Page 402 of Double or Nothing

“I did. I do. It was perfect for me, yes. Totally.”

Was.

The word settles between us.

Jack looks around. The white marble. The leather furniture. The mirrors. The paintings that brought the first real colour into his life.

“It isn’t right for three people though, is it?” he says. “Not for ever.”

I can barely breathe. Even the idea of moving out of here… into a place of ours, right from the start.

“How long have you been looking?” I ask.

“A bit.”

“How long is a bit?”

“About twelve hours, but I got a fair amount of research done.”

Bryce puts down his toastie.

“What kind of place have you been looking at?”

“Bigger. On the outskirts, but commutable. Still proper city living. More bedrooms. A proper studio. Office space for you, if you insist on continuing with the tragic finance lifestyle.”

“I probably will.”

“I know.” He pauses. “There’s a garden.”

I stare at him.

“A garden? Really? In commutable distance?”

“Apparently, they still exist, yes. They’re just pricey.”

“What about the burning ritual?” I ask.

Jack’s smirk returns.

“It has a state-of-the-art fire pit in the garden. Perfect for burning depressing dresses. Plus a hot tub, terrace, and neat wooden summerhouse. Very cute.”

The laugh rises out of me and brings tears with it.

“You’ve really been looking? For all of us?”

He shrugs like it’s casual, but the gesture doesn’t disguise the truth.

“I like to keep my options open.”

“Jack!”

“All right. Fine. I’ve been looking for us. Yes. Seriously. I want a future. A life.” He pauses. “A family. A family for our family. Maybe.”

I wonder what that means… family.

Does he mean…?

My God, my heart races, not even sure what to say. So I don’t say anything. Not about that.