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I’m beyond grateful she was willing to listen to my reasoning. She made it clear that she would not tolerate any more secrets between us, which I agreed with.Although, she said nothing about surprises.
She deserves the world, and I want to be the one to help make all her dreams come true.
We’ve danced around the topic of our future post-acquisition, but with every day that passes, I’m more determined to prove to her that we can build a future together. A real marriage. I neverthought settling down was in the cards for me, but Everly has changed everything.
She stirs beside me, and when her eyes flutter open, I’m met with her sleepy brown gaze.
“Good morning, Ev,” I say, showering her shoulder with kisses.
“Good morning, Stafford,” she murmurs, her voice husky from sleep.
“Do you have any meetings this morning?”
“Yeah, I have one with August and Liam at nine o’clock. Thank god it only takes fifteen minutes to get to the office, so I don’t have to leave so early.”
“And to think you wanted us to live at your place,” I say, drawing her in closer.
“At least my apartment is fully furnished,” she quips.
“Not for long. Marcus will have this place furnished and decorated in no time.”
Our meeting with him went well last night. Everly’s face lit up as she shared her decorating ideas, and it made me happy to see how excited she was to transform this place into a real home. I admit I wasn’t expecting her to say she wanted to stay in our bedroom with me.
It would have been hard to accept her sleeping in another room, but I would have respected her decision.
I’m so glad she didn’t.
Everly beams. “I can’t wait to see what he comes up with.”
“Do you enjoy living in London?”
“Oh, absolutely. I love the culture, the food, and the stunning architecture. It’s a welcome change from living in California when I was in college.”
“Would you ever consider moving back to Aspen Grove?”
She shrugs. “I’m not sure if I’d ever live there full time, but going back with you made me realize how much I miss it. I wishwe could have driven by the old Miller place when we were in town.”
“How come?”
“When I was younger, I dreamed of buying it,” she reminisces. “I pictured it with a manicured lawn, a white-picket fence, a porch swing facing the side of the house, black shutters… The inside would have a rustic feel with exposed beams, a sliding barn door leading to the pantry, and a farmhouse table. And the loft would be transformed into a cozy reading space.” She lets out a wistful sigh as she gazes off into the distance. “Honestly, I can’t even remember the last time I read an entire book from start to finish.”
The abandoned Miller house sat untouched for years, sitting on the outskirts of town, its existence ignored by most. But not by Ev. She finds beauty in imperfect things, giving them new life—like she’s done with me.
Since our visit to Aspen Grove, the day after our impromptu wedding, I’ve been working on a surprise for her—something that holds meaning for us both. It was a spur of the moment decision, but now I’m more eager than ever to reveal the final result to her now that I’m certain it will hold special significance for her.
“Sounds like a scene straight fromThe Notebook,” I playfully remark.
She whips her head to look at me, eyes wide. “You’ve watched it?”
“Yeah. When Presley moved to New York, she was lonely, so we’d hop on a video chat every Friday night and watch the same movie together. We switched between chick flicks and action movies, but let’s be honest, she usually had the final say.”
Everly grins. “She’s lucky to have you as her older brother.”
Presley and I have always shared a close bond. Despite our seven-year age gap, our connection is special. Growing up, shewas like my shadow, and I felt a sense of duty to protect her at all costs.
I was skeptical when she started dating Jack, but my reservations disappeared after seeing firsthand how happy he makes her. The one drawback to her having a boyfriend and me living on another continent is that we don’t get to talk on the phone as often as we used to. As much as I complain about the group chat with her and my mom, it gives us a way to stay in touch when life gets busy.
“Do you have time for a quick run on the treadmill?” I ask.