“Nice nap?” he asks, then he kisses my big toe.
Nodding, I rub my eyes and take my feet off his lap.
“I have an idea,” he announces out of the blue.
“Okay?”
“Come with me.” He stands, and I laugh slightly at his playfulness as we walk out of the house to the Aston Martin.
“So, ah… where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise.” He winks.
“Am I dressed appropriately?” I ask, as I’m only wearing a little summer dress and some flip-flops.
“Doesn’t matter what you’re wearing. We can buy clothes when we get there.”
“What? Aiden, where are we going?”
“You’ll see,” he says. “Sit back and enjoy the ride.”
We drive for an hour or so until we reach the coast and a sign that reads, ‘Welcome to Valley Springs, Population 248.’ I instantly know we’re going to Killian’s lake house. We head down a long, windy road with wildflowers lining the sides. It’s absolutely, incredibly beautiful. We pull up to the front, and I see that the house is more of a modernized wooden cottage. It reminds me a lot of Nana’s café.
We step out of the car, and I walk with Aiden to the front garden covered in green and white lilacs. The air is sweet and fresh with no hint of noise from the city. It’s utterly peaceful.
I shake my head in awe. “Aiden, this place is amazing.”
We walk around the side of the house facing the glass-topped lake. The house has extended ceilings, so it looks like a two-story house from outside, but when I look through the full-length windows, it’s only one story with a mezzanine.
We stand on the polished deck and peer out over the lake where ducks and their ducklings are swimming playfully. This place is truly breathtaking—a complete haven.
How wonderful would it be to own a place like this?
We walk around to the front door and inside to a very modern and stylish three-bedroom home.
In the main bedroom, the
re is a king-sized bed with a white duvet and lots of fluffy pillows. I can’t wait to dive into the plush softness. In the ensuite, there’s a giant white spa bath. I walk back into the bedroom from the bathroom and notice Aiden sitting on the bed, gazing out the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the lake.
“This place is… I’m speechless. There are no words,” I gush, sitting next to him on the bed.
Aiden looks at me and smiles lovingly. “I was hoping you would like it.”
“Like it? I love it. I could spend forever here.” I sigh, falling back onto the bed, sinking into the soft quilt.
“That’s good because when you were asleep, I bought it from Killian for you.”
I jolt back up staring at him with wide eyes. “What? Are you kidding me?”
He grins shaking his head. “Nope… it’s all yours.”
“Oh my God, Aiden… this is the best present ever.”
“C’mon, let’s go and get a few things to tide us over.” He takes my hand, pulling me up and leads me to the front door.
We drive into the small town as I take in the sights. “How long are we staying?”
“I was thinking we’ll head back late Sunday.”