He moves the burgers to the hamburger buns he already defrosted and toasted. “I’ll change anything you want. New furniture, too. Whatever you want, you tell me.”
“All I need is a place to sleep, shower, and of course… a reading nook,” I tell him.
“I’ll start on that tomorrow.”
“You don’t have to start on it tomorrow, Jase.”
“Your new chair is coming tomorrow.”
“Then you can start on my reading nook tomorrow,” I say with enthusiasm.
He laughs. ‘Yes, ma’am.”
“I guess I should learn to cook,” I inform.
He laughs harder. “That’s not necessary.”
“I really should learn,” I state, sliding the patio door back open so we can go inside with the burgers.
“I take it I gotta be your test subject?” he asks, looking horrified.
I pout.
He sets the plate of meat on the table before he wraps me up in his arms, kissing me while chuckling.
“You’re lucky I’m in such a good mood tonight or I might be tempted to cook something right now!” I threaten.
He laughs harder and kisses me some more. Feeling Jase laugh against my mouth is pretty awesome.
“That’s it! I’m making dinner tomorrow night!”
“Oh shit,” he mutters. “Wait. You can’t. My parents sent over a mountain of food. Freezer is full enough, we don’t have to cook for at least two weeks.”
“Then… you’ll have a two-week reprieve,” I tell him.
“Didn’t I hear your mother say she’s looking for us for the following two weeks?”
I roll my eyes. He laughs again and then takes my hand to walk me in to the dining room. I sit.
“Open your presents while you eat,” he tells me, then fetches the mead.
I look around. Our house. I’m so glad he brought me here to make things official. I’ve spent countless hours here, particularlywhen Grey lived here, fantasizing about living here with Jase, raising a family.
Home. The place where my mate will build me a reading nook, where I’ll hang out in my big, soft, pink reading chair. The place where we can look out the window to see who’s out by the bonfire at Roxy’s. We can walk there to have meals, drinks, or to dance on the dancefloor in less than five minutes.
It’s walking distance to my parents’ place. To Grey and Stacy’s. And it’s not much of a walk to the library, either.
And that’s a good thing, because my car certainly needs to go in the shop.
49
BAILEY
I wake up under a wall of Jase and sigh happily at the evidence it wasn’t a dream. I’m on my stomach and he’s sprawled almost entirely over me.
And I feel safe. I feel likeme. I think I’m moremethan ever, thanks to fulfilling Fate’s plan. And I’m both elated and excited, because Ireally ammated to Jase. And I have a wolf!
What will today bring? We have no plans. Nowhere to be, other than together.