Polished Rust (Wilkins Brothers Book #4)

Chapter 25

TATE

“Well, what did you think?”

Rosemary was abnormally quiet when we got back to her car. She had a lot of comments and questions for the real estate agent while we were touring the house, but the entire drive back to the garage, she just gave me one and two-word responses to my questions, sometimes not even speaking, but just giving a noise of affirmation. I couldn’t help but wonder if the events of the day finally sank in and she was thinking about so much more than the house.

“That’s a loaded question, Tate.”

Her reply was quiet, not my girl’s normal reaction to any questions I have. I put the car safely into park and reached my hand over the center console, taking hers in mine. “I was talking about the house, but if you want to talk about anything else, we can do that too.”

“I really like the house. It needs a little work, that’s for sure. Nothing I can’t get done though.”

“You’ll for sure have to start with that kitchen, Mercy would never subject herself to cooking on that current stovetop.” She giggles and nods. Thinking back to the kitchen, it was the least updated part of the house. Everything was probably original to the house, making it about twenty years old. They were also white, which apparently is just gross according to my live-in chef. She reminds me all the time when she cooks in my sad excuse for a kitchen.

“It is really nice that there are two bedrooms with ensuites as well. This would give Mercy and me the ability to have space away from each other. I was thinking I would probably take the one on the top level.”

“You think?”

“Yeah, you’re going to think I’m crazy.”

“I already think you’re crazy, darling, might as well tell me everything.”

Rosemary glares at me, but there is a hint of humor in her look. “I was just sitting here thinking about my future and I’m not going to lie, it has me a little freaked out.”

“Talk to me.”

“I started thinking about my future. I realize that Mercy is sixteen and in a few years she may be moving out and onto college, but she also might not be, if you think about it. So I’m looking at those upstairs rooms and I’m thinking it makes the most sense for me to be up there because when I get the opportunity to grow my family, those bedrooms would be filled. Then that freaks me out because I’ve never thought about having kids of my own and I’ve never thought about that before.”

“Rosemary…” I try to stop her, but she’s on a roll.

“And then when I let myself think about that future, I realize that I do want kids and a family. I want that so badly. In my brain though, that future is with you. Of course, that’s another timebomb because we literally just told each other that we love each other and I have no idea if you even want kids and if you do, do you want those kids with me?”

“Rosemary, sweetheart, can you do me a favor and breathe for a second?” She takes a deep breath, squeezing my hand for comfort. “That’s better. So, that was a lot that you just let out there, huh?”

“Yeah. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. I appreciate your honesty. If you can’t be honest with me, what’s the point of us being together?”

“So you’re not completely freaked out?”

I grin, “I’m not going to say that, but I admit that walking through that house with you today felt an awful lot like walking through a home for us.”