Page 121 of Where We Fall

The other night, we went over to Grace and Matt’s for dinner. Their daughters Layla and Addy were two balls of energy. I thought Marcus was only good with his niece and nephew because they were his family.

I found out he’s just good with kids in general. He sat with the girls and let them play dress up with him. He made them burst out in a fit of laughter.

I couldn’t help but picture him with our kids. It made me realize how ready I am to start my own family soon. Marcus and I have a lot to do to settle into our new lives; he hasn’t even proposed to me, but I could see it all so clearly.

He’s it for me. I’ll always look back on my time in Cleveland as a pivotal point of my life. It’s where I grew, learned to be myself, but most importantly, it’s where we fell in love.

Marcus is strangely quiet as he takes us out of the city, winding through back roads.

I try not to ask any questions since I don’t want to spoil whatever my surprise might be.

As we continue through the neighborhoods, I notice the houses getting bigger and bigger. Until we suddenly pull into the driveway of a home I’ve never been to before.

It’s huge with a gorgeous white stone exterior. The landscaping is impeccable and gives off a chic European vibe.

“Where are we?” I ask.

He gets out of the car and walks over to my side to open my door. He leads us to the front door, where he types in a code on the lockbox.

“Marcus?” I ask wearily. “Did you buy this house?”

He smiles as he opens the front door. “Of course not.” We walk into a foyer I could have only ever dreamed of owning. The dark wooden floors expand beyond the entrance, while the two side entryway stairs make the room feel massive. “I need your permission first before I put in an offer.”

“Marcus, this place is too much. I could never help with the payment,” I start, but he puts a finger on my lips.

“Babe, stop it. This house would be a present to us from me. It could be the perfect start to our new life out here. Please, just try not to worry about the cost and picture yourself living here. Can you do that for me?”

I nod my head.

“Good. Let’s start over here.”

He takes me straight to the kitchen.

“Holy. Shit. It’s huge.”

“Thanks, babe, but I’m trying to show you the kitchen.”

I give him the stink eye. “Ha, ha. Hilarious. Seriously, this kitchen is insane.”

“I know. I fell in love with it the second I saw it.”

I look at him and think I could say the same about you. The first day I walked into the office and met him, I was a bit speechless by how handsome he was. I think I always knew deep down that I felt something different towards him that I hadn’t experienced before.

We walk through the backyard, which is big and has a playground set already installed. Is this something that we are going to skate over or acknowledge?

“I like the playground. It’ll be perfect for when the kids visit with Gabe and Luke. Plus,” he shrugs, “you never know what’ll happen with us a few years down the line.”

He looks shy as he says it.

I smile up at him. “It’s perfect.”

As he takes me around the rest of the house, each room is just as beautiful as the last, from the intricate molding to the beautiful hardwood floors.

When we get to the master bathroom, he gets a bit distracted, telling me all the places he wants to have his way with me.

I have to remind him we don’t own this place, and what if they’re weirdos with cameras everywhere? I don’t want to be caught having sex.

He gets to one final room on the first floor. It has two large dark wooden French doors. I don’t know what could possibly be on the other side, but he stops and turns around before we go in.

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