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A house, though.
“It’s just… a lot,” I say weakly. “Is this for you to live in?”
“When we’re here, yes. Obviously, we’ll be away when touring requires and such like, but this is a far more pleasant environment than LA. It’s not as though commuting distance is a concern of ours.”
“And it’d be nice to have somewhere you can come stay with us,” Caelan adds.
I take a deep breath and let the knot in my stomach loosen. I don’t want to let my misplaced guilt ruin this moment for me.
“It does look lovely,” I admit. “I get the feeling you chose this, though, Elias.”
He huffs a laugh. “Caelan has very few preferences. I have many.”
“You’re both going to live here? Together?”
“Yes, that is the intention.”
There’s a heavy pause and Elias looks like he wants to say more. He thinks better of it and gestures further into the house. “Why don’t we show you around?”
“Yeah, and there’s a room for you if you like. I mean. The bed in the master bedroom is big enough for all of us.” Caelan grins. “That was an essential requirement, but there’s more rooms than we can use. Elias goes overboard with everything, so there’s one you can have on your own, if you’d like. Hell knows I need some damn space to get away from this overbearing edgelord sometimes.”
I giggle. Caelan means it affectionately, but he’s right. I’m introverted enough that, as much as I love them, some space of my own would be a welcome necessity if I’m to be here for any amount of time.
“All right,” I agree. “I’d like to see the place, at least.”
Now that some of the shock has worn off, I can’t deny there’s a thrill to it. That this is theirs, that I can come and stay with them in a place that’s something like a shared home for them. And that it’s so gorgeous. Overkill, maybe, but stunning. It’s the sort of place I have only ever dreamed of.
Elias rests his hand at the small of my back and guides me upstairs. They show me my room first to let me dump my stuff there. That’s what they refer to it as, not just a guest room or a place I can stay, butmyroom.
Two windows overlook the expansive garden. There’s a double bed beneath them and an armchair across from it. In one corner, there is a fireplace, and in the other is a door leading to an ensuite. Most curious of all is a small stairwell, tucked away at the back of the bedroom, that leads down into well-lit study with a sloped roof, a desk, and plenty of shelving already in place.
“Is it sufficient for you?” Elias asks, and I shake my head with a wry smile.
“You’ve seen where I live, you know I’m not that fussy. This is way more than I need.”
I smile for them, but butterflies are churning in my stomach, and I’m not even sure why. I turn away to stare out the window, hiding my face from them.
Elias notices the way I’m pulling back and touches my arm. “Are you certain?”
“Maybe it’s… too much,” I admit quietly. “It’s lovely, and it’s not that I don’t appreciate it, but I don’t deserve to stay somewhere like this with you.”
Caelan joins me, slinging a reassuring arm around my shoulders. “Hey, it’s okay. I’m gonna be here too, and if a trash animal like me is allowed to hang out here, you sure can. It just looks intimidating ’cause it’s brand new, and we haven’t made a home of it yet. You and me, we’ll mess the place up and make it more livable, yeah?”
Elias grunts. “Mess up your own room,” he says.
I laugh, more out of obligation than truly being at ease, but Caelan does make me feel more comfortable about the whole thing. Maybe I just need time to get used to the idea. That’s all it is. It’s a massive change compared to my apartment. Any change this big is going to feel a little surreal at first.Besides, it’s just for the weekend, right?It’s not so much different from staying at a fancy hotel with them, and I’ve done that before.
“All right,” Caelan says impatiently, something wicked in his eyes. “Come see the master bedroom now.”
That’s probably where I will spend the most time with them, I imagine, andthatis something I can be comfortable with.
Caelan wasn’t exaggerating when he said the bed was big enough for all of us. I gape at it as he ushers me into the room. I didn’t even know beds came that large. It must be at least the size of two queens together.
How does anyone even get sheets and covers big enough to match that?
“Wow.”
“Told you it’d fit all of us,” Caelan grins.
