Page 155 of Sweet Dominion

“Oh.” Chloe chuckled. “Okay then. Uh. Maybe.”

“Perfect.” Aunt Suzi went up the stairs with Aunt Min. “We’ll have to find the wardrobe bags with the gowns and get them ready!”

Chloe glanced back at me. “This place is. . .different.”

“That’s an understatement, but. . .we’ll get used to it. . .I hope.”

Rose was about to head inside, but her phone rung. She checked it and backed up. “I’m so sorry. I have to take this.”

“No problem.”

She remained out on the porch.

However, Einstein entered, taking every bit of the space in detail.

As we had walked to the house, he’d asked me nicely not to call him Smarty. It appeared that like Gunner, he had reinvented himself too.

At least, I liked his new nickname. It fit him perfectly. As kids, Einstein kept his nose in a book, almost never playing with us. It didn’t matter if it was hide and seek, tag, or freaking hop scotch. Einstein would either sit on his apartment building’s stoop or on Marcelo’s porch and read all damn day until there was no sunlight.

Jo disrupted my thoughts and nudged me with her elbow. “Girl, you got to teach me how to hoe for a home.”

I scowled at her.

“Come on.” Jo winked. “Just one tip.”

“I’m about to kick your ass, Jo. I did not hoe for this house.”

Jo pretended to be like Dima. She took out this invisible notebook and held an invisible pen. Then, she looked up at me. “But if you did know how to hoe for a home. . .how wouldyoudo it?”

“Girl, I’m ignoring you.”

“What’s over here?” Chloe took TT’s hand and they headed toward the living room. Both raised their views to the other huge chandelier above the plush velvet couches and marble coffee table.

Einstein, Jo, and I followed them.

Chloe shook her head. “This can’t be real.”

A swell of pride entered my chest.

Lotus Blossom was so far from anything we’d ever known and their wonder at its elegance made me feel like I had done something right by bringing them here.

As we moved further into the house, Jo kept shaking her head in disbelief, while Chloe seemed to be cataloging every detail, already planning where she would spend most of her time.

When we reached the staircase with the dragon railing, TT’s eyes popped open.

Jo raised her hands in defeat. “I don’t even know what to say to that. Is that a dragon? It’s like the East is really trying to make me love it.”

I nodded. “It’s a dragon.”

TT wore a huge smile. “We have a dragon in our house now.”

I loved hearing her sayourhouse.

"It’s a little creepy though.” Chloe touched the face. “Almost like I should be quiet so it doesn’t wake up.”

“Yeah.” I nodded. “I thought the same thing. This will be another thing to get used to.”

Chloe let out a nervous laugh.

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