Page 64 of This Broken Heart

I pat the bed beside me. “If you can stand the company.”

She crawls onto the bed, leaning against the wall. Her shoulders brush mine and I hand her the bottle. She tips it to her lips and takes a little sip before passing it back.

“I made quite an exit, didn’t I?”

She shrugs. “Your sisters have been a handful today.”

“That’s one way of putting it.”

She’s quiet for a bit. “You really don’t want the house?”

The hollow feeling in my chest widens, threatening to steal my breath. “At one point, I did. I had all sorts of plans for this old place.”

“What changed?”

“I lost my partner in crime.”

She nods, fingers brushing mine when she grabs the bottle. “What were you going to do?”

I lean into her, and she rests her head on my shoulder. I clear my throat. “That kitchen is due for an update. I wanted to refinish the cabinets. Put in granite countertops. Maybe marble.”

“That would be beautiful.”

I put my arm around her shoulder. “And I wanted to restore the fireplaces.”

“What fireplaces?”

“Exactly.” I smile, warming to the topic. “They walled them in sometime back in the eighties, but there’s a big fireplace in the kitchen and another in the primary bedroom.”

“Is that what that awkward nook is in the dining room?”

I nod. “Yep. The fireplace is right behind that wall.”

“I would love to see that.”

We pass the bottle back and forth while I tell her about my plans. I’ve been dreaming about it since I was a kid, but when Ana passed away, my future went right with her. Talking about it with Erin is kindling some of those cold embers back to life.

The champagne is helping, too. The bubbles go straight to my head. I’m feeling particularly thankful towards Erin. She’s the little ray of sunshine my life needed and I want her to be as happy as she’s making me.

“Dusty’s a good guy.” I say, passing her the bottle.

“Hmm?”

“I’m sorry if I’ve been cock-blocking you two.” I rub the back of my neck. “I can understand why you like him.”

“I don’t.” She’s peering up at me. “I mean, he’s a nice guy. And he’s cute.”

I wince.

She rolls her eyes. “But you’re all cute. Disgustingly cute.”

I laugh. “Disgustingly cute?”

“Four perfectly beautiful human beings. It’s awful.”

There’s a creak in the hallway and Bo appears, looking cautiously optimistic.

I grin at him. “She says we’re awful.”