AllFreeNovel
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“Why?”
“I don’t even know where to start.”
“He’s there so you can’t talk, right?”
“Ish. Except to say that right now we’re in the house in Dublin.”
“The house in Dublin?” she parrots.
“The house,” I emphasize.
The sound of footsteps in the hall resumes, then recedes. Maybe he’s gone into one of the other bedrooms.
“The house?” Alannah asks blankly.
“The house. The dream house I wanted but didn’t think I’d ever have.”
“Explain.”
“Remember that house I was obsessing about before Adam’s accident? Well, Derek bought it for me.”
“He what?”
“He saw it on my bookmarks and in my web history, so he bought it for me.”
“Holy fuck,” she whispers.
“For a hundred k over asking to get the guy to move out immediately, leaving it furnished, so we could move in today.”
“Whoa.”
“Whoa is right. Fires started in all the fireplaces. Roses and champagne on the counter.”
“Fire in your panties, too?” she asks.
I scoff and wander into the dazzling walk-in closet that you access from the bathroom. Yep, it’s in that same neon green, but God is it gorgeous otherwise. My things are here. The few things I brought with me Friday night along with all he had the talented Nicola procure for me. I coined it my dream gawdy green, gorgeous girl garage. Because I would put all my favorite things in here. And it looks even better in person than it did on the real estate listing. So many shelves, nooks, and drawers. Places for my necklaces. For my not-large but very beloved and carefully bargain-sourced shoe and handbag collection. A side with plenty of storage for my dream husband’s suits, his jeans, his hoodies that I’d undoubtedly borrow. Right now some of Derek’s clothes are here, too. Whatever he had in that condo, I imagine.
I wonder how comfy Derek’s hoodies are. I touch one that’s tucked into a cubby. The arms would hang way off my hands. Like that wine colored henley of his that I put on after the first time we…
I shake my thoughts off. Hard. I force myself to clue in to what Alannah is saying. She’s called my name.
“My clothes were moved over while we were at brunch. Not really my clothes, mind you. The new and perfect bespoke wardrobe Derek bought for me.”
“This explains why I’m meeting you guys at the city hall, then?”
“Huh?”
“That’s what he sent me in a text last night.”
“Text?”
“You weren’t listening, were you? 11:30. Tomorrow. Derek texted me to be there to stand up for you as your maid of honor. Not there but in a town twenty minutes from there.”
“Uh…” is all I manage.
“He hasn’t told you.”
“We haven’t discussed it, no.”
