Page 77 of Severed Heart (The Ravenhood Legacy #2)

“I knew you would,” I say, slowing to a stop at the foot of the house.

The newly installed porch light illuminating a good portion of the single-story white farmhouse with light blue shutters.

The porch—also newly rebuilt—houses a single step to the door and is painted the same shade of blue.

Long planter boxes sit bolted beneath the windows facing us.

To the right of the light blue front door sits a large window, which gives a view of a spacious living room.

To the left of the door sits a slightly smaller bedroom window outlined by the same classic shutters.

The totality of the interior currently lit with newly installed ceiling fans and updated light fixtures.

“I love it.” She claps. “We get to stay here tonight?”

“Yeah, we do,” I say, dipping into my jeans pocket and pulling out the key.

“Oh!” she exclaims, eyes lighting as she grabs it and springs from the truck straight to the porch. Easing out of the seat to follow her, I’m at her back by the time she opens it. The smell of fresh paint hits us both as she takes it in. Each one painted in varying shades of light and dark blue.

“Tyler,” she admonishes as she walks in, stops at the hall, and does a one-eighty to stare into the kitchen before walking back to where I stand in the empty living room.

“This house is so beautiful, but,” she laughs nervously, “there is no furniture here.”

“Well, that’s because the owner hasn’t furnished it yet.”

“Oh, but ... where will we sleep?”

“Let’s ask the owner?” I give her a pointed look.

“Okay,” she stalls, weighing my expression before it starts to sink in. “Wait, what is this, Soldier?”

“ This is your house , Delphine,” I whisper. “So you wake up every day smiling.”

She jerks back a few feet before scanning the kitchen with the newly installed baby blue old-school Frigidaire, matching new gas stove, and other appliances.

Whipping her head in every direction, her gorgeous silver eyes dart to an old-fashioned iron wood stove fireplace, to the large living room window, which gives the best imaginable view of the orchard—a view she hasn’t yet seen, hence the reason for our trip.

I wanted to see her wake up to it. That is if she accepts the house.

“Soldier, you’re joking,” she says, her eyes shimmering with tears.

“I’m not joking,” I tell her. “It’s yours.”

“No!” she booms. “No, it’s really ... mine? This house is mine ?”

“You kicked the bottle,” I tell her, “so you get to live the dream.”

“Tyler,” she exhales so harshly, I know there’s no breath left in her, “you are my best friend, but if you are bullshitting to me, I will kick your balls so fucking hard .”

“Well shit,” I chuckle, “I was hoping to room with you for a while, but now I’m just scared.”

“This is really my house, and you will live here too?” She searches my face frantically.

“Well, when you put it like that, I was hoping to. I can’t handle living in that townhouse a day longer, and I thought I’d room with you for a while anyway to be your sober companion.”

“Oh,” she says, lowering her eyes. “I would love that so much, but, Soldier,” she shakes her head, bewildered. “A whole house ?”

“It’s a tiny house,” I say, “for a tiny general. But it’s got three bedrooms.”

“This can’t be right.” She cups her mouth, her eyes spilling over.

“This can’t be mine!” Her face erupts, and she begins to cry, to rebuke it all as she keeps a hand on her mouth, and I crowd her, knowing these tears are utter happiness.

“No.” She pushes my chest again and again as I watch her unravel in front of me.

“It’s your dream, Delphine. I saw it the minute we drove here before you even spoke a word. You deserve it, and I want you to have it.”

She sniffles, keeping her mouth covered, her lashes soaked. “Tyler, who did this house belong to?”

“To me,” I tell her honestly. “It was my granddad’s starter home and came with the land I inherited.

“Then it’s yours,” she says, holding out the key.

“I don’t want to live alone out here.” I bulge my eyes. “Who will protect me from the crickets?”

“Shut the fuck up!” she bursts into a heap of emotion again, crying as she turns in circles again and again.

“You shut the fuck up,” I chuckle as she melts onto the refinished hardwoods and cries for solid minutes, slumped in an adorable weepy heap, her legs in a V on the floor as I crouch down and grin at her. “This is not very general of you.”

“Oh, Soldier, I don’t care, I can die now. This can’t be real life.”

Her reaction makes the aches worth it, every single one. “You haven’t seen the rest of the house yet.”

“I don’t care,” she says before her eyes bulge. “I mean, I do, of course, but I don’t. I’m so happy. I don’t care if the rest is a shack. These two rooms alone. So beautiful.” She palms my jaw. “You painted it blue for me ? You did all this for me?”

“I started renovations when I got back at the beginning of summer. But if I’m completely honest, I always had you in mind to live here. It made choosing the paint easy. In my mind, this has always been your house, Delphine. I’ve always pictured you living here. Even back then.”

“Tyler,” she palms her heart. “This is all I have ever wanted. To live on land so beautiful,” she sniffs as I pull her up from the floor, “but I did not earn this .”

“There are about three dozen soldiers or more who owe their lives to you that would say otherwise,” I tell her.

“What? What do you mean?” she asks.

“I’ll tell you another time.” I pause a beat as she shakes her head, bewildered. “So, you don’t think you’ll have an issue moving?”

“Moving here? Are you fucking joking?” She palms my chest. “I know what you mean,” she taps her finger to her head, “mentally, and the answer is no. No issue. I told your mother yesterday I want out of that fucking house. And knowing I can live here with my soldier, I don’t ever want to go back,” she states emphatically.

“Then you never have to go back,” I say as her sentiment sets my chest pumping. “I’ll get your stuff boxed and here for you tomorrow.”

“No, no, leave it. I don’t want a single part of my past to touch my future. I will get what I have to from it later.” She lifts her chin. “I will make this all new. A new life, Tyler.” Her eyes sparkle. “My future.”

She brings her watery gaze to mine, gripping my hands, hers shaking. “Soldier, this is the best day of my life, and you gave it to me.”

“No, it’s not ,” I tell her as she beams at me. “I promise you it’s not.”