“How are you feeling?” he asked as he reached her.
“Better than this morning,” she said.
“What are you up to now?”
“I’m going for a walk. I try to get out at least once a day for some fresh air and exercise.”
“Mind if I come with you?”
He’d planned to join Elijah and Benji, but perhaps his time was better spent with Kiara. Especially considering the conversation he’d had earlier with Duncan.
“Not at all,” she said. “Just be forewarned that I move at a snail’s pace these days.”
“That’s fine.”
They left the house, stepping into the warmth and sunshine of the afternoon. Kiara gestured in the direction she planned to go.
“Have you eaten today?” he asked.
Kiara nodded. “I have some granola bars that I keep in my room. Some days that’s all my stomach will tolerate until later in the day.”
As they walked, Julian decided to broach the subject of the house. “Are you happy with how the house is coming together?”
“Very happy. It has everything that we asked the architect for, and the interior designer has done a great job taking our ideas for the inside and fleshing them out.”
“Am I right in assuming that Angela is moving into Jude’s place?”
There was a slight pause before Kiara responded. “Yes. It’s the best thing for her and Jude, being newlyweds and all.”
“Will it bother you to be on your own in the house?”
“I’m not sure,” she said. “I’ve never lived alone before.” She hesitated. “Maybe I’ll love it.”
The tone of her voice led Julian to think that she didn’t believe that. “Would you be open to having a housemate?”
Her steps slowed, and she turned to look at him. “A housemate?”
Julian folded his arms as he faced her, suddenly uncertain how he wanted her to respond. “I’ll be spending more time here at the estate while we wait for the baby, and thought maybe, if you were agreeable, I could take the other suite in the house. That way, you wouldn’t always be alone, in case you need help.”
Kiara stared at him for a long moment. So long, he wondered if she was just not going to respond to him. Her expression was unreadable, so he didn’t get any help there.
Finally, she turned to continue walking, and Julian took two long steps to catch up with her, then shortened his stride again.
“Is your dad forcing you to do this?” Kiara said.
Julian was glad to be able to say that he wasn’t. “He mentioned that it might be an option for me if I plan to spend more time here. However, he’s not forcing me to move in with you. He just offered it as a suggestion. If you say no, that’s fine. No one will make you agree to this.”
“I suppose it makes sense,” Kiara said. “There’s no use in half the house sitting empty.”
“If you need to think about it, you’re welcome to take some time before giving me an answer.”
They were nearing the house, and Kiara headed in the direction of the front door. Julian followed her up the steps, then waited as she punched in a code on the door lock.
“This is the one day of the week there are no workers here,” Kiara said as she pushed the door open.
It was definitely quieter than it had been the last time he’d been there. The smell of paint and other building materials hung in the air.
“Angie designed the kitchen,” Kiara said as she headed in that direction. It was at the back of the house, with large windowsthat looked out over a currently muddy yard and the forest beyond. “It was her dream kitchen, but she seems happy with the one at Jude’s too.”
