Chapter 48

48

MERRITT

R iding on the back of Kannon’s motorcycle was almost hypnotic as we pulled into the driveway of the house we hoped to call home. Assuming it was as beautiful on the inside as it was on the outside.

I was a little afraid I might have hyped myself up for the dream home. The realtor told us there was no such thing as a dream home and we needed to temper our expectations and prepare to compromise. He also reminded us that Kannon could always make improvements to make it ours.

I tightened my arms around his waist, not ready to let go just yet. But the moment we rolled to a stop, my nerves kicked in. I didn’t think I could handle the disappointment if the house wasn’t what my childhood imagination had cooked up.

Other couples were already milling around the property, stepping out of shiny SUVs and luxury sedans. The women were perfectly polished—designer handbags and not a single strand of hair out of place. I caught a few sideways glances in our direction, their eyes flicking over Kannon’s black leather jacket, my wind-tangled hair, and his bike parked among their pristine vehicles.

My stomach twisted. I could feel the silent judgments, the unspoken questions about whether we belonged here. Maybe we didn’t. What kind of couple shows up to a house viewing on a motorcycle? What kind of couple like us even wants this house?

The neighborhood was all manicured lawns and luxury cars. This was the kind of place where kids were raised with golden retriever puppies and white picket fences. It was the kind of place where whispers and gossip wound their way through the community like a treacherous undercurrent, threatening to pull us under if we weren’t careful. Although I had a feeling we would be the talk of the neighborhood should we live here.

I slid off the bike, smoothing my hair and trying not to shrink under their scrutiny. Kannon turned to me, raising an eyebrow. “You good, Buttercup?”

I forced a smile. “Yep. Totally fine.”

He frowned, stepping closer and tilting my chin up to meet his gaze. “Try again.”

I sighed. “Look at them, Kannon. They don’t think we belong here. And honestly? Maybe they’re right.”

His lips quirked into a smirk but his eyes softened. “You’re out of your damn mind if you think I care about what some Stepford wives think.” He leaned down, brushing his nose against mine. “And you shouldn’t either. We’re buying the house. We’re paying the mortgage. We can do whatever the hell we want. We’re not moving here to make friends with a bunch of snobs. If they don’t like us, that’s their fucking problem. Don’t let them make you feel small.”

“I can’t help it. This is such a big step, and?—”

Before I could finish, he cut me off with a kiss—deep, slow, and unapologetic. I forgot about the other couples, the polished women, and everything else as he reminded me with that kiss exactly why we were here.

When he pulled back, he rested his forehead against mine. “Listen to me. If this house is supposed to be ours, it’ll be ours. If not, something better is waiting. But no way in hell are you going to let a bunch of strangers intimidate you, got it?”

I smiled, my confidence slowly returning. “Got it.”

“Good.” He smacked my ass, making me yelp, and grabbed my hand. “Now come on. Let’s go find out if this is the one.”

The house was even better than the pictures. A blue beauty with white shutters, a wraparound porch, and a massive willow tree in the front yard. I could almost smell the scent of wisteria in the air. I could already imagine us sitting on the porch, watching the seasons change. I would put two white rockers on the corner and have some beautiful potted flowers at the bottom of the steps.

The inside was just as charming—wide-plank wood floors, a fireplace in the living room, and a kitchen that begged for Sunday morning pancakes. Every step we took made me fall a little more in love.

In the master bathroom, I couldn’t help but let my guard down completely. The shower was massive, with sleek glass walls and more than enough space for two. “This shower is ridiculous,” I said, stepping inside and spinning around.

Kannon leaned against the doorframe, grinning. “Plenty of room for activities.”

I rolled my eyes. “Oh, is that so?”

He stepped in, crowding me against the wall. “You know it is.”

Before I could respond, he spun me around, pressing me against the cool tile, his hands on my hips.

“Just checking for size,” he teased, his voice low.

“Kannon!” I hissed, trying to sound scandalized but failing miserably.

The sound of footsteps made both of us freeze and then the door swung open. The realtor stood there, looking utterly unbothered by the scene in front of him.

I straightened so fast I nearly slipped, my face turning neon pink. “We were, uh?—”

“Visualizing,” Kannon said smoothly, his hand still on my hip. “Making sure the house works for us.”

The realtor laughed, shaking his head. “That’s important stuff right there. Take your time.”

I groaned, covering my face with my hands as he left us alone again. Kannon’s deep laugh rumbled behind me. I turned to scowl at him. He smacked my ass in response.

“Not funny,” I said.

“Come on. It’s a little funny.”

“Let’s go see how big the other bedrooms are,” I said.

“Make sure it’s big enough for the brood we’re going to have,” he joked.

“Slow down, big boy.”

