Two hours on the road and we were almost there. I was glad I'd scheduled the tour early—any later and I would've had to spend an entire day without Noah, and that simply wasn't happening.
I glanced over at Bella. She was driving with both hands steady on the wheel, her jaw set in that focused way she got when she took something seriously.
The road had been empty for a long time now. I couldn't remember the last car we'd passed—just endless stretches of farmland, rolling fields, and the occasional massive house sitting far back from the road like it wanted to be left alone.
About an hour in, I'd handed the wheel over to her, and she hadn't hesitated once. No nerves, no stiffness—just calm, confident driving, like she'd been doing this her whole life.
Then she squinted at the distance.
"Holy shit..." she muttered. "Is that it?"
Ahead of us, rising out of the land, was a massive white house. Tall white pillars framed the front, clean and symmetrical, with a warm brown roof that contrasted sharply against the pale sky. Even from this far away, it looked unreal—like something out of a movie.
"That's the one," I said.
She flicked on the blinker and turned off the road, and for the next three minutes we drove straight through the property. The driveway felt endless, cutting through acres of open land. They had said fifty acres, but seeing it was something else entirely.
"My god," Bella said, eyes darting everywhere. "This is insane. All this land, the house, and is that a barn?" She laughed in disbelief. "What is this, a billion dollars or something?"
"Surprisingly, no," I replied casually. "About fifteen mil, give or take."
She shot me a look, half amused, half suspicious. "And you just... have that?"
"Bella," I said, staring out at the fields as patches of wild grass and trees passed by, "when you defend cartel members in court, the paychecks tend to be generous."
There was a brief pause.
"...What the fuck?" she said, then shook her head. "Yeah, okay. That tracks."
We finally pulled into the main driveway, which opened into a wide circular roundabout. A fountain sat at the center, water spilling softly over stone. The space was massive—easily room for six cars, though realistically we'd only ever need two: my Bentley and Bella's Charger.
"That's a conversation for another time," I added, unbuckling my seatbelt.
I stepped out of the car and stretched, my back protesting loudly. Two hours on the road with only a five-minute break really did a number on me—probably more than it should have.
Still, as I looked up at the house towering over us, all I could think was one thing:
This could be home. OUR home...
A long-haired brunette stood near the front steps, dressed in a neat suit and clutching a clipboard to her chest. Her smile was bright—almost too bright. Polished, practiced. The kind that looked good on paper but didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Hi, I'm Veronica. I'll be giving you the tour of the property and the land," she said cheerfully. "Before we start, do you have any questions?"
She extended her hand toward me. I shook it briefly. "I'm good," I replied with a small nod. Bella nodded as well.
"Perfect. Then come on inside."
She opened the door, and the moment we stepped through, I felt it. The lighting was warm and balanced—not harsh, not dim—just enough to make the space feel lived in without being overwhelming. It was comforting in a way I hadn't expected, like the house was already waiting for us.
The place was partially furnished, too. And not abandoned furniture either—everything was clean, arranged with intention, not left to sit and collect dust like most properties we'd seen.
"The kitchen is this way," Veronica said, guiding us from the entry toward the side of the house.
The kitchen opened up beautifully. Wide marble countertops, spotless and gleaming. A large island sat at the center, perfect for cooking, gathering, or just leaning against while talking. I immediately thought of Noah—how much space he'd have, how easy it would be for all of us to move around without bumping into each other.
"This is perfect," Bella muttered under her breath, clearly impressed.
Just off to the side was the main dining area. The space was open and generous, clearly designed for a large table. I could already picture it filled—meals, laughter, noise.
Future kids, I thought.
Yeah. This place had potential.
Everything felt solid so far. Nothing was out of place, nothing creaked underfoot, and nothing gave off that subtle sense of decay some old houses had. It all felt... dependable.
"Let's head back into the hallway and check the nearest bedroom," Veronica said.
We stepped out of the kitchen and dining area into the main hallway. It was wide and open, the walls practically begging for paintings—family portraits, framed memories, things that made a house feel lived in. The nearest bedroom sat just across the hall, only a few steps from the kitchen.
The moment we walked in, I stopped short.
The room was massive. Easily big enough for five people without feeling cramped—and this wasn't even the master bedroom.
"Some people use this as a guest room," Veronica explained, "but of course, that's entirely up to you."
I glanced around, running my hand along the wall, taking it all in. Bella had wandered straight to the window, staring out at the open fields and stretches of wilderness beyond the glass.
"Wow..." I muttered, barely realizing I'd said it out loud.
"Let's take a look at the living room next, then we'll check the remaining bedrooms," Veronica said, guiding us back into the hallway.
We walked toward the front of the house, stopping just before the entrance. The living room opened up in front of us—and it was breathtaking.
A massive three-sided window dominated the space, flooding the room with natural light and giving a clear view of rolling fields, distant mountains, and lines of trees. The room itself was enormous, open enough that it could've passed for its own house.
"Holy fuck..." Bella breathed, her eyes glued to the view.
