Love, Utley - Page 178

The first guest room door is open, and Mom steps through.

When I hear her gasp, I look up at Maddox. And he’s already looking down at me.

“Oh, wow.” Mom keeps talking as she moves deeper into the room.

Chelsea steps into the doorway, then glances back at us.

I have to know.

Keeping hold of Maddox’s hand, I move toward the guest room.

A room that should be painted white.

A room that should be nice but plain and unused.

A room that shouldn’t be painted a gentle lilac.

A room that shouldn’t have floral bedding and grand antique furniture.

A room that shouldn’t have potted blooming plants filling the windowsill.

It’s like I have no control over my eyes anymore as emotions continue to swamp me.

Mom goes into the bathroom, exclaiming over the pretty fixtures and what must be more flowers on the vanity.

Chelsea stands in the middle of the room and looks up at Maddox.

He dips his chin. “Last door on the right.”

We follow her.

I glance into the next room we pass, another guest room that’s the same as it was before. Perfect and plain.

Then we pass an office, and I slow, seeing that there’s a second desk. I stop. It’s not a desk. It’s a poker table.

A sound leaves me as Chelsea darts into the third room.

Holding my breath, I follow her into the room, squeezing Maddox’s fingers tightly.

The room is perfect. But it’s not plain.

The bed isn’t simple. It’s a four-poster frame made of dark iron and draped in pale pink fabric.

The floor isn’t bare wood. It’s covered in thick colorful rugs.

The room isn’t filled with empty space. It has a pair of giant beanbags piled with pillows and blankets.

It has a built-in bookcase.

It has art on the walls.

It has lamps on nightstands.

The room isn’t plain. It’s ready to be someone’s favorite place.

Chelsea walks through the room, dragging her hand over the fluffy bedspread, stopping at the far corner in front of the beanbags. Beside the TV mounted to the wall, she traces her fingers over the gaming systems set up below it.

It was specifically designed to be Chelsea’s favorite place.