Chapter Forty Two

Chapter Forty-Two

The townhouse across the street was beautiful.

Everyone agreed on that.

Even Noah.

Though he was trying very hard not to.

The problem was Harper had already fallen completely in love with it.

Without even stepping inside.

Which honestly wasn't surprising.

Harper had always been dramatic.

The front door alone had apparently convinced her.

Now she stood on the sidewalk staring at the house like it was the answer to all her problems.

"I love it."

Noah sighed.

"We haven't been inside."

"I don't need to."

"You absolutely do."

"I know I love it."

Roman laughed.

Daisy smiled.

Nothing about this was surprising.

The five of them stood outside the townhouse.

Looking.

Imagining.

Planning.

Across the street sat the house Roman had shown Daisy.

The one with the huge garden.

The one she was already secretly picturing as home.

Between the two houses was a quiet street.

Safe.

Peaceful.

The kind of place children could grow up together.

The kind of place families built memories.

Daisy could already imagine it.

Lillie running between both houses.

Theo teaching younger cousins football.

Poppy organizing games.

Twin babies eventually following behind.

The image made her smile.

Harper was still staring at the house.

Completely mesmerized.

"I wonder what the kitchen looks like."

Noah crossed his arms.

"We can't exactly just walk inside."

Harper looked genuinely offended.

"Why not?"

"Because we don't own it."

Fair point.

Harper ignored it.

As usual.

Roman suddenly cleared his throat.

The sound drew everyone's attention.

"What?"

He looked suspiciously calm.

A terrible sign.

Daisy narrowed her eyes.

She knew that look.

Roman reached into his pocket.

Noah frowned.

Harper frowned.

Daisy frowned.

Then Roman pulled out a set of keys.

Silence.

Complete silence.

Roman looked at Harper.

Then casually held them out.

"Here."

Harper blinked.

"What?"

"The keys."

Noah stared.

Daisy stared.

Harper stared.

Nobody moved.

Finally Harper looked at the keys.

Then at Roman.

Then back at the keys.

"Why do you have keys?"

Roman shrugged.

The shrug of a man about to cause chaos.

"I bought it."

Silence.

Again.

Complete silence.

Noah closed his eyes.

"Of course you did."

Daisy burst out laughing.

Because honestly?

At this point it was the only reasonable response.

Harper looked like her brain had stopped working.

"You..."

Roman nodded.

"I..."

Roman nodded again.

"You bought this house?"

"Yes."

"When?"

"A few months ago."

Harper looked horrified.

"You never told anyone."

Roman shrugged.

"I forgot."

Noah laughed so hard he nearly choked.

"You forgot you bought a townhouse?"

Roman looked confused.

"Yes?"

Noah pointed dramatically.

"That's not normal."

Harper suddenly snatched the keys from Roman's hand.

Immediately.

Like a magpie spotting something shiny.

The second the keys touched her palm, she squealed.

Actually squealed.

Then turned and practically ran toward the front door.

"Harper!"

Noah hurried after her.

"Wait."

"No."

"We should be sensible."

"No."

"Harper."

Too late.

She was already unlocking the door.

The front door swung open.

Harper stepped inside.

Then immediately stopped.

Silence.

No movement.

No sound.

The others exchanged worried looks.

Then Noah stepped inside.

And stopped too.

Roman grinned.

Daisy looked suspicious.

"What?"

Neither Harper nor Noah answered.

They simply stood there.

Staring.

Finally Daisy walked inside herself.

And understood immediately.

"Oh wow."

The house was stunning.

Absolutely stunning.

Bright.

Warm.

Elegant.

A huge open-plan kitchen.

A family room overlooking a large garden.

Wide staircases.

Beautiful natural light.

Everything Harper had been searching for.

Everything Noah had wanted.

Everything.

Harper slowly turned around.

Looking dangerously emotional.

Roman immediately took one step backwards.

A survival instinct.

Because pregnant women crying usually led to trouble.

Instead Harper launched herself at him.

Throwing her arms around his neck.

Roman looked alarmed.

Then amused.

Then trapped.

"Oh my God."

Roman laughed.

"You like it then?"

"Like it?"

Harper looked around the house.

Then at Noah.

Then at Roman.

Then burst into tears.

Happy tears.

The safest kind.

"I love it."

Noah looked around again.

At the huge kitchen.

The extra bedrooms.

The nursery possibilities.

The garden.

The space.

Four children.

The house suddenly didn't seem too big at all.

In fact...

It seemed perfect.

His eyes found Harper's.

Then Roman's.

Then the twins sonogram photo still tucked inside Harper's handbag.

And for the first time since finding out about the twins—

he didn't feel overwhelmed.

He felt excited.

Really excited.

Meanwhile Daisy stood by the front window.

Looking across the street.

At the townhouse Roman wanted for them.

Then back at this one.

The future suddenly felt incredibly close.

Two houses.

One street.

Two growing families.

A whole collection of children.

Sunday lunches.

Birthday parties.

Barbecues.

Christmases.

Life.

Roman quietly stepped beside her.

Following her gaze.

"You can see our front door from here."

Daisy laughed softly.

"You planned this."

Roman looked entirely innocent.

A terrible performance.

"You absolutely planned this."

"Maybe."

"You bought two houses on the same street."

"Maybe."

Daisy shook her head.

Smiling despite herself.

Because only Roman Moretti would secretly buy two townhouses and casually reveal it like he'd picked up milk from the grocery store.

And standing there, watching Harper excitedly explore every room while Noah finally started smiling again, Daisy realised something.

The future they'd all been imagining?

It wasn't a dream anymore.

It was standing right in front of them.

Waiting for them to move in. ❤️📖