When the Contract Ends

7. Dreamhouse

"Buy her a house" Mark suggests. "Chicks dig that shit." He hits the cue ball and pockets two stripes.

"She's not some chick." I mutter, lining up my pool stick.

"You're right, she's not." Emily sits up from her sprawled out position on the couch. "But, women do like when men..." I watch as she thinks about her words. "Think about the future. Buying a house and moving out of this..." She looks around. "Bachelor penthouse? Could show her that you're changing. That you no longer want the bachelor lifestyle but now want the- the picket fence."

She has a small, satisfied, smile on her face. Mark stares at her in awe as I try to digest her words.

I never thought I'd want the picket-fence, but right now it actually doesn't seem that bad. Paisley, mini Paisleys, and a dog in the backyard; one that gets along with Simba, obviously.

"Do you want the picket fence?" Mark asks Emily slowly.

"Maybe," Emily shrugs, oblivious to the thoughts running through Mark's head, he looks like he's going to shit his pants. "One day."

"Dreamhouse? Go!"

"Dreamhouse?" I groan. "That's such a feminine question."

"Just answer the question!" Paisley giggles, pulling her legs up and resting her chin on her knees.

"Um.." I've never put much thought to living anywhere other than the penthouse, until recently. "I guess somewhere with a big yard... For kids to run around in." I try to gauge her reaction to my last sentence.

"Ohh, Mr. Playboy, thinking about kids." I force a light chuckle. The playboy jokes were funny at the beginning, but it has been ten months. Also, I've fallen in love with her. They don't 'hurt my feelings'; they're just not funny anymore.

"Well,' I roll my shoulders. "If I buy a house, it would be because I'm starting a family. So, if there was a house, there would be kids."

"Hm."

"That's a big if." I add, noticing her blank face. "Obviously, I still have a few more years of..." I clear my throat. "Fun left."

"Right..." She breathes. "Well, MY dream house is brick, painted white, and a spot, somewhere in the yard, to plant a ton of cherry blossom trees." She gets a longing smile on her face. "My mom loved them." She explains and I nod in understanding.

"There was one in our backyard, my dad bought it for my mom on their wedding day. It was her tree, every day she was out there."

Her reminiscent tone has me feeling her loss. I can't imagine losing my parents, especially at the young age Paisley was.

Thirteen is such a young age to have to automatically grow up. I can't count the number of times I've turned to my parents for advice.

"My sister loves them too."

My eyebrows furrow. Sister?

"You had a sister?" She said 'loves', as in present tense. "Wait, have?" She never mentioned a sister.

"Honestly? I don't know." She chuckles humorously. How does someone not know if they have a sibling? She must realize she sounds crazy because she sighs and grabs her hand down her face. "In the car accident, my ten-year-old sister was in the backseat with me... She was in critical condition but I was fine so we were separated." Her eyes well with tears and a horrifying feeling sinks into my gut. "She is or would have been twenty-two now."

I jump from the couch. "Paisley, have you looked for her?"

She wipes the tears from her eyes. "That costs a lot of money." She mutters. "So does taking care of her once I find her."

Everything makes sense now. Paisley has never seemed like the kind of girl who would agree to lie about anything, no matter what. I never understood why she agreed to this... I get it now.

"That's why you agreed to this, isn't it? That's your reason for needing the money."

She doesn't verbally answer, but her face says enough.

"I'm not a fan of the painted brick." Mark says, staring at the house I've just been given keys to.

"I think it looks nice." Emily hooks her arm with his and grins at me.

"I agree with Emily." Jenna studies the house. "And if Paisley likes the white brick, she's going to absolutely love this. She might agree to take you back." She glares at me, still mad about the 'divorce'.

My sister, Claire, nods, agreeing with the other women.

"How do you plan on telling Paisley about the house?" Harry questions. "Because I vote flying to Australia and showing her the title."

"I told you, I'm not going to Australia. I will completely surprise her when she comes home."

Everyone immediately stops talking when my phone rings.

"Hey." I can't keep the grin off my face when I answer.

"Hi, I have a big thing to tell you! Ready?" I'm too excited about the house to even ask what.

"I have a big thing to tell you too but I'm going to wait till you're here." My brother in law, Charlie, makes kissing faces with Harry and Mark starts gagging himself.

"Ohh." She curiously drags out the word. "Well, I bet it's not as big as the thing I'm going to tell you."

I glace up at the eleven thousand square foot home I've just bought. "It's a pretty big thing."

"Really? Then I'll just wait to tell you my big thing and we can surprise each other when you get me for coffee in four months." I can hear her voice getting excited. "And whoever's thing is more exciting has to buy coffee."

"Deal." I look down the driveway, already able to picture the cherry blossom trees Paisley wanted lining both sides. "Prepare to be surprised."

***

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