Page 76 of Voice to Raise
“Dude.” Creed sauntered into the kitchen. “Are youfinallyasking him to move in?”
I stopped my stirring and turned in Spencer’s arms to face him. “Yeah. I am. The question is, will he accept my offer?”
Chapter Twenty-One
Spencer
Iread the fear in his expression. He was worried I’d sayno. That I’d reject him. At least here, I could reassure him. “Yes, I’ll move in with you. We need to talk about Moses and all the precious things in this house—”
“He doesn’t give a shit about any of that.” Creed gestured to the stove with his chin. “Pay attention.”
“Right. Shit.” Malik resumed his stirring. “I should be jumping up and down for joy, right?”
“Did you think I’d sayno?”
“I think you’ve got a good thing going. Ten-minute bike ride to the office—”
“And it’s thirty-five minutes from here along the Seaside Bicycle Route.” I shrugged. “Or it’s forty-five minutes and two buses on transit.”
“Or you could take your electric SUV. How long would the drive be?” He scrunched his nose. “I should know this.”
“Peak rush hour? Forty-minutes.”
“It might be quicker to bike.” He continued to stir the hot chocolate.
Reluctantly, I let him go and made my way to the cupboard with the mugs. I gestured to Creed.
He grinned and nodded enthusiastically.
I pulled down seven. If anyone didn’t want coffee, tea, or hot chocolate, we still had water, a few different kinds of soda, and milk.
We.
Funny how I felt so comfortable in this house. Yes, it was ten times larger than any place I’d ever lived in. Yes, it was formal and elegant and all these things I wasn’t. Even my downtown condo, when I’d been working my corporate job, hadn’t been anything like this mansion.
Yet, in this space with Malik, comfort enveloped me. Basically, we stuck to his bedroom, the kitchen and family room combination room, and the recording studio. Those were our happy places.
Move in? Is that wise?
I pursed my lips as I sorted out packets of tea we could offer.
Reese barreled into the room. “Oh my God, what’s up? Freddie texted and said you were being all secretive. Oh, is that hot chocolate?”
Malik added more milk to the saucepan and continued stirring.
Creed slung his arm around Reese. “I might’ve made things sound more mysterious to get Freddie riled up and to light a fire under his ass.”
Not a bad strategy. Freddie was, invariably, the last to arrive.
“I’m home.” Freddie bellowed the words from the front door.
Everyone in the band had keys, and we turned the alarm off when we were expecting everyone. For all the fanciness of the house, there hadn’t been any break-in attempts. Surelythe multiple surveillance signs and the motion-activated lights would deter anyone. Someone brazen enough to try a daytime robbery was likely to be foiled as well.
Freddie strutted into the kitchen and dropped his knapsack on the floor.
I pointed. “Pick that up. We’ve got company coming.” I turned to Malik. “Kitchen table or dining room, do you figure? Or something more comfortable?”
“You’re thinking formal?” He cocked his head as he continued to stir the bubbling liquid.
