Fell In Love With My Roomy Chapter 88

"Juls." I hear a distant voice. "Juls, wake up. We're here." I blink my eyes open when my shoulder is shaken and see Kent's blurry figure sitting beside me in the car.

"What?" I ask, stretching my arms, and he gives me a smirk.

"We've arrived, dear. Get up and stretch your legs." He sighs, and I nod, then lean over to open the town car door. I step out with my backpack onto a driveway, and my jaw nearly drops.

I'm standing in front of what appears to be a Downton Abbey set. The house sits on a sprawling lot, grand, with full columns and steps leading up to the front door.

"You okay?" Kent asks, as he retrieves my suitcase and rolls it alongside his.

"You live here with your family?" I'm astonished, and he simply nods, clearing his throat. "Here?"

"Yes, this way," he repeats, and I take a deep breath and start to feel anxious.

"I have no idea how to handle this. I didn't grow up like this," I admit softly. My house only had two floors, and I'm not accustomed to such luxury.

"All I want is for you to be yourself," he says quietly, and I try to stay calm as I nod. "I'll give you a tour; our dinner events don't start until five. We have time, okay?"

"As long as you're sure it'll be okay," I whisper, and he nods, leaning down to kiss my temple and tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. He sometimes hesitates when he does that, as if he knows he should but isn't sure how to make tender gestures. I think he'll have to learn a lot if he wants any kind of relationship with Kent.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Chavez," a woman in a neat uniform says, and then a man follows, "How was your ride to work?"

"It went well," he says as he walks past our suitcases, his backpack, and our garment bags. "Juls, give her your bag," he instructs me to continue, and I awkwardly hand over my bag. "This is Julianna, the girl I like."

"It's nice to meet you," I say with a smile as his hand moves down to my lower back.

"You too," she responds cheerfully. "Is this for your room, sir?"

"Please, could you also check with the kitchen about a late lunch?" I blink as he asks. Where did this person grow up?

"Of course, glad to see you again," she smiles, and she and the other man take our things.

"Hurry up," he sighs, and I follow him up the stairs with a nod. We enter through the largest front door I've ever seen. It doesn't feel like a house, more like a small castle.

"This… I mean, it's beautiful, but it's overwhelming," I whisper, and he chuckles with a knowing smirk.

"I know, I'm not a fan. It's too much; we don't need this much space."

"I... I never asked if it's just you, your parents, and me, or if you have any siblings," I inquire, as I loop my left arm through his left and accompany him. People are bustling around the house, likely preparing for the Thanksgiving dinner later in the afternoon.

"I have a sister," he shrugs. "Right now, she's on an exchange program in France."

"What's she like?"

"She's... well, she's cool. Her name's Calista, but everyone calls her Cali," he whispers, then clears his throat. There's something he's not telling me.

"How old is she?"

"She went back to school when she was twenty-four," he replies, guiding me back to the living room and the dining room.

"Why did she go back?" I ask, and he chews his tongue and seems deep in thought.

We enter another room where people are enjoying themselves, and his mother is there, directing people and overseeing the arrangements. She's holding a clipboard.

"Oh, there you are!" She smiles and rushes over quicker than I can in my high heels. "My dear son." She kisses him on both cheeks and then turns to me. "I'm so glad you could come, Juls." She sighs and leans in to kiss me on both cheeks. "Did you have a smooth journey?"

"The trip went well," Kent responds, and I nod.

"I'm delighted to hear that," she chuckles. "I'm still finalizing things for the evening, and I know you two need to get ready, so I won't keep you. But I'm looking forward to seeing both of you tonight."

She talks as if I won't be at her house all day. Kent smiles as she waves and goes off to attend to other tasks. He takes me on a tour of their Hamptons house, leading me through numerous halls and rooms so I can see it all. I feel like I'm on a fancy adventure.

"Let's go have lunch together," he suggests, and I just shrug.

I can't shake the fact that his sister passed away. Why did it affect him so deeply? What is he not telling me? I decide to give him space, as it's clear that this day is already causing him stress.

For lunch, we have warm soup and a platter of assorted sandwiches. A staff member has asked me three times if I'd like something other than water, but I keep declining.

"What are your impressions?" Kent inquires, and I smile. The two of us are seated at a small table by a window with a view of the vast backyard.

"It's lovely, but it's just so large," I nod as I mumble.

"Once we freshen up and have dinner, we can call it a night, okay? I don't want you to feel overwhelmed."

"Thank you," I respond with a small shrug. "Do you think I'll fit in?"

"I hope you don't," Kent shrugs. "I want you to be yourself, Juls, because I don't try to be like them. Don't worry about the little things. You're great just the way you are."

"I'll do my best," I whisper to him, and he smiles and nods. I reach across the table to hold his hand, and he gently squeezes it, making me feel much more at ease.