46. Zander
46
ZANDER
“What do you think?” I ask Rose, although I already know her answer.
We’re looking at the third property for our dream house. But this one, too, doesn’t feel right.
“I don’t know. It doesn’t have that thing ,” Rose says apologetically. Her lips are pinched together as if it’s her fault that we’re not finding the right place.
I pull her closer to me. “I know. I feel it too.” My gaze slides to the house and then to Rose, and it fucking twists my nerves to watch the excitement in her eyes dying.
We walk to where our car is parked and the realtor is waiting for us.
“This isn’t it, Henry.”
“Zander, you wanted a house with a view of the hills, in the woods, and close to the lake and city.” Henry waves his hands around, showing me all those things. “This has everything. What’s the problem? Is it the price?” He’s been patient with us so far, and he’s right. This property has everything, as per our wishes on paper, but it’s still missing…that thing , as Rose said.
“No, the price is fine. It’s just… It’s missing something.” Ho w do I explain that to him? “Do you have anything else around here? I like the area. What do you say, Rose?”
“Yeah, the location is good. Even though it’s on the outskirts, it’s well connected to the town. The commute to work is good. It’s close to Kristy’s place. It’s just this property itself. It’s not us.” She tilts her head to the side and chews on her lip. Her chin dips into her chest, and my skin itches to bring a smile back to her face.
“Okay, okay. That’s good.” Henry scrolls on his iPad, regaining some of his lost excitement. “I have something. It’s more into the woods, secluded from everything. We’re advertising it as a hermit’s paradise.” He chuckles. “Maybe it speaks cozy and romantic to you.”
We agree to see it, splitting off to our vehicles, and after getting into my car, we follow Henry’s BMW.
“Wow, what’s that?” Rose points to something in the distance as I slowly traverse my car on the rickety road. I follow her finger and see an unkempt, old cabin hidden behind the trees. I stop, and she dashes out of the car before I’ve even properly parked. With hurried steps, she walks toward the house, and I run to catch up with her. “Do you think someone lives here?” she asks as we stand outside the rustic, old place.
“I don’t think so. It looks pretty cold and empty.” I try to peek in through the glass windows. I hope no one’s inside. I have no intention of being caught trespassing on someone’s property.
“What do you think?” Rose points to the small house.
“Babe, we don’t know if it’s available. Heck, we don’t even know if it’s up for sale.”
Before I can give her a hundred more reasons why this place might not be right for us, my phone rings.
“Zander, where are you guys? Weren’t you following me?” Henry asks.
“Sorry, we got a bit sidetracked. ”
Rose shifts beside me. I place my free hand over her shoulders, and she looks at the cabin with deep longing. I can see in her eyes that this is it. This is what we’re looking for.
“There’s a wooden cabin some hundred meters away from the property we just saw,” I tell Henry. “Do you know about it?”
“You mean the Jacobsens’ cabin? Yeah, it’s been sitting with us for fourteen months. We’ve had no bites on it.”
“Does that mean we can see it?” My pulse speeds up, and Rose turns in my arms, her blue eyes gleaming with excitement.
“Um, you want to see that place? Isn’t it too small for what you want? It’s only got three bedrooms. It’s more like a big summer cabin.”
“Yeah, I see that, but Rose likes it. We like it. Can you show it to us?”
“Okay, give me ten minutes, and I’ll join you guys. Meanwhile, feel free to look around.” He pauses for a moment and then adds, “Zander, ask Rose to walk around the house. Maybe you guys have found what you’re looking for.” With a chuckle, Henry ends the call.
“What did he say?” Rose holds her breath, clutching my hand tight. Her smile is wide, her excited blue eyes focused on me. And I know this is her dream house.
Our safest place in the world.
“That we should walk around.” I lead her to the back of the cabin.
“Holy shit!” The back view just sealed the deal.
Rose squeals, bouncing from foot to foot. “Is that a creek?”
There is indeed a wide creek flowing through the back of the house. I can picture us—me and Rose—huddled by the large window, just staring at the water and the woods.
“I love it. It’s old and rusty, maybe a bit broken.” I turn around, examining the house .
“But nothing that can’t be healed with some love. Like us, Zander. It’s us.” She puts her arms around my waist and gazes lovingly at the house.
When we hear the growling of Henry’s car engine, we join him in the front.
“So, lovebirds, you found your perfect place?” He has a triumphant smile on his face for the first time today.
I nod. “We definitely like it, even though it’s smaller than what I had in mind.” I wanted to have more open space around us.
