Page 14 of The Goat in the Bedroom
Chris nodded, looking increasingly pleased with himself. “Great neighborhood, close to the training facility, big backyards.”
I stared at him, trying to process. “Chris, you can't just buy people houses.”
“Why not? I bought Hayes a house. And Declan. And Everett. It's what I do.”
“Wait, what?” I looked at my other brothers. “I thought he just talked you into buying those with your signing bonuses when you started with the Mustangs.”
“To be fair, I won mine in a bet,” Everett said.
“Shut up,” Chris groaned. “I was gonna give it to you anyway. I like making sure we can all be together.”
“But we're moving to LA.” Did Chris not want us to go?
“I guess we can use them in the off-season,” Flynn suggested.
“I bought you houses in LA, stupids. They're across the street from each other. Just like all our houses here.”
The thoughtfulness hit me unexpectedly hard. Chris had anticipated something I hadn't even admitted to myself. That the idea of being completely alone was terrifying.
“Show them the pictures,” Trixie urged pushing the laptop toward him.
The houses were really fucking nice, modern but warm, with big windows and porches that reminded me of home. They looked like places where you could build a life.
“This one's yours, Flynn,” Chris said, pointing to the screen. “And this one's Gryff's.”
“I don't know what to say,” I admitted.
“Thank you usually works,” Dad said dryly.
“Thank you,” Flynn and I said in unison.
“There's one more thing,” Chris added. “They're fully furnished. You can literally just show up with your suitcases.”
“Chris,” Jules said, awed, “that's incredibly thoughtful. Now what did you get me?”
“Twenty-four-seven security guards. Former Secret Service. You'll never know they're there, but no one touches you without a deep background check.”
Jules rolled her eyes and then kissed our oldest brother on the top of his head like he was a little puppy. “Good try. I'll take the necklace of the Flatirons I know you've got in your pocket, thank you very much.”
As everyone oohed and ahhed over Jules's new jewelry, Trixie handed over her laptop and I flipped through the photos, studying the images carefully. Three bedrooms. Two-and-a-half baths. A big kitchen perfect for having the whole crew there eating spaghetti meals together like the good old days.
For one person.
I'd never eaten a meal alone, never watched a movie by myself, never gone to sleep without the sound of at least one other Kingman somewhere in the house.
“The houses really are perfect,” I said, meaning it. “Chris, seriously, this is incredible.”
“Glad you like it.” Chris grinned. “Keep one of those rooms for us to stay in when we come visit.”
I glanced around at my family, at Dad telling stories about his playing days, at my brothers arguing about whose team would have the better season, at Jules glowing with excitement about her own adventure. This easy chaos, this automatic support system. In a few weeks, Flynn and I would be three states away from all of it.
My eyes found Artie across the fire pit. She was listening to something Tempest was saying, but I caught her looking at mewith that same thoughtful expression she'd worn all evening, those knowing blue eyes, like she could see right through my carefully maintained optimism.
Maybe she could.
“You know what?” I said suddenly, loud enough to get everyone's attention. “Tomorrow night can't come fast enough.”
“Tomorrow night?” Jules asked.
