Chapter 435: New house and furniture

Roxanne and Monica had gradually grown drowsy after chatting for some time, their earlier enthusiasm giving way to the comfortable lethargy that followed a satisfying afternoon meal.

During their conversation, Luke had learned that Ginna had taken Thea to her room earlier and stayed with her until she was certain the little girl was sleeping peacefully. Only then had she returned to join the others.

Now, with the two women fast asleep, Ginna turned toward Luke and asked, "Do you have anything to do?"

Luke hummed thoughtfully before glancing at her. "Don’t you want to take a nap as well?"

There was something particularly satisfying about an afternoon nap after a good meal. Even Luke, who generally preferred to remain active, could appreciate the appeal of stretching out on a comfortable bed and letting the hours slip away. But right now, he has things to do.

However, he didn’t want Ginna to force herself to stay awake simply because he happened to be in the mood for company.

"I don’t usually sleep in the afternoon." She shook her head gently. "It’s a habit I developed back in my old village. Sleeping at any time other than night was practically an invitation for trouble."

Naturally, she was referring to the lawless village she had once called home, a place where the absence of a chief had left everyone to fend for themselves. There had been no reliable authority to maintain order, and people had learned to survive by remaining alert and trusting no one too easily.

Yet somehow, Ginna had managed to survive there on her own, fighting her way through one hardship after another while protecting the daughter she loved more than anything else.

Luke’s expression softened as he remembered the first time they had met. Back then, Ginna had been exceedingly cautious around him, never allowing herself to lower her guard completely. Her circumstances had taught her to be suspicious of others, and she had every reason to be wary of a stranger who had suddenly entered her life.

Looking back, he couldn’t help finding those early days rather endearing.

"Let’s go for a stroll," he suggested, rising from his seat before extending a hand toward her.

Ginna smiled and accepted his hand without much thought. Together, they left the room, allowing Roxanne and Monica to enjoy their peaceful afternoon nap undisturbed.

It wasn’t exactly the ideal time for a leisurely walk. The afternoon sun still hung above the horizon, casting a warm glow over the surroundings, and the lingering heat made staying indoors considerably more appealing.

Nevertheless, neither of them felt particularly sleepy, and Luke had been looking for an opportunity to spend some time alone with Ginna anyway.

There was no reason to let the weather spoil it.

As they made their way through the house, Luke happened to hear the faint sound of snoring coming from the room where Thea had been put to bed.

He raised an eyebrow.

"Laila went to sleep with Thea?"

Ginna looked toward the room, apparently just as surprised by the discovery.

"Hmm? I’m not sure. Should I check?"

Luke shook his head. "Don’t worry about it. Thea won’t make a fuss."

He understood why Ginna was concerned. Even after everything that had happened, she still tended to give Thea special consideration, much like she gave to Roxanne. Until recently, Thea had been the village chief’s mate, and Ginna had grown accustomed to being particularly mindful of her position and the way others might treat her.

But things had changed.

There was no longer any need for Ginna to worry about such distinctions.

Thea was just like everyone else but with a slightly short temper. But that doesn’t change anything. If she was comfortable sleeping beside Laila, there was no reason to make her feel special by giving her a private room.

Leaving the matter alone, Luke and Ginna soon stepped outside and headed toward the neighbouring house he had recently acquired as a reward for his contributions to the village.

Initially, Luke had considered moving because of his troublesome uncle, whose endless questions had made remaining in the old house increasingly inconvenient.

Although that particular problem had eventually been resolved, the idea of moving had stayed with him.

After all, there were other reasons to seek a separate residence.

With Gustav and the others living in the same house, Luke’s mates couldn’t always behave as freely as they would have liked.

Even something as simple as spending time with him could become awkward when they had to remain conscious of who might walk through the door at any moment.

And honestly, he couldn’t blame them for that.

Rather than forcing everyone to endure unnecessary discomfort, Luke had decided that having a little more space would be better for all of them. His new house would give his family somewhere they could relax without constantly worrying about the presence of others.

"It’s a little bigger, isn’t it?" Ginna remarked as they entered through the main gate.

The difference was noticeable even before they reached the front door. The plot of land surrounding the house was considerably larger, leaving more room to move around, while the house itself extended farther than their current residence.

"Have you been inside before?" Luke asked as he pushed open the door.

"Yes. I actually helped clean it up." Ginna glanced around as they entered. "There are four rooms and a bathing area. The well house is nearby, and the old house isn’t far away either."

Luke chuckled. "That’s convenient for you. You’ll be able to visit Dalia regularly."

Ginna gave him a somewhat sheepish smile, unable to hide her delight at the thought.

Luke had barely needed to say anything. The affection she felt for her daughter was evident in everything she did, and whenever the two were together, they could talk for hours without ever seeming to run out of things to discuss. Even after spending so much time together, they always found something new to share, as though they were determined to make up for every conversation they had missed.

"Sorry," Luke added with an amused smile. "I was just teasing you."

Ginna didn’t mind. She had never made any effort to hide how much she adored Dalia, and she certainly wasn’t about to start pretending otherwise.

Once inside, Luke took his time to inspect the house properly for the second time.

During his first visit, the place had been so dirty that he had barely bothered looking beyond what was immediately visible. He had taken a quick glance around, confirmed that the house was usable, and left the rest for later.

Now that it had been cleaned, he could finally appreciate the layout.

A thin layer of dust still clung to some of the surfaces, but the rooms were otherwise in good condition. The floors had been cleared, the more obvious mess had been taken care of, and the house felt considerably more welcoming than it had during his initial inspection.

Luke nodded in satisfaction.

"It’s time to do some shopping."

He turned toward Ginna, who looked at him curiously.

"What do you think? How many chairs should we have around the dining table?"

Ginna blinked at the sudden question. After a moment, however, she seemed to understand what he had in mind. Luke would probably ask the village woodcutter to make the necessary furniture, so it made sense to decide on the number of chairs before placing an order.

"Eight should be enough," she answered casually.

There would be six people living in the house most of the time, with a couple of extra seats available whenever they had guests over.

Luke hummed in agreement, seemingly thinking the same

Then, without warning, he slipped an arm around her waist and gently pulled her closer.

Ginna’s brows raised as she found herself drawn against him, her back resting lightly against his chest.

The sudden proximity caught her off guard, and she could feel the warmth of his body through their clothes as he leaned closer.

Before she could ask what he was doing, she heard his voice near her ear.

"Will I get a kiss if I surprise you?"

Ginna’s cheeks warmed almost immediately.

For a moment, she simply stared ahead, trying to collect herself after his unexpected question. It wasn’t as though Luke had never been affectionate with her before, but there was something about the casual confidence with which he asked that made her heart flutter.

Then, instead of offering him a verbal answer, she turned her head slightly and reached up to cup his cheek.

"If a kiss is what you want..."

Her words trailed off as she leaned toward him and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips.

Luke’s eyes brightened, and a pleased grin spread across his face as soon as she pulled away.

He snapped his finger and suddenly, "Ah!" Ginna gasped when a long table suddenly appeared in the middle of the hall.

She turned to look at Luke, only to find his arm around her waist and the man leading her to the dining table.

"Now, since we have got a new table, why not make our first memory on it?"

Ginna giggled as his hand crept inside her dress.

It was time for dessert.