“From what you’ve told me, I think this one is really going to hit on all of Georgia’s tastes. Simple, updated, but with a ton of character in the moldings and fixtures,” Helen explained as she worked the lockbox to retrieve the key. “It’s just gone on the market, and I think it’s priced pretty fair, so there’s a good chance it’s going to move fast.”
“And how much property?” I asked as I glanced down at Walter.
“Just over four acres. The backyard is large and well-maintained, but we’ll get to that. I think it’s got a lot of possibility if you’re thinking about more pets.” She smirked and shrugged. “Or maybe some kids?”
I just laughed, not about to discuss my family’s future plans with Helen before discussing it with my wife, but I appreciated the woman’s sentiment. She could tell I wanted to make a home for Georgie that had room for all the possibilities.
Nothing made me happier than making Benny happy, and Walter on a fucking leash beside me made that really fucking apparent.
“And you told the seller about the quick close?”
“Yes. They’re completely on board. If you’re interested and pay a premium,” she said, cocking her head and smiling. Almost everyone got motivated when you paid extra. “They’ll happily close by the end of this week. But, that does mean we really have to make a quick decision.”
I hummed my agreement. I’d know by the end of the tour. Georgie had been laying down plenty of information about what she preferred and what she didn’t while she helped me with my parents’ Hamptons house, and I’d been storing it all up like a fucking library.
As we stepped through the front door, Walter took off and pulled the leash right out of my hand. Straight through the large, open space, he immediately settled in front of the wall-to-wall glass windows at the back and started licking himself. I took that to mean he liked it.
“Isn’t that adorable?” Helen commented, putting a hand to her chest and sighing. Apparently, Walter knew how to lay on the swoon. I, personally, didn’t fucking see it, but what did I know?
“So it’s five bedrooms, open floor plan, as you can see. The kitchen is huge, maybe a little overdone for the rest of the house, but it’s beautiful. Antique white cabinets and fresh quartz counters.”
She spoke, and I listened as I walked, scanning the space and immediately picturing us living there. Everything reeked of Georgie, from the dark wood floors, to the serene blue-gray on the walls, and when the kitchen came into view, it hit me. She and me and little blue-eyed babies carefully perched on the edge of the counter. I could see spilled milk and lazy Sundays and more goddamn happiness than my chest could contain.
“The floor is—”
“This is it,” I cut in, knowing I’d spend some of the best years of my life here.
“Don’t you want to see the bedrooms? And the basement? And the backyard?” Helen asked rapid-fire.
“Sure,” I said, because I knew I shouldn’t buy a house I hadn’t even seen in its entirety, but this was it. I knew it on a cellular level.
This. This was the home my wife would love and had never once asked for. All the things I’d ever hoped to find in a woman lived in her. When she looked at me, she didn’t see anything other than love and her one true match—and maybe a big dick.
“Why don’t you go ahead and call the seller while we walk the rest?”
“But what if you see something you don’t like?” Helen asked.
With a gentle hand at her elbow, I tried to convey just how sure I was. “Helen, the only thing that’s gonna stop me from buying this house is a body in the basement. And even then, I might overlook it if they can give me a good reason.”
“Okay, Walt. You have to stay in the car for this one.”
A hiss and swipe of his claw.
“I get it. I know you know where we are. I’m not really sure how you know because you’re a cat, but I know you know.”
He let loose with a suspicious, mewling meow.
“After the way things went when we picked you up, they’ve forbidden you to come back in there. But I promise, everyone is going to be really happy when I come back out.” He seemed somewhat placated. “Well, probably everyone but me,” I added, which turned his kitty expression into satisfaction.
“Right,” I said to him and myself, and hoped that, one day, I’d either stop talking to my cat or stop feeling so ridiculous about it.
I shut the car door with a slam and walked up to the building, the bell over the door ringing as I stepped inside.
The receptionist looked up from her paperwork with a smile, ready to greet me, but when she saw who it was, the smile melted right off of her face.