We get in the truck, and I lean my head back against the seat. “I think my house is jinxed or something. I’ve lived there a few weeks, and I’ve given my neighbor a heart attack, almost got killed by stray bullets, and had an intruder try to break in twice to do nefarious things with my undies.”
Trace turns in his seat and runs his finger down my nose. “Let’s talk about this when we get home. I have a solution to your problem.”
I’m not sure what he means, but I hold his hand the entire way back to his house. When he leads me inside, I find Squeaky sleeping in the cat condo curled up with Roger. Turning to Trace, I smirk. “At least one of us has had a peaceful morning.”
Trace leads me to the living room. “Let’s talk about your house.”
I sit and wait for him to speak. My heart is racing because I’m not sure where this is leading. Trace takes my hand and kisses the back of it before smiling. “I think you’re right. Your house is definitely cursed.” My mouth falls open. I expected more support from him. “So, I think you should move in with me and get out of there.”
Did he really just ask me to move in with him? “But we haven’t known each other…”
He puts his finger on my lips and shakes his head. “I knew from the second I saw you. It hit me instantly that you were the one. If you don’t want to share a bed with me, I can wait until you’re ready, but I don’t want to let you go back to your house. I won’t be able to function while worrying about you. Fucking Cal Burton probably won’t stay in jail forever, and I need to know you’re safe. Plus, Squeaky and Roger have bonded. You don’t want to break them up, do you?”
Before I can get my sluggish mind in gear, he drops down to kneel in front of me. “Look, I forgot one thing. I love you. I fell in love with you the second you opened your door. There was this spark the first time we met. I know it sounds crazy, but you ignited something in me, and I just knew you owned my heart.” He leans forward and kisses my nose. “I want you here with me, but if you’re worried about how quick we’re moving, keep your house and rent it out.” He sits back on his heels and shrugs. “There’s always a shortage of rental properties in Juniper, so you won’t have any problems finding renters. My aunt is a realtor so she can help us out. When you’re ready for more, I want you to marry me, but I won’t press until you give me a sign.”
I’m considering everything when I look to the side and see Roger walking across the hall, holding Squeaky in his mouth like a mother would hold its baby. I blink several times as I watch the huge cat drag Squeaky into the kitchen. I feel Trace shaking in front of me and turn to see him silently laughing. He hiccups. “She seems to have him trained.”
Figuring I can’t argue with his reasoning, I just nod. “Let me think about everything you’ve said for a little bit.”
He seems disappointed but smiles and stands then pulls me to my feet. “Come on. I bet our cats need food.”
Before we walk through the kitchen doorway, I pull on his hand, and he looks over his shoulder at me. I smile. “By the way, I love you, too.”
Relief passes through his eyes, and he spins and wraps me in his arms. “Thank God, I was really starting to worry.”
“I just need a little time to make the move over here. I’ll start moving my things over, then maybe after a month or two, we can talk about looking into renters. How does that sound?”
His face lights up, and he smiles widely. “I can definitely agree to your conditions.”
As we’re making lunch, we discuss how we’re going to move my things since we have to work around several upcoming workdays for Trace. Trace places plates for both cats on the “cat” counter before sitting next to me at the breakfast bar facing the counter. I almost choke on my bite when I look up and see Roger pushing little bites of food over to Squeaky. Trace glances over and bursts out laughing. After smacking him on the leg, I growl, “We’ve created a Daddy cat situation.”
Trace laughs even harder before looking over at me with tears running down his face. “Maybe we should get another kitten so he can be like Hef. You know, one for each side.”
I figure out Trace is ticklish, and we fall to the floor in a pile of limbs. By the time we come up for air, our cats have left the room. I lay my head on Trace’s shoulder. “I can’t believe all it took was a little kitten to tame your grumpy old cat.”
Trace kisses the tip of my nose. “Believe it. You tamed this grumpy old man with one look.”
Chapter 10
Paige
A couple of months later, we get great news when Cal Burton takes a plea deal, giving him three years in prison and then probation. It will be stated in his release conditions that he cannot contact any member of Trace’s family for the rest of his life. Trace has no idea why the crazy man became fixated on him way back in high school. As far as he remembers, it started as a silly athletic competition that got out of hand. I’m so happy we won’t have to worry about him ever again. Sheriff Donaldson assured us Cal Burton would be looking for a new town to call home upon his release.
Over the next three months, we slowly move my things over to Trace’s house. By the time summer comes to an end, I’m fully moved in, and I’m looking for a way to give Trace the signal I’m ready for more. I keep debating the best way to do it when the answer falls right into my lap. Trace is working a twenty-four-hour shift, and I wake up and barely make it to the bathroom before I’m horribly sick. As I’m sitting on the floor with my back against the wall, trying to wait for my stomach to settle, I do calculations in my head. Twice. Then I crawl to the bedroom and grab my phone off the bedside table. I can’t believe I’m almost a month late, and I’m throwing up. As I call Rosa to get her advice, I try to dress without needing a return visit to the bathroom. She tells me to go straight to the pharmacy and get a pregnancy test, then call her with the result. That’s what I was already planning to do. If I hurry, I can beat Trace home. After I take the test, I text her the result before staring at the clock and waiting for Trace.
My nerves are about to eat me alive when Trace walks through the door twenty minutes after I get back. I had all of forty minutes to decide how to handle the situation, so I’m kind of going with my first instinct. I left the test on the bathroom counter for him to find.
While I’m downstairs feeding the two cats, I hear a thump upstairs, and I rush up to check on Trace. I find him sitting on the floor next to the toilet, staring at the pregnancy stick in his hand. When he looks up at me, I see tears in his eyes, and I can hardly understand him as he speaks. “You can’t get away now. I won’t let you. We’re getting married tomorrow.”
I drop down in front of him and wrap my arms around his neck. Leaning my forehead against his, I smile. “You’re pretty much stuck with us now, but I’d like the time to at least plan a small wedding.”
“I love you.” He rubs my flat stomach and smiles at me. “I love both of you so much. I’ll give you a week, and then I’m kidnapping you.” He kisses the side of my neck, and I smile.