“Can I help you?” Logan sneers at me.
“Yeah, you can. Explain why you’ve been parking outside my apartment for weeks.”
“What are you talking about? I work for the town.”
I give him a cursory once-over. “So, you’re currently working? Where’s your uniform?”
Logan’s face reddens, a fiery mask concealing the fury simmering beneath his skin.
Unconcerned about the potential outcomes, I lean forward and tightly grip the cold metal of his car door, my knuckles turning white with the pressure.
“Listen to me closely. I will not repeat myself.” My voice, a barely controlled snarl, grates through clenched teeth as I force out the words. “You’re going to leave Emily alone. Leave us alone.”
“What are you talking about?” His denial is pathetic.
“I know guys like you. You think no woman could ever move on. But she has. She chose me. Not you,” I growl. “You lost her. Now, leave, or I will send all the video surveillance I have of you stalking our apartment when you’re off duty to your superior.”
I watch gleefully as the color drains from Logan’s face. He doesn’t need to know it’s all a bluff.
“Whatever, man. This isn’t what you think it is.”
“Sure it’s not.” My tone is dry, but the contempt is unmistakable.
Stepping back, I glare as he fumbles with his car, glancing back at me before speeding off.
I inhale deeply, my chest expands, and I exhale. Relieved. I hope that’s the last I ever have to see or hear from that douche canoe. Emily’s been unaware of his persistent surveillance. I assumed Logan had disappeared because she had said nothing about messages from him lately, but he clearly hadn’t.
Sending the coward running felt satisfying.
We’ve finally moved past the haunting memories of our pasts. Emily and I are looking forward to a bright future with our unexpected, but undoubtedly cherished, baby. Our family.
39
emily
“What about this house?” I send Ben the link to the listing for the house I just found. It’s a little out of our budget and about a few towns from where we currently live, but it’s a brand new lakefront property. It looks like it’s off of a main street. I watch Ben’s face as he scrolls through the pictures and looks at the details. He’s nodding his head as if he’s checking off his requirements in his head.
I know it meets what we’re both looking for in a first-time home. I chew on my bottom lip nervously, waiting for his response. We’ve been casually looking at real estate websites for a house. I’m not too excited about the prospect of moving while being the size of a house, though. Not to mention that I would be essentially useless and can’t even help move or lift anything. Plus, we just moved into the apartment less than a year ago, and it’s been home to both of us during a challenging time in our lives.
“Let’s do a drive-by,” Ben finally announces.
“When?”
“Now. Let’s go!”
I try to contain my excitement, but when Ben looks up from his phone and gives me a wide grin, I know he is feeling veryoptimistic about this being the one. We tried to find a nice starter home near our apartment, but none of the listings fit what we were looking for. The ones we found within our budget were much smaller than we needed for a growing family. Either the house was too small and did not have the basic amenities we both wanted, or there was hardly any land. We both agreed having a backyard and space for the baby to run around when they grow up was important.
These qualifications meant we had to widen our search to surrounding towns. We also hired a real estate agent to help us. I texted her the listing so she could help us set up a walk-through.
Ben helps me get up off the couch. A few minutes later, we’re in the car and heading to the address listed in a town called Willowbrook. It’s only about a twenty-minute commute from our current location. I’ve never heard of it before, but it looks like a perfect place for a growing family.
When we get closer to the neighborhood, I fidget in my seat with my nose pressed to the window. Despite its proximity to the major highway, the traffic in the area thinned out as we got closer to the center of town. Main Street boasts some mom-and-pop shops, including a bookstore and a coffee shop.
We slowly roll by a small auto shop, and diagonally across the street, we spot the house. The for sale sign makes it easy to recognize, and we pull into the driveway. The house is a colonial with black shutters and a two-car garage. I can see a gleaming lake in the background. The backyard patio extends right up to the water’s edge. The home boasts five bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms. The best part is that it’s not too far out of our budget to make it happen.
Finally, at the end of Main Street, we turn onto a quiet side street. The quiet streets and well-spaced homes provide privacy. The sidewalks look well-maintained, and I smile at the peoplewho wave at us as we drive through the neighborhood. That checks off the “friendly neighbors” on our list.
I can’t believe it’s still available. It seems like such a steal. Ben grips my hand, and I look over at him with a big smile. We’ll have to come back another time with the real estate agent for a walk-through, but I know this is “the one.” Ben kisses my hand and places it on his thigh. He backs out of the driveway, and we drive by the rest of the homes on the street.
