CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
jake
“I think this might be the one,” Kate whispers, trying to keep our realtor, Danica, from hearing.
It didn’t take me long to figure out that Danica can smell blood in the water from miles away.
I made one vague comment about liking the first house we saw earlier this week: Danica was halfway done writing up a draft purchase offer by the time Kate and I finished touring the second floor.
I squeeze Kate’s hand, letting her know I feel the same way.
Over the past week, we’ve seen at least a dozen homes, and none have hit the mark.
Until this one. They’ve all been too ostentatious, the wrong neighborhood, a weird floor plan, or had an unusual odor.
Danica swore it was merely from the cleaners, not a rotting, dead animal, which is what it smelled like.
As soon as Danica walks down the stairs, giving us a much-needed minute of privacy, I pull Kate into one of the bedrooms. “What do you think? Should we make an offer?” I ask, holding both Kate’s hands and staring into her gorgeous eyes.
She bites her lower lip, averting her gaze from me for a moment. “It’s a lot of money, Jake.”
“Don’t worry about that. I can afford it. Now, answer the question. Can you see us living here?” I pause for a second, internally debating whether to ask the next part. Fuck it. I’m doing it. “Can you see our kids living here with us?”
Her breath hitches, and tears fill her eyes.
She doesn’t have to say a word for me to know her answer.
This is the one. The home we’ll make outside of Nashville for at least the next five years or longer, until it’s time for our kids to eventually go to school.
Once that happens, we both decided we want a single home for our family.
The only exception being a vacation home, which I pointed out to Kate was a reality I’d like to make happen sooner rather than later.
“Yes,” she replies confidently.
“Then let’s make Danica happy and put an offer on this place. One the owner won’t refuse.” I wrap my arms around Kate and hug her tightly.
Less than twenty-four hours later, Kate and I are cozied up in a private dining room at our favorite Italian restaurant in Chicago.
Since my work on the album is done, my schedule is slightly more flexible, allowing me to stay with Kate except when I have to head out on tour.
As much as I’d love to have Kate on the road with me this weekend, we’ve decided to give it a couple of weeks before she joins me again to allow the drama to subside.
Anna has already worked her magic to get the woman in the photos to make a statement confirming that nothing happened between her and me, adding that she went home with another member of the band.
Fucking Jimmy strikes again. Alex has instituted a new policy about who is allowed backstage after the concert, and Jimmy is far from happy about it.
My phone vibrates with an incoming call from Danica.
“Answer it,” Kate says nervously. “Maybe she has an update on the house.”
I answer the call, placing Danica on speakerphone so we can both hear whatever news she has to share.
“Great news. They’ve accepted your offer. The house is yours,” Danica announces in a jovial tone, one I wasn’t sure she had in her.
“Seriously? Oh my God! Holy shit!” Kate’s hands fly to her mouth, a mixture of excitement and reality sinking in.
“Well, that’s what happens when you make a cash offer above asking.” Danica talks us through the next steps and the quick timeline she’s orchestrated. “You’ll need to get with your interior designer, but I imagine I can have the keys for you in two weeks.”
Kate’s mouth drops open. I might have left out that I asked Danica to speed up the process, wanting to get us a permanent place in the city as fast as possible.
“I’ll let the two of you celebrate and be in touch with next steps,” Danica says, ending the call.
“Oh my God. We’ve got a house. It’s really happening,” Kate says excitedly, widely gesturing with her hands.
I stand, pulling her into my arms. “Yes, we did. Now we’ll have two places to call home.” I lock eyes with her momentarily before sensually kissing her, not caring who can see us. “I can’t wait to spend our first night there together. Christen every single room. Every surface.”
Kate blushes, tilting her head down slightly. “You can’t say that type of stuff in public, Jake. Someone could hear you.”
“Let them. I don’t care who knows how much I love you and how fucking sexy I find you. I want everyone in the world to be jealous that you’re mine. Forever.” I kiss her passionately once again.
Tonight is the start of building something new with Kate. A life in Chicago that involves both of us. Our second home. One of the places we’ll raise our family.
All that’s left is asking her to marry me, and now we’re one step closer to that.