Love and Second Chances {Book 6}

Chapter 10

Daniella

I sat outside the house with both hands gripping the steering wheel as I calmed my nerves. You can do this Dee, I reminded myself. It's just an open house. 

After months of staying with Skylar, Simone, and Will, I had decided it was more than time to find my own place, especially with the dreams I was having recently. Before the memory of the dream could come back, I opened my car door and headed up to the house in question.

"Daniella, thank you for coming," my realtor Jessie said with a grin and I couldn't help but match her excitement. "I have a feeling you are really going to like this house."

"I hope I do," I told her honestly before we entered the property.

It was a detached four bedroom, three bathroom house with a gorgeous backyard while the home had a modern style to it. It was a two-story home with more than enough room for me and my future family but it wasn't it. 

"Are there any more places on the list to view today?" I asked Jessie as we exited the house and she nodded. "Absolutely. I'll lead the way."

I got into my car and kept my eyes on her white beamer as I continued to ignore the calls coming in as DO NOT ANSWER. JT was still trying to contact me after the disaster at the club and he seemed to be getting more desperate for my attention. He tried to show up at the hospital and security had him removed and Skylar even had to have the locks changed. Hense the other reason I'm moving. 

The phone rang again and I was going to send it to voicemail again when I noticed the name. Jermaine. 

"Hey baby girl, how are you?" His smooth voice came through the phone and I couldn't help the flutter of butterflies in my stomach at the nickname he had chosen for me.

"I'm good. How are you?"

"I'm good. Practice ended a little early today so I thought I would come check you out. You at Skylars?"

"No I'm not. I'm actually  house hunting."

"Really? I didn't know you were looking. You know I have a really great realtor."

"I'm sure you do but I can not afford his prices or the areas he shows."

"You know I would cover that."

"Which is exactly why I didn't tell you," I told him honestly.

"Fair enough. Can't blame a man for trying to help his woman."

"I'm not your woman Jermaine."

"Not for a lack of trying on my part," he said with a chuckle and I couldn't help but bite my lip at the sound. How did he make the small things sound so sexy? "How about I come through and help you house hunt?"

"I don't know JJ. Your Jermaine 'Triple Jumpshot' Jackson and if they see you the price may skyrocket."

"Damn girl. I'm that fine," he joked and I couldn't help but laugh along with him.

"Jermaine-"

"Look I know what you're saying but I just want to see you. I miss you Dani," he admitted and I could picture him running his hand through his hair which he tended to do whenever he made a confession or was nervous.

"571 Quinceton Drive. It's off of Main and Everest," I rattled off before I could stop myself and I could feel him smiling through the phone.

"That's not far from where I am right now so I'll be over there really soon."

"Sounds good. We just pulled up anyways," I told him as I parked in the driveway before we said our goodbyes and came off the phone. Sliding out the car, I headed inside the house with high hopes. The house wasn't bad, the same design as the last and even had its own jacuzzi but once again, it was nice but it wasn't me. 

I headed back outside and was about to dial JJ not to come when a black car pulled up and out Jermaine exited from the passenger side with an oversized hoodie on, dark glasses and a baseball cap to conceal his identity. The car that dropped him off sped off leaving him standing in front of me and I could help but reach to slide off his glasses so I could see his eyes.

"What in the world are you doing?"

"Abiding by your rules. Let me guess, you don't like this place?"

"How did you know?"

"It's not you and trust me, I know exactly what you want and exactly what you're looking for, even if you don't want to say it or even realize it," he muttered, his hand gripping my waist and I had a feeling we had just stopped talking about the house and had chartered on to a more dangerous territory.

"Jermaine."

"I know. We have to wait until my divorce is final but I want you," he admitted and I bit my lip trying not to make things worse by admitting I wanted him too.

"Since you know what I'm looking for, why don't you go look at the house options Jesse has and pick the next one we should go see."

"No need. I found the perfect one on the drive here." Jermaine headed over to Jesse to let her know to follow us and she agreed before Jermaine hopped into my car and drove us to the house he thought was the perfect one for me.

In my mind, I knew while he and I had known each other for a long time there was no way he could have known me well enough to pick the perfect house but when he stopped in front of it, I immediately knew it was the one.

"Its-"

"Perfect. Come on, your going to love the inside."

I tried so hard to be critical and shut down any idea that this could be my home but I knew better. The three-story home with five-bedroom, four bathrooms, a huge kitchen that overlooked the basketball court in the backyard and a jacuzzi in the master bedroom was more than my mind could ever imagine. It was a newly built home with an open concept design and didn't have too many steps just in case my dad ever wanted to move in with me as he got older.

"How did you know?" I asked leaning against his chest and he placed a kiss on my cheek before taking my hand into his.

"When we first reconnected, I knew I wanted you in my life and I couldn't help but look at places that could one day be ours. I know you're not overly flashy but you would want something nice that we could grow a family in. And this was the only one I actually came and visited."

"Jermaine-"

"Even if you don't see yourself with me, I still think this is your dream home Ella. It's you."

I wanted to correct him and tell him about the dream. Him and I and our kids in a house like this one. But instead, I placed a peck on his lips and headed back downstairs to the first floor where the realtor was waiting in the kitchen.

"I love it. How much is it?" She read off the price and I nearly dropped. "That is way over my budget by almost a hundred thousand dollars."

"Well maybe if you let me help--"

"Absolutely not. As gorgeous as this house is, I don't want to take your money."

"It would be a gift."

"Well thank you but no thank you," I told him honestly before turning back to Jesse. "Maybe we could look at more places next week."

"Sounds good to me."