Page 18 of Worth the Chase

“What? You don’t even want to see it?”

“Do you like this house?” I turned in my seat to face her as much as I could maneuver my body in her direction.

“Me?”

“Yeah. Do you like it? Would you live here?”

A loud sound escaped from her throat. “No. It’s gaudy as hell.”

“Exactly. Why would I buy something that you hate?” I said the words in a teasing tone, but I wasn’t joking.

“Okay, so this one is too much,” she said, ignoring my last question. “I think I know the perfect place.”

“Take me there,” I said before reaching for the volume button and turning up the radio.

She looked relieved as her head started bopping from side to side with the music.

The next place we pulled into was closer to both of my brothers’ houses, and I liked it instantly based on that fact alone. And while the last home had been way too over the top in appearances, this one looked a little too understated for my taste. The wood and stone mixture was stunning, but it was the single-level ranch style that gave me pause.

“What do you think?” she asked.

“I actually love the design, but it looks a little small?” I said it like a question when it most certainly wasn’t.

She laughed. “Trust me.”

“Okay. Lead the way.” I pushed open the door and unfolded my body from the car before stretching my arms over my head and cracking both my back and my neck.

If we looked at houses again, I’d be driving.

Bells walked toward the front door, coffee in hand. She pressed some numbers on the keypad before the door unlocked with a loud mechanical sound. She pushed it open and held it with one arm, waiting for me to step inside.

“Shit,” I practically gasped.

It was stunning inside. Brand-new fixtures blended seamlessly with the exposed beams, stonework, and mountain views. Entire walls were made of windows, broken up and framed with thick, light wood. Trees as far as the eye could see, and Sugar Mountain sat in the distance. When I opened up one of the massive glass doors and stepped onto the balcony, that’s when I noticed the additional outdoor spaces. Two, in fact.

“There’re multiple floors?” I asked.

Bells grinned. “It’s a tri-level. It looks like a simple ranch home from the front, but the back shows all three stories. Your closest neighbor might be next door and across the street, but this house sits on five acres of land. No one is behind you, and they never will be.”

I liked that. The privacy, while not being totally isolated, was appealing.

After checking out each of the three levels, I had to admit I was sort of in love. The home was perfect. There were views from every window and on each floor. The natural light alone was a thing of beauty.

“What do you think?” Bells asked from the kitchen, where she’d jumped up on top of the counter, sipping her coffee as she waited for me to finish walking around the space.

“Can you see us living here?” I asked her.

She reared her head back. “Us?”

“Yeah, us,” I repeated.

“What are you talking about? Do you need to see a doctor? Are you on medication? Forget to take it?” She cocked her head to one side as she narrowed her eyes at me.

“I’m not buying a house you don’t like, Bells.”

“And why is that?” She asked as she took a sip of her drink.

“Because you’ll be living in it with me eventually.”

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