"What are you doing?" I stare at him wide-eyed.
"Parking in our driveway," Bay grins.
"What are you talking about?"
Bay jumps out of the car, comes around, and opens my door. He reaches out, and when I take his hand he pulls me toward him, then lifts me effortlessly into the air.
"Yep, it’s official. We’ve got our second home right next to the college. It’s going to be amazing."
I can’t believe it. I let out a shout so loud it sends the pigeons walking around in the driveway flying in every direction.
"No way, how did you pull this off?"
The question makes Bay pause for a moment. He sets me back down, takes my hand, and we walk toward the house.
These little single-family houses are built on long, strip-shaped plots. They’re small but cozy, and if you plant a solid hedge or arborvitae, you can create a sense of privacy and seclusion.
We step inside. The house is move-in ready, with basic kitchen equipment and bathroom fixtures already installed. All we’d need is a bed to start living here.
"Holy shit. I can’t believe this. This is amazing, Bay!"
"And the whole neighborhood is monitored," Bay adds. "Two houses down there’s a security booth, so it’s safe here."
The view from the window isn’t great. On both sides, neighboring houses sit just twenty-three feet away, but that’s something greenery can fix. Plant fast-growing bushes, and you’ll change the whole feel of the place.
I look around. The layout is similar to Bay’s tiny house.
The open living room connects to the kitchen, there’s one bedroom and a bathroom. The stairs lead to the second floor, where there are two rooms and another tiny bathroom.
I let out a long breath.
"Thank you, Bay." I turn toward him and look straight into his face.
"You’re going to have to pay this house off, right?"
Silence.
"I know that because of its location it must have cost a fortune…"
Bay frowns slightly, then answers in a vague tone, "Don’t worry about anything. We’re married now, so the house is half yours too. Make yourself at home."
"Bay, I feel like you’re not telling me the truth."
He looks at me, his face strangely calm.
"Please trust me. I talked to Ennio and he agreed to give me a good deal in exchange for helping him with something. I don’t want to talk about the details, but it’s something I can do without any risk."
A chill runs through me.
"So he’s… collecting his debts? He hasn’t come to me yet."
Silence.
A sigh escapes me. "You’re not going to tell me what it is?"
"I will; I don’t want any secrets, but not today. Today I want this to simply be what it is, the joy of a new home, okay?"
I can see how much that matters to him, so I nod.
