In the afternoon, I heard back from the real estate agent I’d instructed on the search for a new apartment. My company hadn’t built a residential project in a while, which meant I had to try my luck on the market. I could no longer postpone talking to Josie.
Pulling up my favorite numbers, I called her on the way to the gym. She answered right away.
“Hunter, hi!”
“Hey. Remember I talked about buying a new apartment?”
“Yes.”
“I’ve got an appointment with the real estate agent tomorrow. Do you want to come? I’d like your opinion, and—”
I stopped myself just as I was about to say it would make our engagement more credible—couples went house-hunting together.
Maybe I was being paranoid about the immigration services recording phone conversations, but I didn’t want to take any chances. Then I remembered we’d already talked about our relationship on the phone... damn. I was going to do better from now on.
“Sure,” Josie said in a tone that indicated she knew what I really meant.
“Perfect. I’ll text you the details.”
The next day, we met at the address that the real estate agent, Darla, had indicated, in Chelsea. She and Josie were already there when I arrived. I assessed Josie. She was relaxed, chatting with Darla. That changed when she noticed me. She squared her shoulders, holding her chin high. Her gaze darted to the engagement ring, and then she gave me a nervous smile.
“Darla, I see you’ve met my fiancée.”
“Yes. Ready? I can give you a rundown of what I’ve prepared.”
Nodding, I placed an arm around Josie’s shoulders. She stiffened for a fraction of a second and then she leaned into my touch, as if she’d been expecting it. Was she just playing her part, or did she want this? Me?
Her breathing was labored, her chest moving up and down rapidly. She turned her head slightly in my direction. Her blue eyes widened when she realized I was watching her. She bit her lip before looking away. It was all I could do not to cup her face in my hands and kiss her. Everything about her tempted me: her slender neck, the way her dark hair fell over her shoulders.
There was no going back to the way things were before. The faster I accepted that, the better. But could she accept it?
“We’re seeing five apartments in the condo building. It’s luxury real estate with a gym and sauna. On the other edge of the property, I have a renovated townhouse, if you’d like to see it? You’d still have access to all the facilities in the building.”
I’d opened my mouth to tell her I wasn’t looking for a house when I noticed Josie nodding enthusiastically. She looked like a kid on Christmas morning.
“Sure. Let’s see the house,” I said. Why not make Josie happy? I always bought real estate as an investment, not just a place to live. I was the condo type all the way. Less hassle, and easier to resell.
The house had five bedrooms on three floors and a generous terrace on top. There was plenty of space for both Josie and me to have home offices. Hell, I could even bring in a treadmill in one of the rooms. That would still leave us with a guest bedroom.
“Perfect for two kids, even three,” Darla was saying. I stiffened, pretending to inspect the windows.
Josie was over the moon. She touched every wall, every door, smiling every time she looked out a window.
“What do you think?” Darla asked when we were back in the living room.
Josie was positively glowing. “Oh my God. I can already see us roasting marshmallows at the fire....”
“Kids love fireplaces,” Darla said. There she went again, bringing up children.
Josie’s smile faded. She cast her gaze to the floor. What was she thinking about? The life she could have if she had the right man beside her, not just a stand-in groom?
“And the kitchen has a built-in pizza oven.”
Josie was glowing again. She could see herself living in this house, I could feel it in my bones.
“We’re buying the house,” I said.
Darla gave me a thumbs-up. When she excused herself to make a call, Josie tugged at my sleeve.
“I got carried away. You don’t want a house. We can go see condos,” she whispered.
I shook my head, lacing our fingers, kissing the back of her hand. My heart was beating wildly. Every fiber inside me wanted to please Josie.
“We’re buying it, Josie.”
Josie looked adorably conflicted. I was betting she wanted to convince me this wasn’t necessary, while already falling in love with the house.
Darla assured us she’d have all paperwork ready within a week, and then it was just Josie and me, walking around the neighborhood.
“Hunter, are you sure about the house? I know you’re not a fan.”
“It’s a great house. And you like it.”
“I love it. And that fireplace. And the pizza oven. But it’s so huge. Darla couldn’t stop talking about kids. I think she suspects this is a shotgun wedding.”
“That makes sense.”
“By the way, you looked as if someone slapped you every time she brought up kids.”
“That obvious?”
“To me it was. You don’t want any, do you?”
We’d never spoken about this. It just hadn’t come up.
“I’ve never given that much thought, honestly. Family, kids. Just... not something I focused on when thinking about the future.”
It wasn’t that I didn’t want them—it was just that life was easier if I kept expectations low, didn’t look forward to a future that might not happen. It was easier if I wasn’t actively thinking about what was missing from my life.
Would I even make a good husband?
I avoided asking myself those questions, because I couldn’t help thinking about my own parents. After Dad passed away and Mom moved to London, I’d missed them terribly. I’d longed for everything family stood for: warmth, security. I’d been forced to get used to being on my own. The only way I managed that was to focus on what I had and on my goals, not what was missing. By the time Amelia and my cousins moved to New York, I’d gotten used to being on my own.
I’d spent many years just focusing on being the best: at school, in college, at work. Building something I could be proud of. Superficial relationships were all I knew. I didn’t know if I could be a good husband, much less a good father.
“Not sure I have what it takes, Josie.”
She gave me a look I couldn’t decipher.
“But you do want kids?” I asked.
She grinned. “Two of them, hopefully girls.”
“Why girls?”
“’Cause I’d have no idea what to do with boys. And man, this house would honestly be perfect to raise kids.”
“The house will be yours after I get my green card. I’ll sign it over to you.”
Josie stopped walking.
“What are you talking about?”
Shit. She’d narrowed her eyes at me. Still, I persisted.
“I want you to have the house.”
“I can’t afford to buy it from you.”
“I wouldn’t be selling it to you. Just signing it over.”
“Why would you do that?”
“Because you’re doing me a huge favor, Josie. And you like the house—”