Page 47 of Finding Wonderland

“Just thinking about how I never thought this would happen when we moved here. It’s overwhelming, but in a good way. I think this is the start of our forever. Me, you, and Mason.” Isla smiled. “I need to talk with Mason, if that’s okay.”

“Absolutely, Isla.” Vera joined her on the porch. “Take all the time you two need. Like I said, we can take this slow. I’m not suggesting we need to move in together right now. Just maybe, eventually. If we both still want this when I get this house painted and fixed up.”

Isla ran her hand over the siding that was in definite need of a fresh coat of paint.

“What color do you want to paint it?”

“I was thinking blue.”

“Blue?” Isla laughed. “Okay, yes, you need me in your life to prevent you from painting the house a ridiculous blue color.”

“Hey, I’m pretty good at picking out paint, if I do say so myself.” Vera leaned up against the railing, her eyes still on Isla. “And it won’t be an obnoxious blue. It will be a pretty blue. Like a robin’s egg.”

“That might work.”

“I think it will.”

“I love this house.”

“I do too.”

“And I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

Walking over to the front door, Isla put her hand on the knob as she turned to face Vera.

“Do you have plans for tonight?”

Vera shook her head.

She watched as Isla turned the doorknob and pushed the creaky door open with her hip. Isla nodded her head inside the house as a playful smile spread wide across her face. Vera couldn’t stop her own smile from spreading at the sight.

“Want to show me where our bedroom will be?”

Chapter 17

Isla

1996

After months of fixing up the farmhouse, it was finally move-in day. Isla and Vera had chosen paint colors for every room, put in the hardwood floors themselves, and purchased only enough furniture to make the house feel like a home. It would take them years to get everything exactly how they wanted it, but for now, it was perfect.

Vera put her hands on her hips and sighed as she surveyed the wall of photo frames she’d arranged.

“What do you think?”

“I think it’s perfect.” Coming up behind Vera, Isla wrapped her arms around her waist and rested her head on her shoulder. “I love all the pictures you picked out.”

“Mason helped.”

“I love that even more.”

Isla smiled as she took in the sight of all the pictures. There were some from before they met and some from their last year together. Several pictures of Blake dotted the mismatched frame collage, which warmed Isla’s heart. She knew the years would never dull her pain over losing custody of her eldest daughter, but Isla was proud of the way she’d picked up the broken pieces of her heart and turned them into a mosaic.

Vera leaned her head onto Isla’s head as she squeezed her arms with her cold hands. “Do you think she’s going to be excited about her room?”

“Oh, totally.” Isla kissed her cheek as she spun her around in her arms so they could face each other. “It’s all she’s been talking about for weeks.”

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