Page 48 of As the Years Pass

“Sure. Where do you want me to meet you?”

“How about I pick you up? You can show me your house, and I can judge you for your choice.”

He laughs again, and I smile to myself. I like that I can make him laugh.

“I’ll text you the address,” he says.

The call ends and a moment later the address comes in, so I type it into my GPS. It takes less than fifteen minutes to get there.

From the outside, it’s a normal little house. One floor, white vinyl, big windows, and a one-car garage. The driveway holds my car and his comfortably, and you could squish another if you needed to. There’s hardly a front yard, but the grass is neatly trimmed. I can’t tell what the backyard looks like from here. The only thing I don’t like about this house from the get-go is how close it is to the neighbor. There’s about five feet between his house and the house on the left. On the right is a plot of trees, so he gets privacy on that side at least. I get out and go to the front door to ring the bell. Emmet pulls open the door a moment later.

Grey sweatpants, white T-shirt, messy hair. Damn, he looks good.

“Morning,” he says, running his hand over his head.

“Good morning,” I answer with a smile.

“So, what do you think?” he grins, and my knees go weak.

“Hm?” I say, trying not to be distracted by how the T-shirt seems a size too small, and hugs every sexy curve on his torso.

“The house? I’m sure you’re judging it.”

“Stop acting like you know me,” I say with a smirk and step into his house. I glance to the left and find the living room. The curtains are open, showing me a great view of the other house.

“It’s close, I know,” Emmet comments.

“You think?”

He shrugs. “I just shut the curtains when I walk around naked.”

I bite my cheek, trying not to picture Emmet walking around naked. He always was attractive, but now that he’s bigger, older, more masculine, he’s sexier than ever.

“Well, that’s smart,” I say. “Show me around.”

Emmet stares at me for a moment, just smiling. Then he gives me the grand tour. The rooms are spacious. There are three bedrooms, one of which has been turned into an office. One is empty, and the other has a bed and a dresser with boxes in one corner and opened suitcases along another wall. There is an en suite bathroom with a shower-bath combo and a lot of counter space.

The kitchen is newly refurbished with shiny counters and stainless steel appliances. The dining room is empty, with large windows that show the decently-sized backyard.

“It’s nice,” I say. “Good area, decent layout. Did you have it inspected?” I ask as I open a fan door in the hallway to find a small laundry room.

“Of course I did.”

I close the door and turn toward him. “I approve. Good job.”

He chuckles, shaking his head. “I’m going to get dressed.”

Emmet disappears into his bedroom, and I wander around the house just checking things out. Trying really hard not to think about him naked in his bedroom.

The house really is nice, and much more spacious than my apartment. Probably costs a hell of a lot more money too. Though, once the sale on my house in California goes through,I could buy a house here. Something like this, maybe. It’s big enough for me and the kids, and I really do like it.

“You ready?” he asks as I stare out the kitchen window into the back yard. There’s a wooden fence lined with trees that block any neighbors that may be back there.

“Yeah, I’m good.” We head out to my car. “I’m selling my house in California.”

“You going to buy something out here?”

“I don’t know yet. I’m thinking about it, but I’m trying to figure out what’s going on with Leslie first. She can’t figure out where she wants to settle, and I’d hate to buy a house here if she goes somewhere else.”