Page 82 of Luna

“I thought youlovedit when we ganged up on you,” Dante purred, his voice like silk.

Heat shot through me at the heady images. “I do. But you’re up to something and I want to know what it is.”

“Soon.” Halos brushed his hand down my arm. “Soon.”

I scarfed the rest of my food, and then ate two antiacids, knowing I was going to get heartburn from the marinara.

“I’m ready.” I looked at Quinn expectantly. “Where are we going?”

Colton jingled keys in his hand. “Fancy a ride sweetheart?”

“Oh, I’ll get a ride.” I muttered and followed them into the truck.

A short drive later, and we were at the big house. I grinned. “Our house.”

“Our house.” Quinn agreed, helping me climb out of the truck. “We did some work on it.”

“While I was having an existential crisis?” Guilt stabbed me.

“While you were trying to grapple with all the massive changes in your life,” Halos put an arm around my waist. His skin seemed to glow in the warm California sun, and the scent of fresh mint filled the air around him.

Dante opened the door, and we stepped inside.

It was fully furnished. All of the furniture sets we’d picked out had arrived like magic.

The open concept living and dining area was flooded with natural light from large windows with white gauzy curtains. A beautiful couch and a love seat, both upholstered in a cozy-looking cream fabric, sat facing each other near the stone hearth, clearly designed for comfort and conversation.

A massive wooden dining room table, surrounded by plush chairs, occupied the space behind the seating area.

“Oh my gosh.” I clapped my hands together. “How did you have time for all this?”

“We work well together.” Colton winked, leaning on the back of the couch. “We took all the conversations we’ve had over the past couple of months and put it together.”

“We didn’t do everything,” Quinn said quickly. “We wanted you to have fun decorating too, but the big pieces of furniture that we agreed on are here and ready.”

“This is perfect,” I grinned. “I’d rather spend time with decorations than furniture anyway.”

"Over here, Luna." Quinn guided me towards the kitchen nook. The smell of cotton clung to him like a comforting embrace as he showed me the small, round table nestled in a windowed alcove. It was the perfect spot for quiet morning coffee or late-night snacks.

"Let's show her the nest.” Dante pointed upstairs, his curly black hair catching the sunlight filtering through the windows.

I steeled myself. I’d talked about what I could do with the nest, so they had a good idea of what I liked. I just hoped I didn’t want to change too much.

As we entered the nest, I felt tears prick at the corners of my eyes. Soft twinkling lights hung from the circular ceiling, casting a warm glow over the entire space. Sheer, light curtains billowed around the large, cushioned nest in the center of the room.

"Did you guys do all this?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper as I took in the small nooks and alcoves filled with lush green plants. An eclectic mix of books, knickknacks, and candles filled the built-in shelves, spiraling up to the ceiling.

"We wanted it to be perfect for you," Colton replied. The scent of rainstorms clung to him like a promise of renewal.

I stepped closer to one of the walls, admiring the hand-painted stencils of ivy and wildflowers that meandered their way across the room. Within the intricate designs, I discovered little hidden surprises – a bird's nest cradling delicate blue robin's eggs, an intricately detailed butterfly resting on a leaf. It was a living work of art, full of life and love.

"Thank you," I murmured, tears finally spilling down my cheeks.

"We found this old oak tree to use as your shelf." Dante pointed to the wall, where a beautifully crafted wooden shelf lay.

"Um, I... I picked out some of the books for you. I hope you like them," Quinn muttered shyly, nervously tucking a strand of hair behind his ear.

Their voices overlapped, creating a cacophony of affection and dedication that squeezed my heart. They were all so eager, their expressions a mix of hope and concern, worried that I might not like what they had done to my nest.

---