Page 89 of After Midnight
His smile deepened. He reached over and ran his index gently along my jawline. "You keep asking me that and I'ma keep telling you yes every time, Gianna. I know what I'm doing."
I nodded again and sat back. "Okay. Just making sure."
We arrived at his home. It was exactly the kind of house I expected from him. Modern the exterior was a mix of darkstone and smooth wood, warm lighting lining the walkway. He stepped out, went to grab my bag, and then took my hand to help me out.
Inside soft lighting filled the space with overhead lights casting everything in a warm, golden tone. The air smelled clean and fresh but underneath that was the lingering smell of something sweet.
"It smells like maple syrup in here." I smiled.
Remy chuckled, "It always does. Melo is a pancake fiend."
He let my hand go to set the alarm back and then took it again leading me further inside. My eyes went to the mantle. A small altar was set up with white candles, a white lace cloth and a picture of a beautiful woman in a wedding dress.
I paused.
Remy did too. He took a deep breath and looked over at me. "That's her. Kendrix."
"May I?" I asked gently.
He nodded.
I let go of his hand slowly walking towards the mantle. I stepped closer, my eyes settling on the photo. She was beautiful. Her smile in the picture was full and genuine like she lit up whatever room she walked into. I reached out, my fingers hovering for a second before lightly touching the edge of the frame. “She’s…stunning,” I said softly.
I could feel him behind me. “She was,” he said finally, his voice low. “Inside and out.”
I turned slightly, looking back at him. “You loved her a lot, didn't you?”
He met my gaze, sadness flickering behind his eyes before it settled into something steady.
“I did. Still do,” he answered honestly.
There was no hesitation in it. And oddly enough…that didn’t make me uncomfortable.
If anything, it made me respect him more. To know that he was capable of such deep love—I couldn't be offended at that.
I stepped back from the mantle, giving the space back its quiet reverence before turning back to him. “She seems like she was really special,” I added.
“She was,” he nodded. “She…taught me a lot. About patience and slowing down. About loving without trying to control everything.”
I studied him for a second. That checked out, based on how he moved. “You carry her well,” I said gently.
His brows pulled together slightly. “What do you mean?”
“I mean…” I stepped closer, my voice soft. “You don’t feel stuck on her. You feel shaped by her.” I saw it in his face that my words landed.
His shoulders eased just a little. “Thank you for saying that,” he said quietly.
We stood there for a moment, just looking at each other. The energy had shifted. It still felt intimate, but deeper now. I gave him a small smile.
Remy took my hand, raised it to his lips, and kissed the top softly. "You're amazing you know that right?"
Shrugging modestly, I nodded. "I've been told."
Lacing his fingers through mine, he showed me the rest of the house. He stopped at his bedroom and turned to me. "You feel comfortable going in?"
I appreciated that he asked. I hesitated for a moment, staring into the darkened room lit by the glow of the moonlight pouring in.
"It's not the same bedroom it was when she passed," he offered softly, like he knew what I was thinking. "I had the room redone last year. New paint. New carpet and bedroom set. My parents thought that holding on to the bed she died in was slowing my ability to heal."
