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22

Liam

I sighed, exhausted. This was the fourth house of the day, and that wasn’t including the six we’d looked at yesterday or the ten we’d gone to see last weekend. I was starting to lose hope that we would ever find the home of our dreams.

“I’m so sorry to keep dragging you out to these houses,” I told Ridley.

He laughed. “It’s literally my job. Trust me, I don’t mind. Besides, how often can I bring my dog to work? And playing with a baby too? This is the best!” He passed Pepper back to Jared, and he tucked her into her car seat.

Jared had been worried that I would find it weird that his ex was our real estate agent, but it really wasn’t. Not only did I genuinely like Ridley—we’d even had a viewing party for the season finale of Lonely Alpha, where Leo Schuster got the shaft from both Clark and Marty, the last remaining omegas, just like our fan chat wanted—but I also trusted that he knew us better than another agent would. He could easily look at a listing and rule it out immediately if it wasn’t a good fit for us or for Lulabelle. He was just as invested in us finding our home as we were. He would never try to sell us something unworthy .

“I have one more to show you and…” Ridley pinched his lips together before he could finish the sentence, but he couldn’t hide the excited gleam in the eye.

Jared narrowed his eyes at him. “Just spit it out. You know there’s no point in trying to hide anything from us.”

Ridley did a little shimmy. “Let’s just say, I saved the best for last.” Refusing to say any more, he climbed into the back of my car so he could play with Pepper, and Lulabella eagerly hopped into the other side. Where Pepper went, so did Lula. It was so stinking adorable.

I shared a long look with Jared. “One more?” I asked.

“One more,” he agreed, kissing my temple.

Every house we’d looked at had been acceptable. They were all the right specs on paper. The right size, fenced yards, close enough to downtown but not right in it. But each and every time, Jared and I had been in total agreement—they weren’t the one.

There was no hurry, I told myself as I followed Ridley’s directions to the final house on the list. We were happy enough in our apartment. Pepper wasn’t even crawling yet, and even if we never moved, we would make do. But… I’d always been a dreamer. I wanted a house like Pops had, with history steeped into its bones, somewhere not just to live but to thrive. And Jared, well, putting down roots was fundamental for him. It meant stability, a future he could count on, and I wanted that for him.

Ridley leaned between the seats and pointed at a bungalow. “It’s just up here on the right, number 79.”

I pulled up along the curb, peeking through the dense trees to get a look at the house. I couldn’t see much from here, but there was an inviting brick sidewalk that cut between two large blue spruce trees, their boughs trimmed to create an archway over the path. It was cozy, and I was already halfway in love .

We piled out of the car, and I swore there was an electric anticipation in the air that left my skin tingling. I tried not to let myself hope, but the thought was already there, waiting in the wings. This is the one .

I took Lulabelle’s leash while Jared tied Pepper into a wrap across his chest since she’d decided it was naptime, then we followed Ridley through the archway. He was busy outlining a few of the neighborhood’s features, but I was barely listening. I was too busy drinking in the house as it came into view.

There were huge ferns in the front garden beneath a bay window, and through the glass, I caught a glimpse of what was probably the living room. Was that a fireplace?

“There’s a great school just a ten-minute walk down the street, and right next door to the school is a community center, with a playground, a baseball diamond, and in the winter, a skating rink.”

“Really?” I asked dreamily, as I pictured us sitting on the sidelines of Pepper’s soccer games or pushing her on the swing set.

Ridley gave me a sly smile. “Yep. And there’s a public pool in the other direction.” Unlike the other houses we’d looked at where the key was kept in a lockbox at the door, this time Ridley reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys, unlocking the front door. “After you,” he said, sweeping out his arm.

My breath caught in my throat as I stepped into the entryway and was greeted by honey-colored hardwood floors that creaked under my feet. The walls were plaster, with a simple crown molding, and I swore the air smelled like decades of baking.

“It’s beautiful,” I said, keeping my voice at a whisper, but not just because Pepper was sleeping. The house itself felt like it was slumbering, just waiting for its new owners to make it a home.

The house wasn’t new, built back in the late 60s, and that was one of its best features, in my opinion. The houses in the new neighborhoods that had been popping up in the city’s suburbs were nice enough, but this one… it had a soul. I could feel it.

The open living room/dining room was to the left, but I turned and headed down the hall to the right toward the bedrooms. The master bedroom was lit with muted light, shaded from the giant trees in the front of the house, and there was an en suite bathroom. I could already see where we would put the bed, the dressers, the bookshelves.

At the next room, I paused in the doorway, breathing in a deep, shuddery breath. “This would be Pepper’s room.”

Jared came to stand beside me, rocking side to side and rubbing his palm over Pepper’s back. “Look up,” he said.

I did and found myself grinning and reaching for Jared’s hand. Someone had painted big puffy clouds on the ceiling, floating across a blue sky. It was like it was meant to be.

“Let’s put in an offer,” I said.

Ridley chuckled. “But you haven’t even seen the kitchen.”

“Fair enough. Let’s go see the kitchen.”

