Uh, oh. “Yeah?’
“I want to use my settlement money as a down payment.”
She ended up settling with McAllister for a quarter of a million dollars. I knew Jason was good, just not that good. “I thought you were going to tuck that away for…”
“An investment.” She eyes me, and I’ve seen that look before. Like the spreadsheet, which she still keeps. She paid me back, and as I promised, I took the money. What she doesn’t know is I put it into an account for a rainy day or a sunny one. “A house is an investment.”
True.
“If we’re buying a home together, we’ll split the down payment.”
“That’s fair.” Holding up one finger, she adds, “And I don’t want a huge, obnoxious house. I want a three or four-bedroom bungalow or a cool brownstone. Nothing pretentious.”
“Got it.”
Should I tell her I already own some of those?
Nah. I’d rather enjoy this process with her. I’ll tell her that later.
ChapterForty
WILLA
Forty-five dayslater
I’m a homeowner.Well,we’rehomeowners. Hudson already owned the condo and apparently a few other places, but those were his. This one isours. We just signed the papers and were given the keys. It’s an amazing feeling knowing you’ve achieved a goal like buying a home, especially when you’re doing it with your best friend and the person you love most in the world. I couldn’t be happier.
“Mom and Dad are going to meet us at the house.” Hudson says on the way to his car.
“Good.”
Things have been slowly improving with his parents. I’m not sure how much of that had to do with me working my butt off to prove to Mrs. Adler that I wasn’t a money-grubbing whore or if Mr. Adler worked his magic. Maybe a bit of both, but things are better. I even included her in the house hunt. It wasn’t easy, though. She couldn’t understand why we were looking at small homes. Like a five-bedroom brownstone was small. She even suggested we look in Winnetka.
No.
In the end, she’s the one who found our home. It’s a brownstone with potentially five bedrooms, but it needs work. I was hesitant at first because I don’t know the first thing about fixing up and decorating a home, but then she said the most interesting thing. She said, “I’ll help you, dear.”
I was dumbstruck. “You will? You’ll help me?”
“You liked my salon. Correct?”
“Yes, I love that room.” Not a lie.
“Very well.” She sighed like it was a burden. “If you choose this home, I shall help you.” There was that duchess-speak again.
And that’s the day I knew I’d won. Or at least, I felt as though things were going to be okay.
“We’re home.” Hudson’s pulled his car at the curb in front of our house.
“Home.” My smile is so big it hurts. “This is our home, Hudson.” I can’t believe we bought a house together.
“Come on. Let’s go.”
We’re out of the car and up the front steps made with the same brown brick as the home. It’s solid for sure. Handing me the key, he smiles. “You get the honor of unlocking it for the first time.”
“Okay.”
It takes me a few tries, but I finally get it. The door sticks, so I use my knee to urge it open. When it finally pops free, the only thing I hear is “Surprise!” My mouth is round with shock.
