Chapter Forty Three

Chapter Forty-Three

For the next hour, Harper explored every single room in the townhouse.

Twice.

Possibly three times.

Nobody was entirely sure.

The woman was obsessed.

Every room she entered produced a new gasp.

A new plan.

A new idea.

"The twins could have this room."

Five minutes later:

"Actually maybe this room."

Then:

"Oh my God, look at this closet."

Noah followed behind her smiling.

Mostly.

Because beneath all the excitement was a growing reality.

A very expensive reality.

The house was beautiful.

Too beautiful.

The kind of house people dreamed about.

The kind of house that came with a terrifying price tag.

Noah knew that.

Harper knew that too.

Eventually the excitement settled enough for practical thoughts to creep in.

Dangerous thoughts.

Mortgage thoughts.

House price thoughts.

Twin babies thoughts.

They all ended up in the enormous kitchen.

The children were playing in the garden.

Lillie sat happily in the grass with Poppy nearby.

Theo was attempting to organize everybody.

As usual.

Meanwhile the adults sat around the kitchen island.

Harper still looked in love.

Noah looked thoughtful.

Very thoughtful.

Roman noticed immediately.

Of course he did.

A little later Noah quietly stepped away from the group.

Roman was standing by the garden doors.

Watching the children.

Noah joined him.

For a moment neither spoke.

Then Noah sighed.

"It's perfect."

Roman nodded.

"I know."

Noah laughed softly.

"You sound very sure."

"I am."

They watched Theo attempt to explain football strategy to an eight-month-old.

Lillie appeared unconvinced.

Eventually Noah spoke again.

More serious this time.

"So."

Roman glanced over.

"So."

Noah rubbed the back of his neck.

A nervous habit.

One Roman had noticed before.

"Let's talk numbers."

Roman immediately knew where this was going.

And unfortunately for Noah—

Roman had already made a decision.

Months ago.

Noah looked back toward the kitchen.

Toward Harper.

The woman currently staring out the window at the garden like she'd found heaven.

His smile softened.

"She loves it."

Roman nodded.

"I noticed."

Noah laughed.

"Subtle, isn't she?"

"Very."

Silence settled briefly.

Then Noah took a breath.

"We can afford a house."

Roman waited.

"Maybe not this house."

There it was.

The real concern.

Not because Noah didn't earn well.

He did.

Very well.

He and Harper had built a comfortable life.

But this wasn't an ordinary house.

This was a Roman Moretti house.

The difference mattered.

Noah looked uncomfortable.

"Whatever you've paid for this place..."

He shook his head.

"It'll be way beyond what we planned."

Roman stayed quiet.

Listening.

Noah continued.

"I don't want Harper getting attached if it's impossible."

Roman smiled slightly.

Then looked back toward the garden.

Toward the children.

Toward the future.

Toward the reason he'd bought the house in the first place.

Finally he spoke.

"Who said anything about selling it?"

Noah frowned.

"What?"

Roman looked completely calm.

A terrible sign.

"Who said I was selling it?"

"No."

Noah immediately pointed.

"No."

Roman smiled.

"Roman."

"What?"

"No."

Roman laughed.

The exact reaction he'd expected.

"Noah."

"No."

"It's already yours."

Noah stared.

Completely frozen.

Then laughed.

A shocked laugh.

"You've lost your mind."

"Possibly."

"I'm serious."

"So am I."

The smile disappeared from Roman's face.

Leaving only sincerity.

"It's a gift."

Noah's jaw practically hit the floor.

"A gift?"

Roman nodded.

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"Roman."

"Noah."

The two men stared at each other.

Neither backing down.

Eventually Noah looked genuinely emotional.

Which surprised even him.

"You can't just give us a house."

Roman shrugged.

"I can."

"No."

"I literally own it."

"No."

Roman laughed.

"You sound like Harper."

For a long moment Noah didn't know what to say.

Because nobody had ever offered him something like this.

Nobody.

Not in a million years.

Roman's expression softened.

"You two would do anything for Daisy."

Noah stayed quiet.

"You've treated Lillie like family since day one."

Still quiet.

"You'll treat my next baby exactly the same."

Noah swallowed hard.

Roman looked toward the kitchen.

Toward Harper.

Toward the twins.

Then back at him.

"Family takes care of family."

The simple honesty behind the words hit harder than Noah expected.

"What are you two doing?"

Both men turned.

Harper stood nearby.

Hands on hips.

Immediately suspicious.

Daisy stood beside her looking equally curious.

Roman smiled.

Uh-oh.

Harper knew that smile.

"What did you do?"

Roman pointed toward the house.

Harper narrowed her eyes.

Then at Noah.

Then back at Roman.

"What did he do?"

Noah looked helpless.

Roman looked amused.

Finally Noah laughed.

The slightly emotional kind.

Then looked at his wife.

"Harp."

"What?"

Noah smiled.

A real smile.

"The house is ours."

Silence.

Complete silence.

Harper blinked.

"What?"

"The house."

"What about it?"

Noah pointed around them.

"Apparently we're living in it."

Harper looked confused.

Then suspicious.

Then horrified.

Then directly at Roman.

"Oh absolutely not."

Roman burst out laughing.

Daisy covered her face.

Because she already knew exactly how the next hour was going to go.

Harper refusing.

Roman insisting.

Noah caught in the middle.

And somewhere outside, future cousins played in the garden completely unaware that the grown-ups were arguing over who got to keep a multi-million-dollar townhouse.

Just another normal day in their family. ❤️📖