Page 35 of Knot Convenient

Anything else I was going to say was cut off by Milo making his presence known with several loud screeches. Shaking my head, I skipped over to my baby.

“He’s got some lungs.” Emmett chuckled, exaggeratedly wincing.

“And he knows how to use them. I’m going to go clean him up and see if he’s sleepy.”

“I’ll finish cleaning up the breakfast stuff, then I’ll come join you.”

I nodded happily, clutching Milo to my chest as I padded out of the room and went upstairs. Sweet boy was easy to put down, which was a nice change, and I made sure he was warm and happy as I turned on his revolving star lights, one of the few things I’d brought with me.

Once he was fast asleep, I delayed going downstairs for as long as possible. Brushing my hair, reorganizing what little clothing I’d brought with me.

Eventually, I had to face the alpha.

Tiptoeing downstairs, I found Emmett standing in the kitchen. The sleeves of his button-down were pushed up, exposing his forearms as he tidied up. His dark hair looked a lighter, more golden brown than normal, thanks to the morning sun.

When he heard me approaching, he turned to face me, a slow, dazzling smile spreading across his handsome face. “Did Milo get off to sleep okay?”

“He was out before I even changed his diaper.” I smiled softly. “It’s been a chaotic few days, so I’m sure he’s worn out.”

“It’s enough to exhaust any adult, let alone a baby. Okay, I was thinking: house tour, at ten you have the check-in call with Callie, then maybe we see how the little man is doing?”

Something about him giving me a clear plan for the day was undeniably attractive. I was so used to figuring out everything for myself. Part of me thought I’d be irritated if someone suggested a plan, but I could tell by the sincerity in Emmett’s demeanor that he didn’t care if I said no or decided to do something different.

That made a huge difference.

“That sounds like a good plan,” I agreed.

“Perfect! Let's start now. I want to show you the backyard.” He grabbed an iced coffee from the counter and handed it to me. I took it gratefully and took a sip.

“How long have you guys lived here?” I asked as we made our way out the back door.

“Years. We all saved up like crazy after high school, wanting to get a place of our own. Our first home was nowhere near as nice. It was an apartment that smelled like raw fish, but we worked hard and could eventually afford this place. We wanted somewhere near our families but that still felt like our own space. This place feels separate from the hubbub of Willow Grove, but it’s also only like a twenty-minute walk into town.”

Behind the house was nothing but green grass, flower beds, and trees. Off to one side, there was a stone firepit with a large barbecue and what I believed was a smoker.

“How much of this is your yard?” I asked.

“Our property technically extends quite a ways. We tend to only use this area with the grass, the deck, and the firepit. This area, though…” He pointed to a large open patch of grass on the other side of the yard. “…I was thinking that would be an excellent spot for a little playground for Milo. I know he’s not old enough for it yet, but we may have done some internet searching the other night and gotten a few wild ideas.”

“You want to build my son a playground?” I asked, brows up to my hairline.

“In time, yes, totally. We have all this space. We want him to enjoy it. Plus, can you imagine how cool that will be when he is in school? Everyone will want to be friends with the kid who has a whole ass playground in his backyard.”

I didn’t know what to say to that, but I continued to smile. After a few minutes outside, we went through the house, Emmett taking his time showing me everything I could possibly need. He pointed out whose room was whose, where the pantry and laundry room were, and of course, all the bathrooms.

The house was so rustic and homey, and it was enormous. There was beautiful honey-brown wood trim everywhere that matched with the doors and floor. The walls were kept simple in shades of light blue and cream, and a cozy fireplace sat in the center of the living room wall.

“Beautiful fireplace!” I commented.

“There are actually three of them, and you’ll be glad to know that one of them is in your rooms. Winter here is no joke.”

I was reeling in the best way. Then, when we turned into the other living area, I actually gasped. One side of the room, along with two walls of the adjoining dining room, were all glass walls, massive floor-to-ceiling windows that showcased the incredible view of the yard and trees around the house. It was at the back of the house, and I couldn’t believe I hadn’t noticed it yet.

“Oh, this part is the best.”

Emmett smiled, positively beaming. “I know, right? And you’ll be happy to know that they open. You can walk right on out during the summer.”

“This place is truly incredible. I see why you were all so set on getting it.”