That was my past.
My present looks similar. Only this time, it’s more than just excitement to have the new, prettiest girl in my grade choose me. This is deeper. This is Aspen agreeing to come to Sunday dinner. This is Aspen not telling me we can’t be together when I told her I would prove to her that I know without a doubt she’s it for me.
Aspen is different.
She’s my future.
The clock reads 6:00 a.m. on the dot. I don’t have to be at my parents' until five this afternoon. That’s when we eat. I have all damn day to occupy my time, and all I want to do is lie here and think about her. No, what I want to do is go to her place and hold her. I just need to touch her soft skin. Fuck, but do I miss the feel of her skin pressed to mine.
I debate on calling Marshall, asking him to go to the gym with me, but I know he went out last night. He’s not going to be interested in the gym. Not today. Instead, I grab my phone and scroll through social media. An advertisement for a local realtor pops up, and it’s for a house I recognize. It’s not far from Grant’s. Clicking on the ad, I look through the pictures. This place has been completely renovated, and it’s nice. Really nice.
I like my condo. I do. It’s close to downtown and the nightlife. Something Marsh and I have taken full advantage of over the years. His condo is on the other side of town. Depending on where we are, determines whose place we would end up at the end of the night.
Those days are over.
Even if I never convince Aspen to give me more of her, I can’t go back to that life. I want more. She’s made me want more. I refuse to think about what might happen if I can’t convince her.
After hitting the Contact Me button, I place the phone to my ear. It’s now just after seven in the morning and probably too damn early to be calling a realtor on a Sunday, but I want to see that house.
“This is Dan,” a man answers on the third ring.
“Hi, Dan, my name is Conrad Riggins.” I know our family is well known. “I’m calling about the listing.” I go on to tell him which house I’m looking at, and he asks me a few questions about what I’m looking for. “I wasn’t, to be honest. I just happened to see the listing, and it’s near one of my brothers.”
“Well, I can meet you there at your earliest convenience. It’s vacant and was just listed yesterday.”
“I can meet you there in thirty minutes.”
“Um, okay. Mr. Riggins. I’ll see you there.”
Throwing off the covers, I make my way to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee before rushing through a shower. I don’t know where this sudden urgency is coming from, but the location is perfect. Besides, what better way to show Aspen that I’m serious than to give up the bachelor pad in the heart of downtown Nashville?
Driving down the road, I’m getting excited. This is a great area, and Grant and Aurora literally live maybe two miles from here. The location is perfect. I pull into the drive behind, who I assume, is the realtor. A man with salt and pepper hair steps out of the black sedan. “Mr. Riggins?” he asks.
“Conrad.” I offer him my hand. “Thanks for meeting me on such short notice, Dan.”
“That’s my job. You want to start inside or outside?”
“Let’s go inside. I drive here all the time on the way to my brother’s place. I’m familiar with the area.”
“Great. Just so you know, I’m not sure if you read through the entire listing. There is a total of eleven acres, and two of that is a pond.”
“I did see that. Thanks,” I say, following him into the house.
“I’m going to hang out here and give you time to walk through. Since it’s vacant, I don’t need to be with you.”
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. Take your time. I have calls and emails to keep me company.” He chuckles, and I like him immediately. He’s not a pushy salesman.
Taking my time, I walk through every room, and it’s easy for me to imagine myself living here. The house has been completely remodeled, and it’s stunning. Exactly what I would have done had I built it on my own. The master bedroom is huge, and the bathroom has a large walk-in shower, a soaker tub, his and her sinks, as well as his and her closets. There are three additional bedrooms upstairs and a fully finished basement.
It’s entirely too much house for a single guy, but I hope to not be single for long. And, if I am, it’s still a great place to have my family over. I can imagine my nieces and nephews here running and playing in the backyard, having pool parties. I know we have Mom and Dad’s land for fishing but having my own pond is nice too. There isn’t a single solitary thing I can find that I don’t like about it.
“I’ll take it,” I tell Dan, joining him in the living room.
“All right. We can write an offer up now. What—” he starts, but I stop him.
“Full asking. This place is brand-new, and the price is good.”
“The owners bought it, spent all the time and money to remodel, and his job was relocated. They need to move it.”
“Good. Let’s write it up.” We spend the next thirty minutes writing up the offer. I agree to stop by his office in the morning and drop off the earnest check. I didn’t bring my checkbook. I didn’t think I’d be buying a house today, but damn, this place feels like home.
“Thank you, Conrad. If you need help selling your current home, please let me know. I’d love to assist you with that.”
“Yes. Let’s get it on the market. How about you just stop by in the morning? I can give you my check, and we can get it listed.”
“Perfect. I’ll see you then.”
I stand in the driveway and look at my new home. It feels right. I fight the urge to call Aspen and tell her what I did, but she’ll find out soon enough. Instead, I climb back into my car and head to my brother’s. I time the drive, and it takes me three and a half minutes to get to his place.
When I pull into Grant and Aurora’s driveway, I can’t contain my smile as I climb out of the car and jog to the front door. My hand is raised to knock when Grant opens the door. “Hey.” I smile.
“What’s up? Come on in.” He steps back, allowing me room to pass.
“I did a thing, and since I was closest to your place, you’re the first to know,” I tell him, barely able to hold in my excitement. With each minute that passes, I get more and more excited.
“First, to know what?” Aurora asks.
I smile at her and notice the similarities she and Aspen share. “I have news.”
“Oh, yeah?” Her eyes sparkle. “Come on in and fill us in.”
“Wait, how was the honeymoon?”
“Too short,” Grant replies.
“Wonderful.” Aurora beams.
“Glad to have you home.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Aurora waves me off. “What’s this news you’ve been yammering on about? The suspense is killing me here.”
“Well, I bought a house.”
Both of their mouths drop open in surprise. “You did what now?” Grant asks.
“I bought a house.”
“That is not what I was expecting you to say,” Aurora admits.