Page 108 of Chasing Goldie
“So now that it’s fixed up, what are you going to do with her?” Ted asks, enclosing his arms around my waist where we stare up at the beautifully revived Victorian. The windows shine, the shutters have a fresh coat of paint and I cleaned her from top to bottom. Ted generously threw in a lot of his time to help with some plumbing issues and install some more A/C units so I could be comfortable.
“Have sex with you in every room,” I announce boldly.
Ted squeezes me to him harder, dropping his mouth to my ear. “That’s not what I meant, but I sure as fuck aren’t opposed.” A shiver runs through me as his hot breath fans against my ear, bringing all my nerve endings to attention.
Eight bedrooms, nine and a half baths, a refurbished country kitchen and a detached barn. I even did some gardening in the back. The possibilities for this place are endless. It could make a great bed and breakfast, or maybe some kind of foster home or rehabilitation or retirement home. I could get a bunch of roommates or rent the whole thing out. Artists or writers’ retreats could be run from here. I could become a wedding planner and turn this into an event space because of the yard. Ted has already heard all these ideas, and I know he’d understand if I still needed more time to decide.
“I’m going to sell it,” I finally say. When I turn in his eyes, I see surprise there.
“Really?” he asks.
I nod. “Yeah, this place is big and beautiful and loved back to health but it’s too big for me. It’s honestly too big an anchor for me.”
“Having commitment issues?” A flash of insecurity goes through his eyes.
“Yes, but not about you,” I tease, lifting up to my tiptoes to rub my nose against his. He sneaks in a kiss that turns serious until I moan, feeling my blood heat up. Seems like he might be all about christening each room right now. But I pull away because I’m not done. “I don’t know what I want to do. My mom was right, there’s so much pressure right now for me to figure out what my thing is. But my aunt didn’t listen to any of that, and I'm not going to either. I’m just going to take the next step that interests me and feels right, which in this case is going back to school for business.”
“For the business of what?” Ted asks.
I shrug, even as I play with the soft hairs at the nape of his neck. “To be determined. But because I have so many interests, maybe I’ll have multiple businesses over the coming years. Like maybe I’ll open an all-pink bakery.” I waggle my eyebrows at him.
“Funny you should say that, but if you sell this place, where are you going to live?” I can feel the tension in his fingers where he holds me.
“Well Snow lives with Cinder now, and with the funds I could probably afford a new pad downtown, but I’ll need my expenses to be reasonable so I can pay for my tuition. I was kind of hoping I could convince this guy I live near to let me move in with him.”
Ted’s eyes light up as his fingers dig into me more adamantly. He looks like a kid who’s discovered Santa just visited his house.
“Of course, I’d pay rent and offer to even redecorate some of the rooms in the house.” JJ stopped bringing women over, but remodeling those spaces would further the boundaries Ted has with his pack. Plus, I’d love to put my mark on his home to make it ours.
“I think he would like that very much.” Ted nods with a lopsided grin. “That reminds me,” he says, breaking away from me to run over to his house. He’s only gone a few minutes before he comes back with something in his hands. Something pink.
“Is that—?” I can’t believe it. Served on a glass plate is a messy pink cake that sort of resembles a heart if you squint your eyes.
“Since you are moving into the neighborhood, Ms. Locke, was it? I thought I’d officially welcome you to the neighborhood and welcome you with this pink heart cake I made myself.”
There is no fighting the smile breaking through.
I am capable.
I am enough.
And I am in love with a man who makes me feel that way every day.