I had some plans of my own to surprise my girl.
“Why don’t you buy the next piece of land?” Henry puts on his sunglasses after waving them toward the open ground.
“It’s available?”
He nods.
“That would be perfect. What do you say, Rose? Can you see us living here?”
“I love it.” She beams at me, her blue eyes shining brighter than the fucking sun itself.
“You guys haven’t even seen the inside.” Henry chuckles. “And I’m not saying this to sell you the property, because I see you’re already buying it,” he says with a wide grin. “But the Jacobsens did a great job with the aesthetics. You can feel the soul of this place. At least that’s what Mrs. Jacobsen told me on my first visit.”
Henry turns the doorknob, and Rose and I walk hand in hand into our paradise.
This cabin does have a soul. The entrance opens into a huge sitting area. The tall windows overlook the forest and the creek from three directions. The rustic fireplace is hidden under a stone overlay. There’s an open-style kitchen facing the living room. Henry leads us past everything and into the huge library.
Rose gasps in surprise. “Wow, it’s an unusually large room for a library. ”
“Should be an easy remodel into whatever you’d like,” Henry says. “Maybe an office space with a sitting nook.” He’s already started planning, throwing ideas around as we explore the house more. “This is the guest bedroom and the main bedroom is upstairs.”
We climb up the wooden stairs, and Rose’s hand glides over the smooth pine banister. She looks around the place and then at me. Watching the twinkling in her eyes, my heart bursts, ready to rip out of my fucking chest with joy.
I notice the rooms on either side of the landing as I stand behind Rose and Henry.
“This is the main bedroom, and this can be a kids’ bedroom.” Henry excitedly turns around.
But it’s Rose’s response that takes me by surprise. She stiffens in front of me.
She fucking stiffens.
Her hand drifts to the cuffs of her shirt as she starts tugging on it.
What the fuck happened in the last ten seconds? I thought she was swooned by the house, already imagining us living here, like I was. How did mention of a kids’ room make her anxious?
“You don’t like it?” Henry picks up on the shift in our mood.
“We like it. It’s perfect actually,” I reply while casually running my hands over Rose’s tight shoulders in an attempt to calm her down. I don’t want her to have a meltdown or for her first memory in this house to be of a panic attack. “We need two guest bedrooms for my brothers when they visit.”
Henry’s eyebrows crinkle in confusion. But he composes fast and nods in understanding. “You can remodel the house however you like.”
Rose slowly loosens up, leaning against me as if a giant weight has been lifted off her.
Is she so wary about our wedding and future ?
“Do you want to see the adjoining patch of land?” Henry asks.
I nod, even though my excitement has dampened.
Why is she so hesitant when I’m all in?
Once we’re outside, Rose is excited again. She asks me if we can build a backyard patio facing the creek, if we can have a fountain, and all those other over-the-top ideas she has in her folder.
As the sun sets, we decide to go under contract. Henry leaves happy while we stay on the property for a little longer.
“You like it, right?” Rose looks over her shoulder at me from where we both are settled on the grass, looking at the reflection of stars dancing on the water.
“I love it. When I first saw this creek, I imagined us sitting here.” I place a kiss on her hair and pull her closer as the excitement of the day finally calms down.
“Me too. Everything about this place is like a dream and more. I can’t believe we found our perfect place, Zander.” She peers behind me to the house. “I can see us hosting dinners for your brothers and Kristy. The living room space is perfect for a family gathering.” Her eyes shine with excitement as she talks a mile a minute.
“You’re looking forward to hosting parties?” I ask, surprised, and her wide gaze travels to me for a second before she looks away. “Couch girl?” I bring her attention back to me with my finger under her chin.
“Um, I don’t know. Maybe.” She shrugs. When I raise an eyebrow at her, she whispers, “Oscar’s gram once invited us to their large family Christmas party, and I wondered how it would be to host a gathering of my own.” She looks up at me from under her eyebrows. “Is it crazy?”
How could this be crazy?
Isn’t this what I always wanted? My family all together.
“Why would it be crazy, babe? It’s beautiful, like you. You making plans for the future, which includes my family and our friends, is the most wonderful thing. It means we’re moving forward.”
“Now your brothers are my family too. I’m no longer alone. I want to celebrate every moment with you in our home.” Her twinkling gaze moves around.
“And that’s the best thing I’ve ever heard.” I hug her tight, her words washing away all the anxiety and insecurity from earlier. I’ve been worried about nothing.