“I have a guesthouse,” Bax said, because he did. Tucked on the back acreage of the property, the guesthouse had its own pool.
“Oh…” Linda perked up at that. “It’s so close to Linx and Courtney too.”
“I’m sort of hoping Courtney and Tiny Badass will be closer because I’m hoping they’ll move in.” He paused. “With me,” he clarified.
The room went silent.
Right. He should probably have talked to her about that before announcing it in front of their friends and family.
“When she’s ready. If she wants to. Eventually.” He should’ve offered her the guesthouse first because that would’ve made sense. Then she’d have her own space, and he’d have his own space.
But he didn’t want his own space.
“We should talk about it and think about it,” he added when no one said anything.
“Excellent idea,” Cherie said. “Somebody take me over to see the guesthouse.”
Everyone but Gibson took that opportunity to evacuate to check out the other houses, but he and Courtney didn’t move. She sort of stared at him like she didn’t know what to do with him. This wasn’t disappointed, and it wasn’t excited… she was confused.
Which made his chest tight, since he’d sort of hoped for excited.
“When do you move into the new digs?” Courtney asked, crossing her arms.
Nope. Crossing arms was a bad idea.
“Bought most of the furniture with the joint, so I’m staying there tonight.” He’d hired a service to get it spic-and-span before he moseyed across the street to try out his brand-new movie theater room. “There’s a room there for you if you decide you’d like to come visit. Use the pool. Jump on the trampoline. Play in my pirate ship.” Uh-huh. The place came with an in-ground trampoline and a pirate-ship-themed tree house. He figured Tiny Badass would get a kick out of it when the kid got older. “Best part about it? It comes with me.”
Courtney didn’t smile, but she did shake her head and frown. He seriously hated the frowning.
“You actually bought a house with a pirate ship?” she asked.
He nodded. “Is it really a house if it doesn’t have its own pirate ship?”
“Bax?” She said his name like she was operating with extreme caution.
Nope, he didn’t like that.
“You don’t have to make a decision right now, but I’ve got space for you there if you decide to…” He didn’t quite know how to finish, so he shoved his hands in his pockets and stared at the floor.
“Let’s say I come stay with you.” She gestured across the street.
“I’m on board with this.” He was. He really was.
“You’d strangle me within three months.” Courtney held up three fingers to illustrate her point. Three totally unnecessary fingers.
“Would not.” He wouldn’t, but he would convince her to stay long-term in those three months.
“Here’s the thing though. If I were to win this bet, I’d end up strangled. I don’t like to be strangled.” The words were light, but her tone was serious.
“Don’t let this be something it’s not,” he said. “I only want a place for you and Tiny Badass. The guys and I? We’ll live on the same block, like when we were kids, but with bigger houses and better parties.”
She bit her bottom lip.
“Think about it.” He’d put every single one of his Cadbury Eggs in this basket oflet her decide,give her space,don’t push too hard. He hoped to hell it worked.
Knox didn’t knock. He let himself into Linx’s house with a, “Are you two coming or are you arguing?”
“Not arguing and we are coming,” Courtney said, but she didn’t make a move toward the door.
