Page 142 of Gracefully Yours

Tomorrow.

I’d tell her I loved her tomorrow.

Because I had a plan.

CHAPTER35

Charlotte

The scenery outside the window was a blur as we drove in silence, both lost in our own thoughts.

My head was filled with a jumble of thoughts. Namely, that we had hardly said anything to each other since we’d boarded the airplane. After we’d held the positive pregnancy test together, and tears of joy streamed down my face. I could still feel the way he’d slid inside of me and held me close, how my body had relaxed in his embrace. The night was a blur, but I remember him practically carrying me to the plane.

I loved him so much, my heart was practically bursting out of my chest.

My eyes drifted shut. When we’d gotten out of bed this morning, he’d pulled his sweatshirt over my head. It was so comfortable and warm that I couldn’t bring myself to take it off. Right now, all I wanted to do was go home. To crawl into our bed and cuddle with our dog.

But—“Where are we going?” I asked him, watching as he pulled off the freeway. But it wasn’t the exit to our house. It was—“To Benjamin and Angelina’s?”

He gave me a little smile. “You’ll see.”

“Hm.” I turned back to the window as the neighborhoods passed by. Closer to the freeway, they were fairly small, but the farther in you got, moving uphill, the bigger the houses were.

We pulled on to the street, passing by the house our friends had built—but he didn’t pull into their driveway. No, he pulled into a different one.

“Daniel.” I looked up at the house in front of us. “What are we doing here?”

He said nothing. Just kissed my knuckles before getting out of the car. Daniel came around to my side and opened up the door before I could even move, helping me out of the seat.

Wordlessly, he took my hand and headed towards the door. It looked like it was in the final stages of construction, complete with a lockbox on the front.

It wasthelot.

The one we’d both been in love with.

The one that had sold before I’d ever uttered a word.

And why would I have? Suggested we build a house together, when back then all we were was in a fake marriage? Definitely not. But I was still sad about what could have been. Gabbi and Hunter had bought a lot here. And Matthew and Noelle were heavily considering it, planning on using their current home as a rental.

“I don’t think we should be here—” I started to say, before he pulled a key out of his pocket.

I swallowed roughly. What was going on? Did he want to buy it? I supposed it wasn’t quite the same as a custom house, but…

Then the door was open, and we entered the grand foyer. The flooring was down, and it looked like there were only minor things left for them to finish. But after a paint of coat—this would be a beautiful house.

He led me through the rooms, not saying a word. But we passed through a beautiful master with a bathroom that would rival Angelina and Benjamin’s. A walk-in closet where all of my dresses could hang in color order. Too bad it wasn’t mine. Multiple bedrooms, because this was a family home. The most beautiful built-in library I’d ever seen, complete with a window seat reading nook.

Daniel still didn’t explain as we went back downstairs, continuing to explore. I couldn’t help but stop and stare at the kitchen. It was bright and light and absolutely amazing. Somewhere I’d love to spend hours and hours of time, sitting and watching my husband cook meals. To make cookies for our family. To celebrate birthdays with our friends.

In my fantasy, we lived here. We were the couple that occupied these walls. If only.

“This is nice.” I ran my hands over the beautiful granite countertops in the kitchen. “But really, we shouldn’t be in here. This is someone’s house.”

“Is it?” He raised an eyebrow at me as I moved towards the back set of French doors. Not sliding doors, but two beautiful glass doors that opened up to a deck.

The deck was transformed into a magical wonderland, thanks to the countless strings of lights. I was left in awe by the sight of it.

“Daniel.” My hand rested over my heart. My next question came out quiet, my breath short. I wasn’t sure I had enough words. “Who’s house is this?”

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