58. THE ONE WITHOUT HILDA #2
West’s eyebrows draw together before he makes the connection. “She’s selling the house?” I’ve never said Hilda was the owner, but I assumed it goes without saying.
“Well, kinda?” I nibble on the inside of my lip.
“She wanted to give it to me, but I told her that’s fucking insane.
This place, even unrenovated, is worth well over half a million dollars.
” Hilda invested the money her parents left her when they passed and was able to retire ten years earlier than expected from teaching.
The home here wouldn’t make or break her even if she did give it away, but it is the home she grew up in—a place near and dear to her heart.
I’ve never considered buying it, never imagined Hilda would sell, let alone leave Salem.
“We agreed on a price way, way below market, but it would at least pay for her move and the closing costs on this house and whatever she buys in Savannah.” She told me to think about it and let her know next week what I decide.
“I know you just signed a lease with Enzo, and we’ve only been dating officially for like two months, but I was wondering if maybe you wanted to go in on it with me?
” The way I ask makes it sound like I’m asking him to be my business partner, so I panic and keep talking.
“I’m thinking it would be nice to have a place of our own without sharing walls.
” I laugh a tight sound, thinking of all the sex I know Hilda’s heard us have.
Even if we’re quiet, it’s an old house without much separating my bedroom floor from Hilda’s kitchen. I’m convinced that might have something to do with her move too… She’s used to me being the quietest neighbor.
“We could have it renovated this summer while you’re on tour, return it back to a single-family home. I have some cool ideas, and we should probably have someone look into the plumbing. The house was built in the late 1800s, and I’m not—”
I hadn’t realized West was moving until he’s already on the bed. He hauls me against him, kissing me for what might be a few seconds, but could have been hours. I lose track of time and have no idea who pulls away first, but when we do, I’m straddling his lap with my fingers tangled in his hair.
West nods, his hands gently keeping me seated on his lap. “Yes. Absolutely. I don’t care how much it is. Yes.”
I smile, sliding my hands up his arms, resting them on his shoulders. “You wanna buy a house with me, Hotshot?”
His lopsided dimpled smile makes me melt. Fuck, I love this man. I love everything about him, and I can’t picture what my life might look like if I hadn’t let Frankie drag me to his show.
“Joey baby, I wanna do so much more than buy a house with you.” His eyes drop to his jersey again, and one of his hands leaves my hip to run a finger over a small hole in the right sleeve.
I make a mental note to ask him how it got there later, but am sure to forget when his piercing blue gaze returns to mine.
“And seeing you in white, knowing my last name’s branding your back…
” West hums, and I feel his approval pressing between my spread legs. “It’s giving me ideas.”
I sink lower, a drunk, euphoric response rushing my bloodstream. “Oh yeah?” I shiver. “Care to share?”
West doesn’t miss a beat. “Joey Isakson has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?”
I’m the one to kiss him this time, because how do I tell him I’ve already practiced what my new signature will look like after we’re married at a time like this?
We spend the next two days snowed in, planning our future together. We have dinner with Hilda on the second night, and she cries when we tell her we’re going to buy the house together.
Enzo suggests I stay in their apartment during the renovations, worrying it might not be healthy for me and Grim while it’s being gutted.
He’s going to go on tour with West one more time, training Kell to take over the title of West Parker’s Manager before he goes back to London and his cyber security job.
Kell reminds us he likes a room where the sunrise wakes him up and that guest rooms should always be on the first floor.
When I call Frankie, she says, “at this rate, you’ll be pregnant by the end of the year. I better up my online bets,” and then tells me how much she loves me, followed by, “told you so.”
Melanie and Ben congratulate us, but Mel’s more concerned about whether or not it will be ready before the trip they have planned for Halloween.
We decide to keep the news from our fans… At least for now. With as open as we are, this feels like the first time we can have something that’s just ours, and we don’t have to share it with the world right away.
After a long night of telling everyone we love our big news, we open a bottle of wine and slow dance in the kitchen with the vision of the one we’ve talked about fresh in our minds.
For the first time in my life, I’m not afraid of the unknowns ahead. I’m not scared to love someone so much it hurts, because I know that no matter what, I’ll have someone who loves me in the quiet, even when I’m not around to see it.
THE END.