“It’s a long story. Jesse had a run-in with him once, but he’s moved across the country now. I’m pretty sure he and Nathan keep tabs on him to make sure he never comes back to this area.”
“Nathan seems like a protective brother.”
“He is. It simmers beneath the surface. He always kind of reminded me of you in that way… I’m surprised you guys don’t get along better.”
I like the guy just fine, but she starts again before I have a chance to defend myself.
“Once Thea started getting better, I convinced our local college bar to host a ladies-only night once a month so we could still dance. I threatened to sue them if they didn’t,” she snorts in amusement. “I hadn’t even taken the bar exam yet.”
“I guess I assumed she had an aversion to me. I didn’t realize she was afraid of men.”
“She’s getting better. Jesse helped her a lot. His presence alone makes her feel safe enough that she almost seems back to normal. She’d never go onto a packed dance floor with men lurking about, though if it weren’t for him.”
“Well, I’m grateful that she brought you to this area. Not sure where we would have crossed paths if you hadn’t come here to watch Kate grow up.” I kiss her temple, and she smiles.
“We all joke that Thea is like the sun. Everyone sort of revolves around her because she makes your life better, you know? I hated having a long-distance friendship, but our lives were just in two separate places… But then she had Kate, and I realized that Kate was the sun.”
“She is pretty cute.”
“If anything ever happened to Thea and Jesse, I’d take Kate. And, if you are choosing me, you choose her too. She’s the only person on this planet that I would drop you in a split second for.”
“Damn. I didn’t even have a chance to agree.” I rub my chest teasingly.
“Sorry, just had to put that out there.” She laughs, swatting my hand from my chest. The power surges suddenly, but the lights stay out. “Why did you buy this house?”
“What? You can’t see the appeal?”
“I see a lot of things peeling…” She giggles under her breath, and I squeeze her ass.
“After all the shit that went down here over the years, I knew Lochlan was worried about it.”
“So you bought it?”
“I also knew that if I wanted you in my future, I neededsomething to offer you. I haven’t had time to fix this place up yet, but I see potential. It has five bedrooms, a study beside the living room… The kitchen is pretty small, but I thought I could bust out a few walls and add an island. I don’t know, it has good bones.”
She searches my eyes, seeing the truth in them. She still doesn’t understand how committed I am to having her in my life, but I think she’s starting to. “You didn’t need the house. I only wanted you.”
I squeeze her fingers. “And, all I ever wanted was to give you everything. A home. Stability.”
“A swing set that doesn’t have rust?” She whispers against my chest.
“No graffiti either.” I kiss her head.
“I like my cottage.”
“I know.”
“But it only has one bedroom.”
“Kate will need a place to sleep when she’s old enough to have sleepovers with Aunt Liv.”
“Yeah, she will.” She smiles, and I tuck her closer, still in disbelief that I’m holding her at all.
“You can put your cold plunge tub on the back porch.”
She shakes her head, wrapping her arms around my waist. “I’m done being cold.”
Chapter Forty
