Taking Shots (Assassins, #1)(137)
“Why? I told you Jakob wants the whole deal: house, marriage, kids. This is totally normal for Jakob.”
“I know, but it’s not for Harper, it’s weird.”
“I guess, so when do we need to be there?”
“In an hour. I’m gonna go take a shower,” Elli said getting up and putting her full plate in the sink.
“You didn’t eat.”
“I ain’t hungry,” she answered before heading down the hall.
She had lost her appetite when Harper said Belle Meade. How could Harper want to live there? After everything Elli went through in that neighborhood with Justin. Why would Harper want to live there when she knew Elli would be coming over a lot to see her? Elli was sure Justin still lived in the house that Elli had lived in for a year. Justin loved that house and would never get rid of it. What if Harper’s house was by Justin?
Elli stomach churned at the thought.
Elli had worried over nothing. Harper’s prospected house was nowhere near Justin’s, but they did have to pass it to get to Harper’s. When Shea turned onto Justin’s road, Elli’s stomach dropped. She had traveled down this road so many times, but this time she wouldn’t be pulling into the circular driveway of the 2.5 million dollar, three story high, blue colonial. Nope, she would be driving right on by it. Hell, she might even flip it the bird.
She didn’t, she just pointed and said, “That’s Justin’s house.”
Elli didn’t expect Shea to slam on the breaks, looking out his window at the huge, beautiful house.
“You lived there?”
“I did,” Elli said, looking out the window, too. Justin’s Rolls Royce wasn’t there, so he must have been out.
“It's too nice for a douche bag,” he said before driving off.
“That it is.”
They drove a little more before Shea spoke again, “You know, I was thinking.”
Elli looked over at him, “Yeah?”
“You’ve heard me sing, but I have yet to hear you sing and you sang on damn Broadway.” Elli smiled shyly over at Shea, out of all the things he could be thinking, he was thinking that?
“You heard me sing at the karaoke bar.”
“That wasn’t real, you were drunk. I want to hear you really sing.”
“Not gonna happen,” she said with a grin.
“Why not?” he asked as the GPS told him to turn again.
“Because I don’t sing, unless I’m drunk, in front of people.”
“That’s crazy; you were amazing in the movies we watched.”
“I was younger and could actually sing then.”
“I bet you’re still amazing.”
“To bad you won’t ever find out.”
“Oh, I will,” he challenged just as the GPS said that they had arrived at their destination. Shea pulled into the one level stone home with huge white windows, as Elli grinned at a waving Harper and Jakob. They looked so happy, so much like a couple, that it blew Elli’s mind. Who would have thought that Harper Allen would be living the life that she was?
Elli sure never thought she would be.
“It’s a great house, don’t you think?” Shea asked as they drove back to the condo. They were going to go home to change since they were meeting Harper and Jakob for dinner. They were going out to celebrate, since they put an offer on the house once Shea and Elli saw and liked it.
“I do, it’s great.”
“I thought so, they seem happy with it.”
“Yeah, I’ve never seen Harper so excited about something.”
“Yeah,” Shea agreed, “there are a lot of houses for sale over here.”
“Yeah.”
Shea looked over at Elli; she was looking out the window at the houses as the passed by, “Did you want to get a house together?”
Elli looked over at him, “The condo’s fine, don’t you think?”
He shrugged his shoulders, “I guess, but you have a lot of stuff, you’re piano isn’t going to fit in the condo.”
“I was thinking that I was just gonna bring my clothes over and shoes.”
Shea thought for a moment, before saying, “So you’re not truly moving in?”
“Well, yeah I am, just I’m leaving my stuff at my house.”
“Why? Why don’t we get a bigger place? I don’t want you to sell your house because I was thinking we could live there when I retire.”
“Retire?”
“It will happen,” he said with a laugh as he turned onto the exit for Nashville. “I’m not going to play forever.”
“I know, but I didn’t think you were thinking that far ahead, or even including me in that equation.” He looked over at her; she was biting her bottom lip, her face flushed. How could she think he wasn’t including her in the equation?
“Of course, I am.”
“Oh,” Elli said, a delighted smile on her face, “I don’t know if I want people living in my house.”
“Fine, it’s paid off, isn’t it?”
“Yeah.”
“Alright, so it’s not like we’ll have to worry about that mortgage payment and a new one, so why don’t we look into getting something bigger? I think Grace knows a good realtor or maybe we can use the one Jakob and Harper are using.”