We drove inland listening to Sonny and Cher sing “I Got You Babe,” until he pulled into the driveway of a large white colonial-style house. The black shutters needed work, but the house had character. A giant tree with a swing stood in the front yard. The landscaping was beautiful, with manicured grass and vibrant flowers. A porte-cochère led to a five-car garage.
I turned to him, suspicion creeping in. “Will, what are we doing here?”
He stepped out of the car, motioning for me to follow. “Just come inside.”
I hesitated before trailing him up the steps. He unlocked a keypad and took the key out. The moment the door opened, my mind spun into designer mode with ideas—black-and-white checkered tile in the foyer, a wrought-iron staircase, warm sconces along the walls.
In the back, there was a pool, a half-court, and a swing set. Beyond the property, the land opened to a breathtakingvalley view, where the sun was just beginning to dip toward the horizon.
I stopped in my tracks, taking it all in.
He turned to me, his expression serious yet full of hope. “Is it something you could picture living in? With me. With our families.”
My heart stilled.
“I know my house isn’t your style, even though you designed the interior. And I know you love your house. But it doesn’t have the space for all of us. I want to live with you, Natalie. I want to wake up next to you every morning. I want this house full of love, laughter, and the chaos of six kids running around—maybe even a seventh.” He smirked at me as I shot him a look.
“Okay, six is enough,” he laughed, pulling me into a kiss. “Keep in mind, it’ll need your touch.”
I glanced at him suspiciously. “How did you get access to this place?”
“This off-market gem?” He grinned, dangling a set of keys. “I’m in real estate, baby. It has its perks.”
We toured the rooms—spacious living and dining areas, an office, a large open-concept kitchen and family room. Everything needed updating, but that was my favorite part.
“This could be Meredith’s room,” Will suggested when we found a bedroom downstairs. “We could turn the dining room into an extra office for you, and the front living room into a theater or game room.”
Upstairs, we found five more bedrooms. A loft sat in the center, and over the garage was another large room.
“I think Carter and Chase could share this one,” Will mused. “The loft could be a playroom, with desks for homework. Bebe and Ivy can take the Jack-and-Jill room. Madison can have this smaller one, she’ll be off to college soon. And James can take this one.”
Finally, we stepped into the master bedroom. The floor-to-ceiling windows faced the stunning valley view. The sunset painted the room in warm gold.
“This,” Will said, turning to me, “is where we’d wake up together. Every day. And, you know, do all the other things.” He raised an eyebrow playfully.
I laughed. “Don’t be cute.”
He stepped closer, his voice suddenly softer. “What do you think?”
I looked around, already envisioning every detail I would design. “It’s timeless,” I admitted.
Then, without warning, he dropped to one knee. His blue eyes locked on mine.
“Natalie Rose Bradford,” he said, his voice steady but full of emotion. “I wanted you when I wasn’t supposed to. Every part of me was drawn to you, no matter how hard I tried to resist. Whatever this pull is between us, it has only brought me love and happiness. I want you to be my wife. Will you marry me?”
Tears blurred my vision as I looked down at the man I loved.
“Yes, Will,” I whispered. “I would love to marry you.”
He stood up and slid the ring onto my finger—an oval-cut diamond on a rose gold band, sparkling like the sunset.
I stared at it, then at him. “Did Meredith help with this?”
He smirked. “Hey, give a guy some credit. But, okay, yes, she did.”
Will stood, wrapping me in his arms. Kissing me deeply, sharing all the love he has for me in this one kiss.
“So, what do you say? Let’s put in an offer. Once we close, you can run free with your design plans.”
