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To my surprise, we’d moved through the last week effortlessly. The final touches on the house came easily. Except that we were still waiting on the delivery of our final piece.

Bri promised me it would be here on time – insisting that the table needed every second we could give it to set.

Rushing through the living room, Vic rested a hand on my shoulder. “It looks great here. I want to know as soon as the table arrives.”

“Obviously.” I winked as she zipped out of the room.

With my arms crossed, I strolled through the house. Robin should be proud of the work she did. The house was just as dilapidated as the house on Oak Lane. But she had a tight deadline for this one. After she’d finished, the house had passed inspection with flying colors.

Taking my time, I paced from room to room. I paused in each space, making sure every item was right. I’d left some backups in my car just in case something didn’t feel quite right.

I managed to burn an hour like that, just triple-checking my own work.

Eventually, I strolled up to the primary bedroom. Across from Vic’s bed was the piece we’d picked out at her friend’s gallery.

Should I think this is strange?I bit my lip as I looked at my work.

Shrugging it off, I crossed the room and looked out the balcony doors. I nervously checked my phone.

Still no text from Bri.

I wanted to see her this week but work had kept us away from each other. And I wasn’t about to tell my dream partner that I wanted to be with just her via text. Not after everything we’d been through together.

But I was desperate to see what she thought. Hopefully I hadn’t made her wait too long.

Just as my nerves were getting the best of me, my phone buzzed in my hand. It was a text from Bri:

On my way. Driving slow, be there in fifteen.

Nodding to myself, I peeled myself away from the lake view. I would have my answer soon enough. But for now, the most expensive job I’d ever done needed finishing.

I headed downstairs, scanning the house for Vic’s scarlett red pantsuit.

But she wasn’t anywhere to be found.

Once I got to the deck, I waved to the movers leaning against their trucks. They’d been on call all day, just waiting for this $500,000 table to arrive. They would be worth every penny. Using her art world contacts, Vic had hired fine art movers to handle the table.

Even as they stood in waiting, they wore white gloves.

“We’ll be ready in about five minutes.” I smiled.

The team nodded and started to stretch out their backs.

Standing on the front porch, I took a deep breath. I needed to keep my cool, I didn’t want to rub anything in Vic’s face. The fresh air filled my lungs, hopefully enough to last me until I could find space to breathe under Bri’s presence.

From the porch, I could hear the mechanized gate swinging open and the smooth rolling of truck tires as a massive box truck rolled onto the property. I could vaguely make out Bri’s face as she squinted against the sun as she pulled the truck in. She left just enough space for the ramp of the truck to descend onto the pavers leading to the front porch.

Just as the door to the box truck flung open and Bri’s familiar arms gripped the handle, a smile took over my face despite my desperate attempt to keep my feelings to myself.

41

BRI

I was already sweatingbut Sarah’s beaming smile was enough to make my entire body heat up.

Shaking my head, I tried to avoid her gaze. I knew it was a trap, one that ended in her bed. And right now, I needed to deliver a half million dollar table. So I walked to the back of the truck and threw open the roll-up door.

A loud clatter filled the lawn as the door lifted. I grabbed the metal ramp from the truck’s deck and laid it out. My parking job was nearly flawless, the ramp ending right at the start of the pathway to the front door.