Turn My World Around (Wishful 6)

“Don’t make a decision yet. You haven’t seen the rest of the house yet.”

“I don’t need to see the rest of the house. I don’t need to fall in love with it any more myself. There’s no way this is in the budget.”

“So you admit you like the house?” he pressed.

“Of course I like the house. It’s a great house. Good bones, lots of potential. There’s even a fenced yard for the dog Kurt’s been begging for. You’re right, it is perfect. But I’m just not there yet. Maybe after I finish my BSN and get the commensurate pay increase , but that’ll be a good long while.”

Tucker reeled her in, lacing his hands at the small of her back. “The landlord’s flexible on rent.”

“Unless he’s a candidate for Cirque de Soleil, I doubt it’ll be enough. It was a sweet thought, Tucker, but I don’t think this is going to work out.” She pulled away and went to the door to call Kurt back inside.

Tucker snagged her hand again. “We’ve got some more time before we need to get the pizza. Let him play a bit.”

She relented and followed when he pulled her toward the family room. “He’s really motivated to get a family in here. It’s a great neighborhood for kids. And it’s a cul de sac, so no worries about a lot of traffic.”

“I’m sure it’s a great place for kids but this guy is not going to agree to what I could afford to pay.”

“Oh, I think he might. He was really clear family is a lot more important to him than the money. Look, he’s left a picture of them on the mantle.”

She wandered over to peer up at the lone frame set on the rough wood mantle. As her steps slowed, Tucker’s heart began to thud. He slid his hand—sweaty now—into his pocket. Corinne reached to pick up the frame that held a picture of the three of them from their weekend on the coast, grinning in all their sunburned glory at the camera.

Eyes wide, she stared at him. “I don’t understand.”

“It’s our house. I bought it for us.”

“You bought a house?”

Okay, stupefied wasn’t necessarily bad, was it?

Tucker crossed over. “I did. For our family. Because that’s what I want us to be, Corinne. A family.”

“You bought a house?” she repeated.

“Not just a house.” He pulled out his hand and her stunned gaze fell to the ring in his palm.

“Ohmygod.”

“This wasn’t necessarily how I planned this part, but I seem to recall a conversation about how you didn’t need to hang out in the slow lane. I’m not much interested in the slow lane either. I love you. I love Kurt. And I don’t see any reason to put off what I already want.” She still wasn’t saying anything and Tucker started to feel the first flickers of panic. Had he screwed this up? “Unless you don’t want this or aren’t ready. I can put it away for later, when you are—”

Corinne pressed the fingers of her free hand to his lips to stop the flow of words. Tucker shut his mouth.

She set the picture carefully back on the mantle and turned to him. “Is there an actual question in all that?”

He took a breath and sank to one knee. “Will you and Kurt marry me, be my family, and come live here in this house?”

Her eyes were glassy, but her lips curved, dimple flashing. “Seems like that’s a lot of questions.”

“They’re all rolled up together. Package deal.”

She pressed a hand to her mouth for a moment. “It’s a pretty awesome package.”

“Well?”

“Say yes, Mama! Say yes! Tucker said if you say yes, I can get a puppy!”

Corinne slid Tucker a Look.

Tucker gave Kurt the side eye. “You weren’t supposed to mention that part yet.”