Page 74 of Shattered Trinket
“I love you, Mama. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me,” I whisper, my voice cracking.
“I love you, too. So, so much, my daughter. Now, stop this crying before you make me cry,” she sniffles, and I blink rapidly to push aside the tears.
I surprise her by wrapping my arms around her, squeezing her tightly to convey my deep love and affection. I know this isn’t goodbye and that I’ll see her again, but after my year with Victor, I’ve learned to cherish every moment with my loved ones.
Mama’s arms wrap around me in a tight embrace, and I inhale her comforting scent that instantly soothes my anxiousness. When we pull back, we’re both wiping our eyes.
“Ready for your next adventure?” she asks me with a smile, and I take a deep breath before smiling back at her.
“Yeah, I think I am.”
From the windshield of Jeremiah’s truck, I gaze up in awe at the picturesque farmhouse-style home and the striking structure next to it. The pictures Ridge showed me simply didn’t capture the awe-inspiring beauty of the home, and I’m immediately enchanted as we drive down the road towards the house.
The white exterior of the house is beautifully accentuated by the deep blue shutters on the windows and a matching door, adorned with a stunning stained-glass window in the center. Surrounding the home is a covered porch, complete with a wooden porch swing, and visions of cozy summer evenings spent stargazing with one of the alphas under their protective arm fill my mind. The vibrant flowers adorning the ground around only make the home feel more inviting, and I can barely contain myself as I take everything in.
I bounce in my seat, bubbling with excitement as we come to a stop next to Manny’s truck, and Jeremiah laughs under his breath. With a beaming smile, I glance over at him, and he immediately reaches out, pulling me into a warm embrace at his side. My smile remains plastered on my lips as I snuggle into him and glance up at him through my lowered lashes, and it’s still there when he leans down to press his lips against mine.
In this very moment, a deep sense of joy fills my heart, and I yearn for it to thrive even further. When he pulls back, he taps the tip of my nose and grins down at me.
“You happy, Dove?”
“Very much so, my Ghost. Are you happy?”
“As long as I’m with you, I’m the happiest man on earth, baby. Now come on. Let’s go check out our new home before the big one over there rips my truck doors off,” he murmurs, huffing out a laugh and shaking his head as he stares over my head at my window.
A burst of uncontrollable giggles escapes me as I catch sight of Zeke standing there, his face pressed against the glass with a wide grin as he looks in at us. I pat Jeremiah’s chest and scoot back over to my side, biting my lip as I stare out at Zeke, his smile infectious. My hand hovers over the door handle when his muffled voice stops me.
“Dinnae ye dare, Ducky!” he gasps, scrambling for the handle on the outside and jerking the door open.
The whole truck shakes with how roughly he opens the door, which only sends me into another fit of giggles. I suppose Jeremiah wasn’t far off in being concerned about his doors being ripped from the hinges.
Zeke helps me climb out, shutting the door behind me and pulling me to him, wrapping his arms around me. As I stare up at the house, a sense of peace settles inside me, and when I take a deep breath, I realize why.
It feels like home.Myhome.
I smile up at Zeke, and his purr resonates through my body, causing my knees to weaken. As he bends down, his touch sends a shiver down my spine, and our lips meet in a tender, innocent kiss. When he pulls back, I tilt my head and give him a puzzled look, my lips still curled up at the corners.
“I love seein’ ye smile,” he tells me with a crooked grin before playfully rubbing his nose against mine, which only makes my smile widen.
He takes my hand in his, and gently tugs until I follow, breathless laughter escaping me. As Zeke leads me down the walkway and up the porch steps—the others following behind us—I try to take everything in. When we step up onto the front porch, I stare over at the wooden swing, immediately knowing I’ll be spending a lot of time out here sitting on it and already looking forward to it.
Zeke opens the front door, leading me in with his hand at the small of my back, and I feel completely comforted by the open design when we step inside.
As we walk in, my eyes are immediately drawn to the wooden staircase that leads upstairs. Looking upwards, I’m struck by the fact that the open design extends to the upstairs, granting me a panoramic view of everything overhead from where I’m standing, and I decide I like that a lot.
“So, up there we’ve got the bedrooms, which all have their own bathrooms. We’ll go up an’ check all o’ that out soon, an’ everyone can pick a room for themselves. An’ over here, we’ve got the family room,” Zeke says, moving over towards the stairs and pointing to the left.
When I look, I’m greeted by a spacious living room featuring inviting soft gray couches and plush light blue armchairs, meticulously arranged around the room to create a cozy atmosphere, all centered around a charming red-brick fireplace. Handmade quilts that look worn and well-loved are folded over the back of one of the chairs and both couches. Built-in shelves frame either side of the fireplace that are filled with books and personal mementos, adding even more personality to the space.
Three large windows line the left side of the room, bathing the area in natural sunlight, and sitting beneath them is a cozy-looking bench seat that runs the entire length of the wall, filled with an assortment of fluffy throw pillows and several soft looking blankets. Pastel blue walls with white trim serve as the backdrop for a collection of photographs showcasing their lives, and the urge to look at them all is overwhelming, an innate needto learn more about these men that biology has deemed perfect for me.
Before I can rush in and do just that, Zeke is pulling me down the hall, the sound of our footsteps echoing. Along our way, we pass a bathroom, a smaller den that they’ve turned into a gaming room, and a small room they said is empty and mostly used for storage before we make it to our next stop.
Zeke leads us into an expansive and impressive kitchen and dining area that has both a homey and modern feel to it. Stainless steel appliances and marble countertops gleam as the sunlight from the sliding glass door and windows stream in, giving an uninterrupted view into their backyard where I can see a pool past the patio. A large deep blue island with a sink on one side sits in the center of the kitchen with six wooden stools that have been painted to match lining one side. With their identical blue color, the cabinets and drawers establish a consistent theme in the kitchen, while white tile backsplash not only adds visual contrast but also prevents the room from appearing overly dim.
A rustic-looking hood hangs above the stove on one side of the island, while a walk-in pantry and additional counter space complete the kitchen setup at the front. A cluster of free-floating wooden shelves are strategically placed next to the stove, displaying an assortment of spices and seasonings, while more shelves suspended over the open counter hold an assortment of cups, plates, and bowls.
Opposite the kitchen, there’s a spacious dining area featuring a beautifully crafted wooden table that’s big enough for six people. The matching chairs have dark blue cushions on them, continuing the theme from the kitchen. Sitting opposite the table is a bay window, its cushion in a lighter shade of blue, accentuated by a collection of throw pillows.