All Chapters of No Room for Them: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

9 Chapters

Chapter 1

Grant Carter stared at the keypad for two seconds, then actually laughed.“All right. The lady of the house has spoken.”He crouched, dug my soft house slippers out of the bottom of the hall closet, and tossed them down beside my feet.“Get those off. You spent all day walking through home-improvement stores. Aren’t your feet killing you?”The concern came so naturally.He knew my shoe size, where I kept my stomach medicine, and that I took my coffee black. He remembered all of it—and still managed to move another woman into the home we were supposed to share.Serena Cole’s eyes were already red as she reached for her suitcase.“Vivian’s upset, so I should go back to the hotel. I only wanted to surprise her. I don’t want this to become humiliating for everyone.”Grant put a hand on the extended handle. “Those bags are too heavy. Don’t drag them around again.”I raised my eyes to his. “Let her leave.”His smile faded slightly. “Vivian, her engagement just ended.”“And?”“And

Chapter 2

Grant answered immediately. “You hear that? She was trying not to spoil this for you.”I looked at him. “Should I thank her?”For once, he had no quick reply. Then he smiled and reached over to ruffle my hair.“Fine. I said it badly. Your Majesty, stop glaring at me like I committed a felony.”I turned my head away before he could touch me.He didn’t take offense. He picked up Serena’s two suitcases instead.“I’ll drive her to the hotel.”As he passed me, he lowered his voice. “I’ll bring you a bag of those cinnamon-sugar donuts tonight. Those always used to calm you down. Don’t tell me they’ve stopped working.”After they left, I began putting the primary bedroom back in order.A moving-company receipt had been trapped behind the nightstand. The date was five days earlier. The pickup address was a hotel; the delivery address was my condo.Under special instructions, someone had written: Long-term residence. Multiple boxes. Handle with care.Grant Carter had signed for the d

Chapter 3

The door closed behind him.Thirty minutes passed.Then an hour.Our server came over and asked whether she should clear the plates.“Go ahead,” I said.She was about to take the cake when she hurried back, followed by a delivery driver.“Ms. Hayes, I’m so sorry. The same account placed two orders with our bakery, and the delivery notes were reversed. This large cake belongs at the Harborview Hotel. The smaller one is yours.”The big cake was covered in Polaroids. A chocolate plaque stood in the center.WELCOME HOME, SERENA. THE BAD YEARS ARE OVER. WE’LL ALWAYS BE HERE.The customer name was Grant Carter.My phone lit up at the same moment.Tessa had posted a photograph. Serena sat in the center wearing a paper party hat. Owen was pouring her wine while Tessa hugged her from the side. Grant stood behind Serena, carefully straightening the hat where it had slipped sideways.The caption read, The past doesn’t count. This is your fresh start.I lowered my eyes to the silver b

Chapter 4

I removed the key to Owen’s house from my ring and placed it on the shoe cabinet.His face changed. “What are you doing?”“Didn’t you just say I’m about to become part of Grant’s family?”I picked up the photo album. “You can leave this room to her.”He caught my arm. “Vivian, I only said that because I was angry.”I looked down at his hand.“But the wall is really gone.”He released me slowly, as though my skin had burned him.The new white wall glared behind us.Owen opened his mouth but didn’t promise to restore it. He probably understood that no one could recreate our father’s handwriting.I walked out, leaving the key I had carried for more than a decade on the cabinet.This time, I stopped inventing reasons to take it back.On the day of our marriage-license appointment, Grant wore the white shirt I loved best. I had chosen it while helping him try on wedding suits.He smiled the moment he saw me. “Well? Listening to my future wife takes years off my face, doesn’t it