I slowly turned, taking in the scale of it all.
"As you can see," Veronica said smoothly, "there's more than enough space here for anyone."
I glanced upward and noticed a skylight set into the ceiling. "Is that...?"
"Fully remote-controlled," she replied.
She walked over to a panel along the wall and flicked a few switches. The room dimmed slightly, then brightened again, the light shifting smoothly.
"That's awesome," Bella said immediately.
I couldn't help noticing the balcony on the upper floor, overlooking the living room. I pictured it instantly—kids leaning over the railing, staring down at a Christmas tree loaded with presents.
Perfect.
After that, Veronica showed us the rest of the rooms on the lower level. Four bedrooms in total, each spacious in its own way. Two full bathrooms lined the hallways—clean, warm, and comfortable, both equipped with proper showers.
By the time we finished the bottom floor, I already knew one thing for sure.
This place didn't just look good.
It felt right.
We met back up near the entrance, where the staircase curved up along the wall. As we climbed, our footsteps made solid, heavy thumps against the steps—but there were no creaks, no groans, nothing unsettling.
"Marble stairs," Veronica said casually. "We added carpet on top since it's more comfortable. Easier on the feet."
The second floor opened up immediately. Bella drifted straight toward the balcony railing, leaning over to look down into the living room below. The space up here was barely a hallway at all—it felt like a second living room. There was enough room for a couch, a TV, maybe even a pool table if someone wanted. Open, airy, and quiet.
"Follow me," Veronica said. "The master bedroom's this way."
She led us to the side of the upper floor, the first door just off the balcony space.
The moment it opened, I exhaled.
The room was enormous—nearly the size of the living room downstairs. Light poured in through wide windows, and beyond them stretched the fields and the barn in the distance. Off to the side sat an attached bathroom, just as spacious, clean and modern.
I walked toward the window without really thinking, resting my hand against the glass as I looked out.
"Feels like home... doesn't it?" Bella said softly, her arm settling over my shoulder.
Before I could answer, Veronica spoke up. "There's also a balcony out here."
She stepped over and opened a glass door. Outside, a small balcony waited, already furnished with a chair.
I stepped out, and the fresh air hit me all at once—cool, clean, and sharp enough to make me smile. The land stretched endlessly in front of us, quiet and untouched.
I stood there for a moment, breathing it in.
"This really could be home..."
-
"And that concludes the tour of the house itself," Veronica said, closing her clipboard with a soft tap. "Any questions before we move on to the rest of the land?"
We'd just finished the last of the rooms—bathrooms, storage spaces, even the basement. That place alone felt unreal, practically its own apartment carved underground, cool and quiet with that cave-like atmosphere.
"I think we're good," I said honestly as we walked with her toward a jeep parked near the pool area.
The grass around it looked freshly cut, neat without being too manicured. Off to the side, the pool shimmered in the sunlight, with a jacuzzi tucked beside it. I could already imagine what we could add—Bella's been wanting a basketball hoop back at the old house for ages. Out here, we could build a whole half court and still have space to spare.
"This place really is something," I said to Bella as I buckled my seatbelt, glancing once more at the pool before the door shut.
She nodded, eyes still wandering like she was trying to take everything in at once.
Veronica started the engine and drove us out into the open fields, the jeep rolling smoothly over the land as we headed toward the barn. It wasn't too far—definitely walkable—but since we were touring the property anyway, the drive made sense.
"One of the biggest perks," Veronica said over the hum of the engine, "is that the grass grows pretty slowly out here. You won't have to deal with constant landscaping or any of that nonsense."
She gestured broadly to the land around us. "Plenty of wildlife, too. Nothing dangerous—no bears, no big predators—but if you hunt, there's deer, elk, even moose in the area."
The barn came into view as we pulled up, painted that classic deep red you see in movies. Inside, it was simple but solid—empty stalls, clean floors, sturdy beams. It smelled faintly of wood and hay, even without animals living there yet.
I rested my hand against the cool metal of one of the stable gates, imagining it filled.
"Horsies would be so cool to have," Bella said brightly.
I smiled, nodding. “Yeah. They really would be.”
The rest of the tour went by quickly after that. Veronica pointed out the practical side of owning so much land—the upkeep, the responsibilities, the logistics—but none of it felt overwhelming. If anything, it all sounded manageable, almost reassuring. Nothing she mentioned was enough to make me hesitate.
Eventually, we circled back to the front of the house. The jeep rolled to a stop, and we climbed out, standing once more beneath the tall pillars of the entrance. I looked at the house again, really looked at it, and felt that same quiet certainty settle in my chest.
"Well," Veronica began with a polite smile, adjusting her clipboard, "I'm glad you enjoyed the tour. I assume we'll be in contact—"
"Sold," I said, cutting her off without even thinking.
The word hung in the air for a second. Bella turned to me, eyes wide, then broke into a grin.
Veronica blinked, then smiled even wider than before. "Perfect," she said. "I'll start the paperwork."