Page 139 of When You Had Me Adapting

She looks around the small bathroom. “I’m not sure about this wallpaper. I don’t know if it’s?—”

I cut her off and pull her into my arms, placing a kiss to her forehead. “I will personally see to changing the wallpaper. This will be your place as much as it’s mine. Come on, there is so much more of it I want to show you.”

CHAPTER 58: NON-NEGOTIABLES AND HAPPY COINCIDENCES

LACEY

Jace grabs my hand and leads me out of the bathroom and to the staircase at the front of the house. We make our way upstairs and to the large owner’s suite.

“I thought this could be our room,” he says. “We could put a bed there and maybe a dresser here.” He points to different walls as he talks. “The owners recently painted almost everything white, so you can pick out whatever paint you want.”

He leads me into the adjoining bathroom. It’s stunning. A large chandelier hangs from the ceiling. The vanity is deep mahogany, and white marble covers every surface. The shower could easily fit both of us and has plenty of room for activities. A large stand-alone tub is surrounded by windows that overlook the woods behind the house.

“I love the tub,” I say, running my hand along the smooth porcelain.

“I knew you would,” he says. “A bathtub that could fit both of us was on my list of non-negotiables I gave the realtor.”

“And what else was on this list?”

“A large closet, a nice kitchen, a reading room, a?—”

“A reading room? What’s a reading room?” A grin overtakes his whole face, and he pulls me out of the bathroom and down the hall to another room.

“I was thinking we could make this a reading room. We could put a really big comfy chair in this corner and then on these walls we could do built-in bookshelves for all of your books.”

“A reading room was a non-negotiable?” I look at him with awe.

“You like to read,” he says. “And I need somewhere to finish books seven and eight.”

“I love you. I don’t know what I did to deserve you coming back to me, but I love you so fucking much.”

“I love you too. Now, come on, there is one more thing I know you’ll love.”

“Another part of your list?”

“No, but a happy coincidence.”

He leads me to the third bedroom. It’s a nice space in the back of the house, with plush tan carpet and white walls, but it’s underwhelming.

“It’s great it has three bedrooms,” I say, taking in the room.

“It has four, but that’s not what I want to show you.” He tugs my hand toward the window. “Look,” he says, pointing outside.

Outside is a carbon copy of the roof at my parents’ house. It’sour spot, but here. My breath hitches.

“Oh, Jace, it’s perfect.”

He wraps his arms around me from behind and rests his chin on my shoulder. His beard tickles the side of my face and I melt back into him.

“So, does that mean you want it?”

“Yes, I want it, but can we afford it?”

“We can.”

“Mr. Jackson, are you still here?” a woman calls from downstairs.

“That’ll be the realtor,” he says, checking his watch.

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