Page 106 of Under Ground
I can buy this place without having a mortgage to worry about and create a real home with my girls. A lump forms in my throat, making it hard to swallow.
Lana gasps at the polished wooden floors, and then again at the walk-in wardrobe in our room.
“I’ll leave you to have a closer look for yourselves.” Gregory smiles, and I pause for a moment before turning toward Lana.
“Four bedrooms, and Casey can be right next to us if you want her to be. Plus, some room for future expansion. If you want to,” I say.
Lana clasps one of my hands in hers. “Is that your way of telling me you want to expand our family?”
I swallow hard. “Not right now, but I know what it was like to grow up without siblings. Can you imagine Casey with a baby sister or brother?”
Lana seems to bite back tears. “When that happens, she’ll be so excited.”
“She will be. And one day, we’ll do it. If you want.”
Her smile grows. “I want.”
“So, the house …? We can keep looking if it’s not right.”
She sighs, her brows knitting. “Don’t you get it?”
Her eyes search mine, but I’m none the wiser.
“Get what?”
“We love you, Alex. It doesn’t matter where we are as long as we’re together. We’re a family.”
My heart thuds, and I take Lana’s hands in mine and squeeze them. “What about the house?”
“I love the damn house. It’s so much bigger than the one we were renting back home, and there’s a proper garden for Casey to play in. This house is so us.”
I swallow hard. “I’m glad you like it. I was worried you’d want to be closer to Pania and Delaney.”
Her smile gives me so much hope. “Those two Skype each other from across the road. Distance doesn’t matter, and it’s not that far to visit. I’m sure we can keep our friendship from here.”
I laugh, leaning forward and kissing her on the nose. “I just want you to be happy.”
“I am happy. All I need is you and Casey.”
I bring one of her hands to my lips and brush a kiss across her knuckles. “When I travel, I want you with me.”
“And we’ll be right there. There are still a couple more years until Casey starts school and then I don’t know what we’ll do, but right here and now, there’s nothing stopping us.”
“You want to know the best thing about this place?”
“What?” Her eyes shine with happiness.
“It’ll be all ours.”
29
Lana
We’re still a couple of weeks from being able to take possession of the house.
I spend the time poring over websites to work out how I want to decorate it. We’re starting this from scratch, so we need to buy everything. And for once, money’s not as tight as it’s always been.
That doesn’t stop me from looking for bargains.