We passed another bedroom and a bathroom, but I barely gave them a glance. In my mind, it was a done deal.

I knew even before we got to the kitchen that it would be perfect, and sure enough, it was. A skylight had been added as a recent addiction, and the room was flooded with natural light. There were lots of cupboards and counterspace, with relatively new appliances that Ridley told us came with the house.

And through the back window, I saw the huge yard, a perfect place for Lulabelle. I looked down at her, sitting at my feet. “What do you think, girl?” She wagged her tail in reply.

Someone had loved this house and taken good care of it. Updates had been put in here and there, making it even more comfortable .

“Can we afford it?” Jared asked Ridley, bracing himself for the worst news. He was squeezing my hand just as hard as I was his.

Ridley smiled as he pulled a clipped stack of papers out of his messenger bag. “I wouldn’t have shown you the house if you couldn’t.” He passed the paperwork over to us, and we looked at the amount.

I rubbed my eyes, making sure I wasn’t seeing things. “What’s wrong with it?” There had to be some major flaw for the price to be so cheap. Although, this would just as likely turn into a bidding war and end up at twice the price.

Ridley, though, was shaking his head, that same mysterious smile on his face. “I promise there is nothing wrong with the house, beyond a few creaks, maybe some dents and dings. The owner is a friend of the family, and after his husband died, he’s decided it’s time to move into an assisted living facility. He doesn’t care about the money. He told me it was more important to him that the house went to a new family just started out. They raised two children in this house, and he just wants to know that the rooms will be filled with laughter for years to come.”

This all felt too good to be true.

“I’ll give you guys a few minutes to talk it over.” Ridley headed out of the kitchen and left us alone.

I didn’t even realize I was crying until Jared brushed the tears from my cheeks. “Hey, it’s okay. If you don’t want the house, we can keep looking.”

That made me laugh, and I pulled my sleeve down to wipe my face. “These are happy tears, silly. Of course I want this house! It was made for us.”

“Thank gods,” he said, grinning. “Because I love the house too. ”

He cupped my face and leaned in so he could kiss me softly over Pepper’s head. Our daughter sighed in her sleep, and I took that as a good sign. “This feels right. Let’s sign the paperwork.”

I nodded. “Okay.” We took turns penning our names to the form, setting our future in motion.

So much had happened over the past year, it was enough to make my head spin. I thought it had been a big dream to open my café and bakery, but here I was a father, about to be a new homeowner. There was just one last title I was hoping for…

Jared was looking out the window. He was still rocking, in the rhythm that seemed to come naturally to him to keep our daughter calm. He did it without even thinking, which made me know he was the right one for me.

“Jared?”

“Hm?” He turned to look at me, the sunlight gilding his features and making him look almost angelic.

“Will you marry me?”

I hadn’t planned on asking today, so the ring I’d bought was still tucked in my sock drawer at home, but then Jared beamed at me. “That depends,” he said and reached into his pocket, pulling out a small box. “Will you marry me too?”

Crying, I fell into his arms, mindful of the baby between us just beginning to stir. “I love you so much,” I said, frantic to get as many kisses as I could before I had to feed Pepper—or before Ridley kicked us out.

“I love you too,” Jared said, resting his forehead on mine, sharing a breath in our new home. “You’re my forever.”

Too soon, it was time to leave, but we knew it wouldn’t be long before we got to move into our new home. Lula was straining the leash as she tried to sniff every tree on the way back to the car, and she peed right in the middle of the yard, marking her new territory. I guess that meant it got her seal of approval.

“Can we give you a ride back?” I asked Ridley when he didn’t follow us back to the car.

He smiled, blushing a little. “Thank you for the offer, but… I have a ride.” He nodded over to where a black car was waiting. As we stood there, the door popped open, and a man stepped out, waving.

“Is that Dr. Mayle?” Jared asked, confused to see the vet outside of his clinic. Lulabelle plunked herself down behind my legs, hoping her doctor wouldn’t see her.

“Yeah. Beck is taking me out to dinner.” Ridley’s blush deepened. “If you’ll excuse me.” He walked over to meet Dr. Mayle and greeted him with a PG-13 kiss.

I wrapped an arm around Jared’s waist, and he pulled me close, kissing the top of my head. “Aww, they make a good couple, don’t you think?”

“I do,” he agreed.

I wondered how long it would be before we could say those words too.

YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED…

CreamyJoe: After much discussion, Muffin and I have decided to extend an invitation to you all for our wedding.

MuffinTop: But please, don’t feel like you have to come. Seriously. Don’t come.

RimJobbins: Hells yeah! Clothing optional, right ?

MuffinTop: Never mind, we take it back. We were just kidding. You’re uninvited.

Dripdrip69: 2 late. We R allllll coming

RainbowRob: Yassss!

BJz4days: Woot!!!!

BottomsUp: It’s only fair since we’re the reason you’re together in the first place.

CreamyJoe: I wouldn’t go that far.

BananaSunday: FYI I’m bringing a film crew.

CreamyJoe: What have I done? *face-palm emoji*