She turns her head slowly to the left to look at me. “Why?”
“I have something to show you.”
“Well, that sounds rather mysterious, but I’ll take the bait.” Annabelle continues to eye me with suspicion. “Hayes, if it’s your dick, though…”
I bark out a laugh. “Not my dick, but if you’d like to see it again while we’re there, I’m sure you could persuade me.”
Since I drove straight from the private airfield to Annabelle’s house this morning, I haven’t seen the updates myself yet. Hopefully, everything was finished to my specifications.
When the elevator doors slide open into the entrance of my penthouse, I lead Annabelle through the foyer, past the living room, and down the hallway toward the guest rooms. When I open the first door and switch on the light, I find the room stripped bare, an empty shell without a single piece of furniture.
Annabelle stops short, gasping, “What have you done?”
“I know you have your reservations about moving into the condo, but I wanted to make it as comfortable as possible for the girls, in case you choose to stay here. So, I had everything taken out and put into storage to make room for Grace and Claire’s furniture. I cleared out two guest rooms, so they can each have their own room.”
“The room is… pink, Hayes.”
“Oh, that.” I scratch the back of my neck and grimace. I may have jumped the gun. “Yeah, I also had them painted. I tried to pick a color as close to the shade that’s currently in their bedrooms. How’d I do?”
With an amused huff, she murmurs, “You did well. It’s a close match.” She spins slowly around in the empty room, fully taking in the changes and weighing her options, I hope. “But when did you do all this?”
“A day or two ago. So, what do you think?”
“A day or two ago?” Her eyebrows rise to meet her hairline, incredulous.
Not to sound too brash, but… money talks. You offer the right price, and you can get the job done fast. I don’t want to say that to Annabelle, though, so I just shrug and repeat my question. “So, what do you think?”
“I… I don’t know what to think, Hayes.” She wanders back to the living room and sinks onto the couch. She raises her eyes to mine. “You did all this for me?”
“Well, for you, Grace, and Claire, yeah.”
“Hayes, if I agree, where would I sleep? Did you clear out a guest room for me too?”
I shake my head. “No, Yankee, I didn’t. I want you to stay in my bedroom. Even if I stay at the ranch, I love the idea of you warming my bed.”
“You do, huh?” A shy smile lights up her face. “I like the idea of that, too. Thank you.”
“Stop thanking me just for being nice to you, baby. I love you, and I’d do anything for you.” Dropping onto the couch next to her, I squeeze her hand and lift it to my lips for a quick kiss. "Hopefully, one day you'll start believing that."
“Okay."
"Okay?" Her one-word response is enough to fill me with hope, and I feel happier than I did when Outlaw won our first Grammy.
“But I need to run it by the girls. I want to make sure that they’re comfortable with the idea.”
“Understandable.” My eyes light up as I smile. “I went ahead and got you the swipe cards you’ll need to access the parking garage and the penthouse elevator. Just in case.”
With a laugh, Annabelle rolls her eyes. “Of course you did, Steamroller.”
“Hey, I’m persistent. When I find something—or someone—I want, I go after it. And I’ve wanted you from the first moment I met you, Annabelle.”
She closes her eyes as she blows out a breath. “If we’re going to do this, then there’s also something I need to talk to you about. Something I need to tell you.”
This is it.This is what’s been lingering between us. The invisible elephant in the room with us.
She leans down, picking up her purse from the floor. With nimble fingers, she rummages through it and withdraws a crumpled, worn envelope.
Handing it to me, she whispers, “It’ll be easier if you just read this.”
