Wade didn't sleep well Saturday night.
I heard him get up twice. Once at two. Once at four. The bathroom light clicked on, then off. The bed shifted when he climbed back in. He didn't touch me.
Sunday morning, I made coffee. French press. The good beans from the place on Bleecker. Wade came into the kitchen in his boxers and the Columbia t-shirt I'd bought him last Christmas.
"Morning," I said.
He grunted. Poured himself a cup. Leaned against the counter.
I sipped my coffee. Looked out the window. Didn't say anything about the bracelet on my wrist.
He kept glancing at it. Then at me. Then back at his phone.
"You working today?" I asked.
"Maybe. Depends."
"On what?"
He shrugged. "Just stuff."
I smiled. "Okay."
The silence stretched. He shifted his weight. Cleared his throat.
"That trick Friday," he said finally. "That was... something."
"You think? I was worried I was rusty."
"No. It was good." He paused. "Where'd you learn that?"
"My grandmother. I told you about her."
"Right."
He stared into his coffee. I could see him trying to find the question he wanted to ask. The one he couldn't figure out how to word.
I didn't help him.
After a minute, he gave up. Went back to the bedroom. Closed the door.
I poured myself more coffee. The bracelet caught the light. I touched the stones. Cool and familiar.
Something had shifted. Wade was watching me now. Uncertain. Like I'd rearranged the furniture while he slept and he couldn't find the door.
Good.
I opened my laptop. Started searching Brooklyn real estate.
Monday afternoon, I called a realtor named Stephanie Chen. Her photo on the website showed a woman in her forties with sharp eyes and a no-nonsense smile.
"I'm scouting locations for a magazine feature," I said. "High-end renovation projects. Do you have anything currently under construction? Something photogenic?"
"I have the perfect property," she said. "Brownstone in Park Slope. Gut renovation. Original details preserved. It's stunning."
"Can I see it this weekend?"
"Absolutely. Saturday at two?"
"Perfect."
I hung up. Opened my notebook. Wrote down the address.
That night, I told Wade about it over dinner.
"I found the most incredible place," I said. "A brownstone in Park Slope. It's being renovated right now. I thought we could look at it. You know. For ideas."
Wade looked up from his plate. "Ideas for what?"
"Our wedding venue. Maybe even... I don't know. A future home."
His fork paused halfway to his mouth. "A brownstone?"
"I know it's a big dream," I said quickly. "But it doesn't hurt to look, right? Just to see what's possible."
He put his fork down. "Yeah. Yeah, okay. Let's look."
Saturday was cold and bright. Wade dressed carefully. Button-down. His good jeans. The watch I'd bought him for his birthday.
Stephanie met us on the front steps. The brownstone was four stories. Red brick. Iron railings. Windows that caught the afternoon light.
"Gorgeous, right?" Stephanie said.
I nodded. Wade just stared.
Inside, the renovation was half-finished. Exposed beams. New hardwood waiting to be sealed. A kitchen with marble counters and empty cabinets.
"The owner's relocating," Stephanie explained. "They're motivated to sell before completion. It's a rare opportunity."
I walked through slowly. Touched the walls. Looked out the windows.
"This room would be perfect for a ceremony," I said. "Look at the light."
Wade followed me. His eyes were wide. He wasn't seeing a venue. He was seeing ownership.
"And upstairs," I continued, leading him up the staircase. "Three bedrooms. This one has south-facing windows. Perfect for a nursery."
His breath caught. I saw it. The exact moment the fantasy locked into place.
"How much?" he asked Stephanie.
She named a number. Wade's face went pale. Then determined.
On the drive home, he was quiet. But his hands gripped the wheel too tight.
"That place," he said finally. "That was... wow."
"I know," I said softly. "It's a lot to think about."
"No. I mean. We should think about it. Seriously."
I let the silence sit. Let him fill it.
"What if we put in an offer?" he said.
I turned to him. "Wade. That's a huge step."
"I know. But... I have savings. And you have—"
"We'd need to move fast," I said. "Renovations like that don't wait. We'd need a holding account. For deposits. Contractor fees."
He nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, that makes sense."
That night, I drafted a proposal. Printed it on good paper. Line items. Cost estimates. A joint account structure.
I showed it to Wade on Sunday morning.
He read it twice. Then looked at me.
"You really think we can do this?"
"I think if we don't move now, someone else will."
He pulled out his phone. Opened his banking app.
"How much do you need?"
"Whatever you're comfortable with," I said. "This is a partnership."
He transferred everything. $80,268. I watched the numbers appear in the joint account I controlled.
"Done," he said. He was smiling. "We're really doing this."
"We are," I said.
I kissed his cheek. He pulled me close. Held me like I was something valuable.
I didn't feel anything.
That night, I updated my notebook. Taped in a printout of the transfer confirmation.
The bracelet was cool against my wrist.
I was three moves ahead. And Wade had no idea.