Chapter 5

Grant remained outside all night.At two in the morning, he was still knocking.“Open the door. I won’t come in. I only want to say two things.“Your stomach is sensitive. Don’t go to sleep hungry.“I left the donuts here. Don’t eat them once they’re cold.”At four, the knocking finally stopped.A message appeared instead.Fine. Be angry. Canceling this wedding is fine too. Once you calm down, we’ll plan another one.I stared at those words for a long time.He still believed I was throwing a tantrum.The next morning, I canceled the venue, coordinator, photographer, and every remaining wedding reservation.At noon, Grant charged into the lobby of my office building.His eyes were veined red, but his first question was still, “Did you eat breakfast?”I walked around him.He followed. “Why did you actually cancel everything?”“Because I’m not marrying you.”“Vivian, I let you vent all night. What are you still fighting me over?”I stopped. “You think this is a fight?”“

Chapter 6

Serena had complained that the mattress in my condo was too firm, so Grant took her to choose another one.He paid for it too.When I arranged to return it, the refund had to go back to the original payment method. Grant found out immediately.Sure enough, he appeared while I was testing replacements at the furniture showroom.I had barely tried the second mattress when his voice sounded behind me.“Don’t recommend anything too soft. Her lower back is bad. If the mattress gives too much, she won’t be able to stand up the next morning.”The salesperson turned.Grant came closer and pressed one palm into the mattress.“You know her well,” the salesperson said with a smile.His own mouth curved automatically. “Eight years.”The words made him go still.I stood. “I’ll take this one.”Grant reached for his wallet. “I’ll pay.”My payment had already gone through.“Done.”His expression darkened. “Do you have to separate everything between us?”“The condo is mine. Of course I’

Chapter 7

That weekend, Owen sent me a photograph."I didn’t dare imitate Dad’s handwriting."I looked at the image for a long time before replying, Okay.That evening, another message arrived.I found Dad’s old soup pot.In the end, I went back once.My room looked almost the way it had before. Serena’s things were gone. The original bedding had been restored, and the photo albums were back on the table.Neat pencil marks covered the wall again.Their precision only made them look more false.Owen stood behind me and asked carefully, “Does it look like it used to?”I didn’t answer.He lowered his head on his own. “I know it doesn’t.”A pot of chicken and wild rice soup waited on the dining table. Dad used to make it whenever I had a fever as a child.Owen filled a bowl for me. “Try some.”I tasted it.“It’s salty.”He looked startled. “That bad?”“Yes.”He took a sip and suddenly laughed. His eyes turned red as the sound continued.“Dad always said I couldn’t tell salt from s

Chapter 8

Tessa lowered her head and tightened both hands around her cup.“I keep thinking about why I felt comfortable telling you that Serena should borrow some of your good luck from your new place.”I said nothing.“The truth is, I never believed you would turn against me.”She gave a bitter smile.“We’ve known each other for twenty years. I thought that meant I could say anything and borrow anything, and our friendship would still be fine.”Her fingers crushed the paper cup a little further.“I used your love for me as permission to ignore your feelings.”That sentence meant more than another apology.At least it was finally honest.“Do you understand now?” I asked.“Yes.”She didn’t cry. She only looked toward the curtains I had chosen to replace Serena’s.“Those are prettier than the old ones.”“I think so too.”The evening after Tessa left, Grant came to my door carrying a shoe box.Inside were the heels I had worn to the county clerk’s office. The backs had been professi

Chapter 9

When only a sliver of hallway remained, Grant spoke.“My mother asked me today why the bride hadn’t arrived.”My hand paused.“I couldn’t tell her I was the one who lost the bride.”He stepped back.Grant used to enter without knocking. He helped himself to water from my refrigerator and treated even my future as if his place in it were guaranteed.Now he remained in the hallway, not even allowing the toe of one shoe to cross the threshold.I closed the door.Behind me, the chili simmered and my coworkers kept laughing.There was no wedding that day.For the first time, I didn’t feel as if I had lost anything.Six months later, I completed the second renovation.The designer asked, “Do you still want the place styled like a newlywed home?”“No.”I tested the primary-bedroom mattress myself. I chose my own curtains. The entryway didn’t need space reserved for men’s shoes, and the dining table didn’t have to seat six.When one person lived alone, there was no reason to dec

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