AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Overwhelmed, I place the box on the counter, taking in every word he utters because I know I’ll want to remember every single one of them for as long as I live.
“I love you, and I love Rainey. My family loves you both. Hell, Claire helped me pick out this ring.”
“I love you, too.” The words roll off my tongue like they’ve traveled this path a million times before, but it’s the first time I’ve said them out loud. Our individual histories have bound and blinded us, but looking into his eyes all I see is the brightness of our future.
“You’ve always been there for me, Noah. You were there when I lost my home, my dignity, my pride, my strength . . . my love. You chose me when I was lost and wouldn’t choose myself. After all of that, I have nothing left to lose but you, and I’ll never let that happen.”
Chapter 36
Epilogue
Noah
Six Months Later
Logan broke his lease, paying it off in full, and moved back in with Rainey and me a month ago. I begged him to make certain this was the right move for him, because he’s going to be blacklisted by all of Alexandria’s landlords. He laughed at the warning before carrying me upstairs to bed and showing me just how certain he was. I promised to never let him rent again after that performance.
When Logan and Maggie moved back in, the girls begged to share a room. It seemed like a silly idea—we live in a four-bedroom home with more than enough space for both girls to have their own room, plus we converted Logan’s old room into a shared playroom. He didn’t lodge a single complaint about giving up his previous room and moving into my bed full time. Maggie and Rainey were relentless, and we gave in, surprising them with a bunk bed for their now shared room. They kept me up last night with their loud late night whispers, but I couldn’t bear to stop them.
My phone rings at my office mid-morning, and I’m surprised to hear Sadie, the wife of Paul’s friend Jonny, on the other end of the line.
“Hey Noah. I know this is short notice, but Logan mentioned to Jonny the other night ya’ll may be in the market for a larger home—if the right one became available?”
“Possibly . . . We’ve talked about it, but we’re not in a hurry. What did you have in mind?” Logan and I daydream about what we want our lives to look like long term. Besides the obvious of including each other, we’d love to have room to expand in the very-not-soon future. Nothing’s decided, but watching the blended family we’re creating thrive makes me wonderwhat if?
“I spoke with a seller early this morning and I think I have a house you need to see.” Sadie explains. “It’s a five-bedroom ranch with an amazing yard.”
My ears perk up at the mention of a five-bedroom ranch. The tumble my life took when Rainey moved into my home, knocking everything else I thought I ever cared about to the ground, changed me. Permanently. Motherhood still terrifies me—I have two seven-year-olds, ninjas by day and angels by night, running my house. Would Logan and I survive being outnumbered? Two extra bedrooms open up the possibility of taking in children in need, something we both feel passionate about after all we’ve learned and seen through Rainey’s guardianship.
“What city’s the property in?” I speak up.
“It’s here in Alexandria.” You’ve got to be kidding me, I think. “I could show it to you today around noon if you’re free,” Sadie offers.
I confirm that I’ll be there. While we weren’t exactly planning to move this quickly, the type of home that checks off all of our boxes is like finding a needle in a haystack. I’d be remiss to not take a look.
Noah: You free for lunch today?
Logan: Yeah . . .
Noah: Meet me at this address at noon.
I shoot him the property’s address and jump in my car to hopefully take a sneak peek before he arrives.
Sadie arrives early and lets me into the stunning, move-in ready home that’s got plenty of space for our family and dreams. The big backyard is fully fenced and perfect for the girls. There’s an existing garden that I’d love to get my hands on, but the crown jewel is the covered front porch with a swing. Logan will meet me in less than twenty minutes, so I hurry through the interior of the property, making note of any areas of concern or changes I’d want to make.
The split-bedroom floor plan has an owner’s suite off from the kitchen and four additional bedrooms down a hall off the living room. Slipping into the first bedroom down the hall, I see a little girl called this room hers. It’s painted a light pink and an accent wall has the most darling floral wallpaper on it. Maggie would adore this room, and I can imagine her twirling and playing in the middle of the floor.
I open a door to what I expect is a closet, but I’m delighted to find it’s a bathroom that connects through to another bedroom. Rainey will be over-the-moon excited for her and Maggie to have their own, no-adults allowed, bathroom. Seeing the tiled floor makes me chuckle as I think back on the waterfall the girls made in my bathroom on one of the first days after Logan and Maggie moved in.
I peep my head into the connected bedroom and see it was likely used as an office. The neutral paint makes the room feel boring, but Rainey will have a great time picking out just the right paint color, almost certainly a shade of purple. I continue poking around the house, checking under sinks for leaks, and making sure all the lights are working, until I hear Logan’s SUV pull into the driveway.
A clear look of confusion clouds his face when I rush out to meet him.
“What’s this?” He points to the house behind us and Sadie’s van in the driveway.
“This,” I take a deep breath knowing what I’m about to say is a big deal. For him. For me. For us. For the girls. “This is our next home…if you want it to be.”
He turns and looks at the house with fresh eyes. He screws his face up tight and I can’t tell what he’s thinking.
