Page 127 of No Need to Run
Ivy tilts her head. “That looked like a heart.”
“It wasn’t.”
Sebastian’s gaze flicks between us.
He doesn’t say anything.
Which somehow feels worse.
“It’s cute,” Ivy says anyway, shrugging it off. “Adds character.”
“Yeah,” I mutter. “That’s one way to put it.”
She moves on quickly, heading toward the kitchen. “Oh! This is bigger than I expected.”
I follow her, grateful for the shift in focus.
“It’s not bad,” I say.
“Not bad?” she repeats. “Drew, this is great.”
Sebastian finally steps fully inside the house, closing the door behind him.
The sound echoes slightly.
He moves slowly through the room, scanning everything.
Not like Ivy. She sees potential.
Sebastian sees details. Things that don't quite fit.
“You clean yet?” he asks.
“Not yet,” I reply. “I figured I’d do that before the furniture gets delivered.”
“When’s that?”
“Next Saturday.”
He nods once, then pauses near the hallway.
His gaze shifts toward the back of the house.
He goes still.
Head tilting slightly, listening.
“What?” I ask.
He looks at me. “Nothing.”
I don’t believe him, but I let it go.
Ivy appears again, her energy completely undisturbed.
“You have to let me help with this,” she says. “Cleaning, decorating, all of it.”
“You don’t have to?—”
