Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem novel Chapter 1564

Keaton had already opened the door with facial recognition.

"I only stay here occasionally, but I keep a lot of good wine. Come on in."

Winona snapped out of her thoughts and followed him into the villa.

In the dressing room by the entrance, an entire wall was filled with clear display cases. But instead of handbags, the cases were filled with pairs of men's shoes.

They were all limited-edition designer brands—running shoes, sneakers, casual shoes, and dress shoes...

Winona asked curiously, "You like collecting shoes?"

Keaton grunted in agreement. Seeing her staring, he immediately said, "These are all men's shoes, nothing you'd like, right? Let me be clear, even if you did like a pair, I wouldn't give them to you. These are my collection!"

Winona replied, "I like collecting shoes too, but I only collect women's shoes. And I have way more than you do!"

Keaton was surprised. "A fellow enthusiast! This is just the tip of the iceberg. I'll take you to my place sometime, my whole basement is full of them."

Keaton owned multiple properties, so Winona didn't know which one he was talking about, nor did she particularly care. She asked him, "Do you have any women's slippers here?"

"Nope."

Winona was curious. "No girls have ever been here?"

Keaton said, "This is my secret hideout. I don't just bring anyone here. You're the first lady to visit. Happy now?"

Winona: "...So what am I supposed to wear?"

Keaton handed her a pair of his own slippers. "Make do with these. I've only worn them once."

Winona wasn't fussy. She took off her coat and shoes, slipped on his slippers, and walked into the house.

The villa was situated right on the coast, decorated mainly in a modern style of black, white, and gray—clean, simple, and stylish.

The entire wall facing the sea was made of floor-to-ceiling windows.

Although she loved the place, she still refused. It was someone else's home, after all. What would it look like if she just moved in? Even between friends, there had to be boundaries.

"I appreciate the thought."

Keaton said, "You don't have to be so formal with me. After all, you're not my friend anymore, you're my venerated ancestor!"

Winona was speechless. "..."

Keaton grinned and held up the takeout bags. "I'm going to plate this stuff. You can look around the house."

He had already taken off his jacket, and his shirtsleeves were rolled up to his elbows, revealing strong, powerful forearms. Like Tarquin Bradford, Keaton had the kind of athletic build that appeared lean under a tailored shirt, but hinted at the raw, powerful muscle beneath the fabric.

Winona glanced around but decided against exploring. She saw him place the takeout on the marble island and bend down to get some clean plates, so she walked over to help.

"It's already in boxes. Why bother plating it?"