That seemed to mollify her, at least a little.
As they dove toward his big surprise, he waited for the bomb to drop. He could sense it coming.
“Do you want to explain to me why you told me your brother and Ellie were having problems when they’re not? Or at least, they weren’t before I talked to Ellie today.”
“Crap.” He wanted badly to call and warn his brother, but he couldn’t with Piper staring a hole into his head. “I’m sorry. I needed to be near you, to show you how much we suited each other, but I couldn’t do it from Cade’s place. I talked to Jared, and he told me I could stay at his house since they were leaving for the month.”
“But how did you know I’d be there? I’d planned to stay at my house with Jenna. Or at least, to stay at my house while she stayed with my mom or dad. But she chose to stay at home, and I had contractor issues.”
He huffed. “Actually, Jared asked the contractors to do him a favor for me. Although I had no idea he’d gone that far. He likes the thought of us together.”
“Hold on. My brother stalled the work on my house to keep me out of it? With you?”
“I had nothing to do with that. I thought the contractor problem was legit. Then I had a conversation with Jared after I settled in. He told me I’d owe him one. Well, more than one for letting me stay there in the first place.”
“I’ll kill him.” She seethed.
They continued up the mountain.
“Piper, please don’t be mad. I meant to tell you about my staying at the house, but then I figured it was a little white lie. Like not telling you that you look fat in a dress.”
She gaped. “I look fat in this dress?”
“No. Not at all. I’m talking about our discussion about being honest. I figured the damage was already done by me staying at Jared’s house. I’ve been honest about everything else.”
“Really? About loving me and quitting baseball? And wanting to marry me and have kids together?” Way too much sarcasm for that to be a sincere question.
“Yes, actually. And this... ” He pulled onto the road leading to the house with the mountain view.
“This just keeps getting better.”
He winced and parked in the driveway then turned off the SUV. “Piper, I know you might not believe me, but I’ve loved you forever. You’ve always been the one for me.” He stared into her eyes, relieved when she at least looked back without snarling. “I’m a better person when I’m around you. You don’t believe I know you, but I do. And I take joy in getting to know more about you every day. Being here in Hope’s Turn, with you, is being home. I want you to be my family.”
“You really are going for broke with me, huh?”
“I am. I told you before. I won’t pressure you to love me. But no matter how you feel about me, I do love you. With everything I am. Weird honest guy and all.”
Her lips quirked, but she didn’t smile.
“Now come in so you can yell at me for this too.”
She groaned and followed him to the front door. “Of course you have the keys. You bought the place, didn’t you?”
“I bought it through a trust. I didn’t want you to feel any kind of impropriety by me buying the property from you. Or to feel pressured or weird when I asked you to move in with me.”
She didn’t say anything as she walked inside. Then she stopped. “Oh my God.”
“Do you like it? I changed all the stuff you told me to change. It’s decorated for the holiday. For our holiday.”
He watched her study all the holiday trimmings. The tree, the garland wrapped around the fireplace and counters. All the lights twinkling in their multicolored hues, and the ornaments and tinsel decorating the tree, along with more presents for Piper and some for his family underneath it.
“The kitchen cabinets are white,” she said in a flat voice.
Worried, he took her hand and pulled her close, praying she wouldn’t hit him. “You said they should be white. That some of the other rooms needed work too. Cade and his crew helped out. I’m just waiting for you to change or okay the rest of the place.” He smiled at her. “We have a hot tub and a sauna.”
“We?” She let him hold her hand, but hers felt ice cold.
“Piper, I bought this for us. But it means nothing without you in it.” He kissed her. “I love you. I want to marry you, have kids with you. But I’m willing to wait until you want that with me too. And if you never do... ” He swallowed, the thought bringing tears to his eyes he hurriedly blinked away. “Then you never do. I might be weird, but I’m no stalker. I know no means no. And yeah, it’s probably not a smart move to marry a guy who’s willing to give up millions to pursue a dream crafting graphic novels, but that’s who I am. I’m honest about what I want and who I love.”