By the time we finished the tour, I knew this was it. Every corner of the house felt like it was waiting for us to fill it with memories, to make it ours. Standing in one of the upstairs bedrooms, I turned to Kannon, my heart full. “I want it,” I said softly. “This is the one.”

His eyes met mine, his expression warm and certain. “Then we’ll make it happen.”

“Are you sure?” I asked. “I mean, should we talk about it or look at other houses?”

“You just said it was the one.”

“I know, but I’ve heard of people looking at twenty houses before making an offer.”

He shrugged. “But why when we both know this is the one? You’ve been dreaming about this house since you were young. You’re never going to find another place that makes you this happy. The backyard is perfect. The kitchen is good-sized. Four bedrooms. What’s not to like?”

“What about all the other people checking it out?” I asked. “We might get into a bidding war.”

“We’ll deal with that if and when it happens,” he said. “I’ll find the realtor and talk next steps. I’ll let him know we want to put in an offer.”

“Okay,” I said with a smile.

I walked to the window to look out at the backyard. The grass was dormant now, but soon, it would be lush and green. We could plant flowers and maybe an herb garden.

While Kannon talked to the realtor about making an offer, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out, smiling when I saw Kleo’s name.

Kleo: Still on for lunch after the viewing?

Me: Absolutely. See you in an hour.

I slipped my phone back into my pocket just as Kannon returned, his hand finding the small of my back. “It’s in motion,” he said. “We’ll see what they say.”

I squealed. “I can’t believe we’re doing this.”

Kannon wrapped an arm around my shoulders, pulling me close and pressing a kiss to my temple. “Believe it, Buttercup.” He paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping carefully over every detail in our soon-to-be house. “This is just the beginning.”

As we left the house, the whispers from the other couples picked up. Their eyes were glued on us as we swung our legs onto the bike. But I didn’t care about them anymore, not when I had Kannon with me. We didn’t need their approval or their acceptance. The only thing that mattered was that we had each other and soon we would have our dream house.

I would love the satisfaction of beating them in a bidding war. If I had learned anything over the last couple months, it was that some things were worth fighting for.

We met Kleo at a café downtown, the kind of place that smelled like fresh bread and brewed coffee. Kannon shifted beside me as we walked in, his tension obvious. I squeezed his hand.

“It’s going to be fine,” I said quietly.

He nodded, but his jaw was tight. I couldn’t blame him. Things had been rocky between him and Kleo since Leah’s death, and I knew this was a big step for them both. I was the one that suggested the two of them talk. I didn’t expect them to walk away best friends, but I felt like it was time they both healed one of the last wounds that remained since Leah’s death.

Kleo stood when she saw us, her smile cautious but warm. “Hey.”

“Hey,” Kannon said, his voice low.

I hugged her first, then stepped back to give them space. For a moment, neither of them said anything. I held my breath. But then Kleo’s expression softened, and she reached out, touching his arm.

“I’ve missed you,” she said quietly. “And I’m sorry. For everything.”

Kannon’s shoulders relaxed. “I’m sorry too. It’s good to see you.”

We all sat down. A waitress quickly came to take our orders.

“You look good,” Kleo said.

“That upsets you,” he said it as a fact.

Kleo smiled softly. “A month ago, it probably would have. I did wish for your misery, but not anymore. I’m sorry for that. I should have reached out.”

“I get it,” he said. “You needed space.”

She smiled, a little wobbly. “Thanks for giving it to me. Even when I didn’t deserve it.”

I felt a lump rise in my throat as I watched them. This was what healing looked like—messy, complicated, but worth it.

“We were both struggling,” Kannon said.

“Thank you for being strong enough to let me hate you,” she said quietly. “I was looking for someone to blame and you were there.”

“I beat myself up over it plenty,” Kannon replied. “So I understand.”

Our orders arrived and we picked at our food.

“I don’t want to grieve alone anymore,” she admitted, her voice wavering slightly. “I want to remember Leah together.”

Kannon stared at her for a long moment, then nodded. “I’d like that,” he said. “I’m sure she would have liked that too.”

“Thank you for being so amazing about all of this,” Kleo said to me. “Leah would have liked you. That probably would have made her mad, but I know she would have. I get why you were so sprung on this one.”

Kannon laughed and wrapped an arm around my shoulder. “She’s pretty hard not to love.”

Kleo looked at me, her smile brighter now. “So, how’s house hunting?”

I laughed. “Eventful. But I think we found the one.”

“And if it’s not, we’ll keep looking. We put in an offer.”

“Congratulations!” Kleo said. “Fingers crossed for you guys. I look forward to getting to know you better, Merritt. I hope we can be friends. This guy is a butthead, but I miss him.”

Kannon chuckled again. “And you were always a pain in my ass, but I guess I missed you as well.”