my bed.”
7
ROSE
Today I’m meeting Ashcroft Miller, aka Beast, as popularly called by the Teager men, in St. Peppers. Ashcroft adopted Zander and his brothers and raised them to be successful and independent. I already have so much respect for him, although thinking about him often reminds me of the time when I begged someone to adopt me. It was the day I learned the word adoption and thought my life was going to change forever. But nothing like that happened.
Zander is showing me around Beast’s property when his brothers join us. I greet Zach and Zane with a hug. These men, who have accepted me wholeheartedly into their small family, have become so special to me in such a short time.
We all enter the beautiful European-style house. Everything from the heavy main door, the wooden staircase leading to the first floor, and the wine-colored carpets make it look like a set from some period drama. It fits the image of Beast I have in my mind.
Zander leads me to the living room. I’m about to sit on the ochre couch when someone walks in. Familiar yet foreign dark-brown eyes narrow on me, and I can’t breathe.
“Roxy!” Zane leads his elder brothers as they welcome the new woman.
They all hug her, while I’m glued to the couch. I close my eyes and focus on the memory of those brown eyes narrowing on me again and again.
I’ve seen them, but where? How could I forget? I never forget.
I have a photographic memory, daggit!
I only remember that those eyes spur bad memories. I wasn’t able to breathe back then.
