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“Where are we going?” Waverley asked him the next morning, the tenth time since they left her father’s house.
He grinned, something that, since the moment she’d told him she loved him, he hadn’t been able to stop doing. “You don’t like surprises very much, do you?”
“Do you?” she asked, turning it around on him. A soft mewling sound from the carrier on her lap reminded him of the extra cargo they were bringing back to Blue Haven with them. “Mouse doesn’t like surprises, either.”
“This one will be worth it. Promise.”
If Reynolds had had his way, he would have packed Waverley up last night and brought her home with him so he could show her exactly how much he truly loved and adored her. All. Night.
But her father had wanted to introduce him to a million people, billing him as the hero who captured a wanted felon and restored his daughter’s reputation and bank accounts in one swoop. The old man’s reaction had surprised Waverley as much as him, and she’d squeezed his hand tightly as she worked to keep more tears back each and every time the introductions were made.
Then just as he was about to whisk her away, her father had stopped them again, insisting he stay the night. It had been hard to argue when the old man patted his back and told him he was welcome anytime.
So he’d stayed with Waverley in her room, holding her in his arms as Mouse curled up against her, talking and laughing about everything that had happened in their lives over the past few days. And that had been all they’d done, which he’d wanted to assure her old man of when he saw them this morning for breakfast.
Reynolds glanced at his watch just as they rounded the corner to their destination.
“This area looks familiar,” Waverley said as she looked out her window. She gasped as they pulled up in the driveway of the farmhouse, whipping around in excitement as she faced him. “Did you buy it?”
“Sure did. Had to outbid six other offers but I got it.”
He’d actually been told his offer was accepted on Wednesday when he was en route to Chicago, an offer that he’d nearly withdrawn out of despair since he couldn’t imagine living there now, not when he thought that Waverley wasn’t going to be a part of it.
But something had made him follow through with the sale, including the fact that, in two months’ time, he was going to be homeless if he didn’t find something, and the place had ticked all the boxes he hadn’t known he’d wanted.
Waverley got out of the car with the carrier and looked up at the house with bright eyes. “I can’t believe you got it and never told me. When do you get to move in?”
With cash in hand to cover the sale thanks to having lived in Conner’s house for the past few years, other than officially signing the closing documents tomorrow morning at the Realtor’s house, the house was his. He’d even gotten the sellers’ permission for early possession, seeing as how they’d already moved out and the house was vacant, meaning…
“Right now.” Taking her hand, he led her up the path and up the steps to the wide porch where he intended on spending many evenings watching the sunset with Waverley by his side. After putting in the code, he opened the door. For a moment, he wanted to sweep Waverley in his arms and carry her over the threshold, but that was something you did as a new bride and groom.
Something that would have to wait.
“All the furniture is still here,” she said, stepping inside and looking around.
“It was leased by the staging company. For a small fee, I can extend that lease until I can furnish the place myself. Something I’m probably going to need a lot of help with.”
“You’re telling me,” she said and laughed. “Don’t worry, I already have a million ideas.”
“I’m sure you do.”
They walked around the house, taking in every detail that he’d missed the first time. In the kitchen, she set Mouse’s carrier on top of the massive island with the inlaid grill and leaned over it.
His lips twitched. “Are you actually hugging the counter?”
“Hey. You have your things, I have mine. I’m imagining the hours of baking I’m going to do in here, the cookies and breads I’ll make, the dinners we can host and…” She stopped suddenly and straightened as she flushed an adorable pink. “I mean, if you’re okay with me hanging out once in a while and keeping you company.”
He went to her and wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her tight against him so that her soft floral scent surrounded him. “I already look at this house as ours. And although we haven’t had a chance to talk about it, I would like nothing more if you lived here. With me. Now, I know it’s early and we still have a lot to figure out, but there’s a massive one-bedroom apartment above the garage that could be all yours.”
“I remember. It has all those east-facing windows that would be perfect for drawing designs and cutting patterns.”
“It would be a perfect studio for your new business.”
“Yes, it would.” She blinked up at him, her smile blinding.
He couldn’t get over that she was really his. Or that she really loved him.
He couldn’t resist the temptation of those full pink lips that glistened, and he leaned forward, kissing her until she was breathless and sighing ever so softly. “Did you say that they left all the furnishings?” she asked.
