Page 56 of Bad Reputation

She presses her face against my chest, nodding. “I understand, I think. You feel like we’ll just keep going, now that we cleared that one big hurdle.”

“Exactly. That’s it exactly.” I couldn’t say it myself, but she knew what I meant anyway. I can’t express my gratitude enough through words, so I just hug her harder.

We stand like that for a while, her face pressed into me, my arms around her shoulders. Eventually Ally sticks her head out of the back door.

“Are you guys doing all right out here? Do you want to see some more houses?” she asks.

I pull back, looking down at Emma. The corners of her lips lift upward.

“I think we’re ready to see another house. Right?” I ask.

She doesn’t skip a beat or break eye contact. “Definitely ready.”

“Great! I have another house that may be more up your alley,” Ally chirps. “It definitely has more curb appeal than this house, for sure.”

I take Emma by the hand, leading her through the house and out the front door. She is all smiles as we get in Ally’s car and drive to the next house.

We drive until we’re only a few blocks from Redemption Beach. I look at the sandy yards of the little bungalows with the white picket fences we’re passing, my interest piqued. When we pull up out front of the place, I stare at the house for a full second.

It’s a tiny cottage that’s been painted bright yellow, with a neatly maintained sandy yard and a perfect white picket fence.

“Isn’t it great?” Ally asks, looking back at me. “It’s from the 1930s, all original inside too. And it’s obviously on this super cute street of houses.”

“I… it is great,” I say, getting out of the car. I feel Emma as she gets out behind me. “This is what I imagine, when I imagine a house I could buy.”

“Wait until you see the inside!” Ally says. “It looks cute as a postage stamp out here, but inside it’s roomy, too.”

Emma slips her hand into mine, squeezing my fingers. I follow Ally through the fence and into the yard.

“You’re going to like the back yard area too,” Ally says as she unlocks the door. “It’s nice and big. It’s even shaded by a couple of big trees.”

Ally steps inside, opening the door into a sunny living room. The whole place is bare, but it’s not hard to imagine it full of furniture. A couch by the wall, bookshelves on either side of the window. I guarantee that I look like a little fool, standing there with my mouth agape, letting my mind run away with me.

“Whoa,” I say, because that’s all that comes to mind. I look at Emma, and find her smiling.

“This place… this is cute,” she says, releasing my hand to walk past the living room.

I am right on her heels, walking into an in between space, followed by the all-white kitchen. The bedrooms and bathroom branch off the in between room. The ceilings aren’t that tall, maybe only a foot taller than me in some places, but I am willing to overlook that.

Emma pushes open the French doors that lead into the back yard. She looks back at me with such a joyful expression. “It’s perfect.”

And it is. There is a patio area with a fire pit in the middle on one side, and a big open area on the other side. As promised, there are two big shady trees in the back yard, arching over everything.

“You can almost see yourself throwing a party here,” Emma murmurs.

“Or putting together a swing set right over here,” I say, pointing to the empty area. Emma and I trade glances, her eyes widening a little.

“You think so?” she says, flushing a little.

I glance at Ally. “This is the one.”

“Jameson—” Emma says. “It’s the second place you’ve seen. Be reasonable.”

I look her dead in the eye, unwavering. “When I see what I want, I’m going to get it. Once I’ve made up my mind about something, that’s it. There isn’t even any point in discussing it.”

Emma blushes bright red, catching my double meaning easily. “You should still look around a little. Sleep on it for a few days.”

I grab her by the waist, drawing her close so that I can kiss her lips, slow and sensual. Emma squirms a little because Ally is here, but I refuse to bend, holding her in place. When I release her lips, she’s a little breathless.