Page 74 of Bring me Back

I swung the door open after composing myself a little and found her there, all dressed up, looking… different.

Different good. Refined, but still very Hallie. She was wearing a black dress that flared on her hips. Tiny silver spikes adorned each shoulder like the badass she was. Legs for days, black boots. It was getting pathetic how much I salivated over Hallie. She was so fucking beautiful and unexpected.

“Can I come in?”

Like a moron, I was standing there, gawking at her. But the request took me from my stupor. I grabbed her by the waist before she could even step in, taking her mouth in mine.

“Hi.” I breathed her in.

“Hi,” she replied with a little tint on her cheeks.

I closed the door quickly and released her. She took the first steps around my house, taking it in and, for some reason, I held my breath. The house had good bones, great, spacious rooms and plenty of windows. But when Kelly left, she took the personality with her. Everything pretty was hers, and once she moved all her belongings, I realized my house was nothing but a shell.

Now it was becoming a home once again. The garage was turned into a workshop for my projects and every piece of furniture in the house I made with my own hands.

I watched as Hallie’s fingertips danced over the hall table. It looked rough, like tree bark itself, but soft to the touch.

“This is gorgeous,” she whispered, reverent.

“Thank you.”

She glanced back at me, and I could see the second she realized it wasn’t just my good taste that brought the table here.

“Oh Dan…”

Hallie touched the hall table once more. It was almost erotic the soft way she let her fingers wander. I chuckled, taking her elbow and stirring her away.

“There’s plenty to see yet, Cricket, come on.”

She looked one last time, then faced me with a little smile. Taking me by surprise, she rose on her tiptoes and kissed the side of my mouth. “I love your house.”

“You only have seen the hall,” I argued.

“It’s the best hall I’ve ever seen.”

I shook my head. “Come on. I’m supposed to feed you, right?”

I moved down to the kitchen, the place I was really proud of. I shamelessly watched her as we turned, the sturdy banister that opened to the kitchen, in which the central focus was my most beloved piece: A big mahogany table with six sturdy chairs around it.

I always wanted a table like that, wood worked in a way to enhance its own design, but Kelly always preferred things with a modern touch. When I was alone in my empty house, I started to work on that table every second of my spare time.

At first it was just to fill up my days, before I even went to Helen and asked if she wanted help. But soon, I realized it was important for me to finish it. It was supposed to mean something. When I finished and put it in its place, I felt somewhat underwhelmed.

As Hallie’s hand found her mouth and her eyes widened, I knew I meant to make that table for her. It was ridiculous to think that, and definitely far too romantic for me. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that Hallie Delos Santos was the only one who really could appreciate what I had done.

Something clicked for me right there.

“This is incredible.” She twirled around, eyeing the kitchen cabinets too. “Is it all you?”

I nodded as I leaned on the banister, arms crossed over my chest.

“Show me more.” She demanded.

“I made lasagna. Don’t you want to eat first?”

“No.”

I held my smile, nodding towards the backdoor, “All right, Cricket. Let’s go.”

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