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Simone rests her hands on her hips, complementing her bossy attitude. “Eerie how he does that, isn’t it?”
Chase kisses the air at her, which ruffles her right up. The guy is gaga over her, yet he hasn’t learned how to speak her love language. They’re as opposite as North and South, but even positive and negative magnets attract.
“What the fuck?” Atlas’s deep voice thunders from the doorway. His black eyes sweep over the faces in the room before landing on me in an accusatory scowl. “Why the hell wasn’t I invited? Everyone else can be here, but your best friend? Not cool, bro.”
“Will you shut your damn pie hole before you alert Opal,” I hiss. I thumb Chase and Punk. “Tweedledee and Tweedledum weren’t invited; they crashed. Stop acting like a jealous girlfriend.”
Atlas ignores my complaint, stomping up to the desk to look at the stone in my hand. He nods with approval. “Good call, Punk.”
“The fuck, dude?! I picked it out. Good job, me.”
“Thanks, Atlas,” Punk says, giving me a sly grin. “I told you a unique stone was the way to go.”
Cocky prick.
The jeweler clears his throat. “The stone is an Australian Green Fire Opal. It’s one of a kind.”
Just like my Opal.“This is the one.”
“What band would you prefer?”
“Platinum.” Now the ring will truly represent my woman.
The bunnies hustle out of the room while I complete the paperwork and payment for the ring. I shake hands with the jeweler before Chase and Punk escort him off the property. Jo and Jared talk business while Atlas sits across from me, sulking.
“Don’t give me that look.”
Atlas’s pout deepens. “What look?”
“The look that says I cheated on you.”
“You did, man. I get asking for a female perspective. But I should’ve been here, not Chase or Punk or Jared.”
Jared stops talking to Jo, rolling his eyes at the two of us. “I was the gay vote, and the other two invited themselves. Your boy is still faithful to you.”
“You’ll always be my number one,” I tease Atlas.
“Asshole,” Atlas grumps, but calms as Jo runs her hands over his shoulders.
I’m glad Jo stuck around. We have business to discuss. “Jo? Did you finish them?”
“It’s insulting you have to ask. Of course, I finished them.” She turns to Jared, who hands her the blueprints. She rolls it out on my desk. “Here she is. Three-thousand square feet. Three bedrooms, three baths. Plenty of room for a growing family and the gourmet kitchen of Opal’s dreams.”
“Two stories?”
“Opal likes the traditional look. I figured a colonial house with a modern twist would satisfy both of your tastes. Can’t make any promises with the interior space. Opal’s got…colorful design aesthetics.”
I laugh. “Are you calling my woman’s taste gaudy?”
Jo waggles a finger at me. “Not taking the bait. To each their own. This is yours and hers. I’m just making it a reality.”
A room on the blueprints markedstudiograbs my attention. “What’s this?”
“A dance studio for Opal to continue her pole dancing.” She winks for good measure.
Damn, Jo’s good. This woman thinks of everything.
Jo spends the next fifteen minutes walking me through the 3D visuals of the house on her laptop. The outside of the home has a traditional feel compared to the other buildings on the property, but is still in line with the modern theme. The inside is more feminine, with softer lines and warmer tones. It’s a place Opal will be thrilled to call home, and my home is wherever Opal is.
