“How’s that different?” I shuffle, looking between the two brothers. Dante offers me a wide grin as he leans over and rocks his forehead against mine, in a rare display of openness in front of a stranger. I smile up at him and tangle my finger with his.
Brenda leans a little closer and whispers conspiratorially to Ares. “Oh, howsweet.”
“She is,” Ares replies, he steps away from Brenda and heads over to where Dante and I are standing. He wraps his arm around my neck again and gives her a wink. Brenda looks between the three of us, her brows drawn in confusion. I almost laugh, but I roll my lips in instead.
“The basement is decent,” Milo announces. “That’s where the gym is. It’s smaller than we’re used to.” He shrugs, taking another look around the living room.
“Let’s check out the kitchen.” Dante nods toward the door Milo just came through. We walk past the realtor all together, even Milo comes with us. Brenda’s eyes track us the entire time.
Chapter 12
“I’m just saying, I liked the first one the best.” Ollie grabs a fry from my plate and shoves it into his mouth.
“Stop eating her food.” Dante pushes my plate a little closerto me,pulling it away from Ollie in the process.
“I agree, but the house…” Ares looks over at melike he doesn’t want to say anymore.
“The house is on the small side,” Ollie takes over, “and it needs some updating. I was thinking we could stay there and build the house we want farther back on the property. That way if we have any visitors, they can stay in the front house, like a guesthouse. We could make itreallynice, like a cottage.”
“Could be fun, fixing it up I mean,” Milo adds. “What do you think Laura?”
I swallow the bite of chicken in my mouth and look around the large booth we’re seated in. “I liked them all.”
Ollie rolls his eyes before I can even finish, “Now’s not the time to be diplomatic, Muenster. We want to know which one you liked best, or if we should just keep looking?”
“Iwas going to say… I liked the first one the best too.”
Ollie nearly bounces in his seat with excitement after my announcement. “Ares put an offer in, but we need the full parcel.”
“Wait, just like that? We like it so you’re just going to buy it? Shouldn’t we, I don’t know, keep looking, make sure you’re getting a good deal?” I’m worried they’re rushing into this and will regret it.
“You might find something else that doesn’t need so much work. I mean, you’re talking about putting a bunch of money into the existing house and building another one behind it.”
“If we like it why should we wait, or keep looking?” Dante leans back in the seat, his eyes on me. The two plates in front of him are nearly empty.
I glance around, looking at all of them. “Itseems crazyto mebecause we were talking about buying a house yesterday and today, you mightactuallybuy a house. I mean, who does that? How much money do you guys have?”
Ares wipes the corner of his mouth with a maroon linen napkin. “Money isn’t an issue for us, never will be. I’ve been working for the council since I received my gift. Plus, we have the security company, we’re pretty set.”
I squeeze my temples between my fingers. I can’t even grasp thekind ofmoney he’s talking about.
“If money isn’t an issue then why do you guys all ride in Dante’s car, why don’t you have one?” I point at Ollie.
“Why bother, I mean we’ve talked about it, but Dante loves that beast and we’re always together anyways. What’s the point of getting another car and never even using it?”
“If you want to wait, we’ll wait,” Milo offers like it’s that simple. It’s not that I want to wait, or that I don’t want us to have our own place, itfeels like such a big step. There’s a small part of me that keeps waiting for the other shoe to drop, nothing in my life has ever been as easy as it has been with the guys.
“I don’t want to wait, Ijustwant to make sure you guys are all happy. I don’t want you to rush into something because of me.” I peer around the table, assessing each of their faces for signs of doubt.
Dante places his hand on my thigh under the table. “Then it’s settled, we’ll put in an offer.”
I drag in a deep, steadying breath and nod my head. It’s a big step, but I’m excited. Iwish I knew where my mom was, and how she would feel about me moving forward. It tempers the thrill I’m experiencing with guilt.
I drag a fry through the ranch on my plate, then push my dish toward Ollie, my appetitegone for now. “We haven’t really talked about your trip. Did you learn anything that might help find my mom?”
Dante and Ares make eye contact, and they share a moment that makes me think they’re having somesort ofsilent conversation. “It’s hard to say.” Ares settles back into the seat and spreads his arms over the back of the rounded booth. “Edith is definitely hiding something, but that could be almost anything.”
“You’re giving her too much credit.” Dante sounds frustrated. It seems like this isn’t the first time they’ve had this conversation. “She was dodgy, shady from the moment we met her. She was acting like she was an airhead, all flirty. But I’mprettysure it was just an act.”
