Page 148 of Pucking Tangled
And just like that, somewhere between media prep and gearing up ‘meet the parents’, they were planning something bigger than just a shared space.
They were recreating a home.
Theirhome.
The next day,Brooke showed up at the house while Mia was on campus. Armed with iced coffee, a measuring tape, and a leather tool belt she definitely didn’t need but wore like it was part of her everyday wardrobe.
“Someone called in a favor that guarantees I get to create someone else’s Pinterest dream?”
Casey pulled her in for a hug. “That would have been me.”
“Liar,” Waylon playfully smacked Casey upside the head. “This was allmyidea.”
“Might have been your idea, butIcalled in the favor,” Casey defended, rubbing the back of his head.
Brooke rolled her eyes but smiled as she looked around. “Alright, so what are we doing? Redecorating? Rearranging furniture? Or are we talking full-scale ‘I saw it on TikTok and now I have a vision board’ kind of chaos?”
Casey gestured for her to follow him up the stairs. “We want to convert our room—mine and Owen’s—into a shared bedroom for all five of us. Giant bed, cozy lighting…”
Brooke paused on the landing, blinking. “You want to what?”
“We’re building a family bedroom,” Luca said, stepping into the hallway from his room.
“And before you say anything, it’s not weird,” Waylon added. “It’s sweet. Wholesome. We’re like five otters forming a cuddle raft for emotional stability.”
“What the hell is happening in this house?” Her mouth dropped open. “I knew you all loved the girl, butdamn.”
Casey slung an arm around her shoulder. “Don’t think too hard about it. Just know we trust you with the vision.”
Owen came up the stairs with a tape measure of his own and a floor plan sketched on the back of a takeout menu. “We’ll be out of town for a few days next week visiting Luca’s family.”
“I’ll be here,” Brooke said, flipping open a notepad she’d pulled from her back pocket. “Just give me your blessing, the Wi-Fi password, and your credit card.”
Casey pulled out his wallet, but Waylon beat him to it, handing Brooke his card instead. “Take it and run, you terrifying design goblin.”
“I’ll make you think,goblin,Waylon Ryan,” Brooke said, tucking his card in her pocket and pulling out a notepad from her tool belt.
Brooke jotted notes as she walked into their room, evaluating the layout. “Okay, okay. We’ve got space. A big one-wall headboard setup would work if we combine frames. I can order a custom mattress—or push together multiples with a seamless top layer.”
“That won’t be necessary. I’ve already ordered a custom mattress. It will be here no later than Saturday,” Waylon told her.
“We should make it impossible to know whose side is whose,” Luca said.
“Weshouldbuild a platform with storage underneath,” Brooke said, now fully in design mode. “Keep your clutterout of sight. Add sconces, soft floor lighting for middle-of-the-night snack runs...”
“I like her,” Waylon whispered.
“Alright. I’ll draft a mood board tonight. Text me anything Mia likes—colors, textures, stuff she comments on when you’re watching design shows.”
Luca opened his phone immediately. “She has a Pinterest folder called ‘Dream Sleep Den.’ Want me to share it?”
Brooke snorted. “Of course she does. Yes. Send it.”
Casey sat down beside Waylon, grinning. “This is gonna be so good. She’s gonna freak.”
“She’s gonna cry,” Luca said softly.
“Worth it,” Owen murmured.
