When You Give a Lawyer a Kiss (Aspen Grove)

Chapter 20

A fter my conversation with Dawson was cut short, I packed up my things. Luckily, it was during lunchtime so no one was around to ask questions. He mentioned he was bringing some of the staff with him to his new firm, but I assume he has to get an office set up first.

My mind is spinning, trying to make sense of the sudden changes in my life—I’m no longer employed at Thompson & Tate, and Dawson just asked me to move in with him. It’s a lot to process.

I appreciate his suggestion to take the rest of the day off. He could sense that I was overwhelmed and needed time to sort through it all.

The only problem? I realized as I gathered up all my personal items, I wasn’t sure where to go. I haven’t agreed to move in with Dawson, but also wasn’t ready to go back to my place just yet.

So, I went to visit the one person who could cheer me up.

“Sweetheart, you’ve been holding the same puzzle piece for the last ten minutes.” Grams nods at the blue-and-gold tile in my hand.

“Hmm?” I reply, not fully processing her comment.

She gives me a soft smile, plucking the piece from my hand and fitting it into place on the card table. The replica of Van Gogh’s Starry Night is now more than halfway complete, no thanks to me.

I run my fingers through my hair, glancing out the window. “I’m sorry, I’ve been a little distracted.”

Grams chuckles. “A little? Sweetheart, earlier you put the TV remote in my mini fridge, agreed to stop drinking pumpkin spice lattes when I suggested you should cut back on your caffeine intake, and now this—” She waves a hand at the puzzle. “Not to mention you came to visit at three o’clock on a Friday afternoon, when you’re usually at work.”

“Dawson told me to take the rest of the day off,” I answer vaguely.

“Is everything okay?” She carefully slides the card table to the side and turns to face me. “That’s the first time you’ve mentioned Dawson since you’ve been here and you look like you’re on the verge of tears.” She takes my hand in hers, running her finger along my palm in soothing strokes.

Dawson has come with me to visit Grams several times, and she’s quickly become as smitten with him as I am. It’s no surprise that he’s a big hit with all the ladies at bingo night.

“I’m sort of out of a job, at least until next week. Dawson is leaving the firm to start his own,” I add, noticing the furrow in her brow. “And he’s asked me to go with him.”

Dawson has the power and influence to make it a successful venture, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less daunting to think about. I was just getting settled at Thompson & Tate, and now he wants me to start over at a new firm, when our relationship is still so new.

“It sounds like a great opportunity,” Grams remarks.

“He also asked me to move in with him,” I say.

Her expression brightens and she clasps her hands together. “Oh, that’s wonderful, sweetheart. Why aren’t we celebrating?”

I should have figured this would be her reaction. “Grams, he asked me to move in with him,” I say, placing my hand on her arm. “As in, live together under the same roof for an undetermined amount of time. We haven’t really known each other very long.”

“So what?” She shrugs. “There are no rules to suggest a definitive timeline when you’ve found the right person. Your grandfather and I took it one step further and got married a month after we met. That turned out to be the best decision we ever made,” she says with a fond smile.

My eyebrows shoot up in surprise. “How come you never told me?”

Growing up they shared countless stories about their life as a married couple, but now that I think about it, they seldom talked about their time together before they tied the knot. At least now I know why.

“Because it was irrelevant. What mattered most were the forty years of memories we created together.” Grams pauses, her gaze shifting to a wedding photo of her and Grandpa framed on the bureau. “Is there a reason Dawson wants you to move in so soon? For your grandfather, it was because he didn’t want to spend a single night apart.”

I look away, releasing a slow, deep breath. “Dawson came to the house a few weeks ago, and when he saw its condition, he insisted that I stay with him. It’s been absolutely wonderful, but I’m worried that we’re moving too fast.”

Grams furrows her brows. “What’s the condition of the house?” she urges when I don’t immediately offer additional details.

Overcome with shame, my lips tremble. I had hoped to have a solution in place before admitting to Grams the severity of the situation with the house, but it looks like my time is up.

“I haven’t been able to keep the house maintained,” I admit, my face burning with embarrassment. “The furnace isn’t working, the floors in your room are rotting, there’s a minor mold problem in the spare bedroom… and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. I can’t afford to fix it all, not with all the other expenses coming in.” I avert my gaze, afraid of seeing her reaction.

Grams let out a small gasp, clutching my hand tighter. “Oh, Reese. Why didn’t you tell me?” she asks, her tone despondent.

“I’m sorry, Grams,” I murmur. “I was afraid of letting you down. You trusted me to take care of the house, and I failed.” I stare down at the floor, struggling to keep the tears at bay.

She places her hand on my cheek, encouraging me to look at her. “Oh, sweet girl. It breaks my heart that you’ve been dealing with this alone.” Grams speaks softly, tears glistening in her own eyes. It seems we’re both struggling to keep our emotions at bay. “It’s my fault for not telling you to sell it sooner.”

I chew on my lower lip as I consider what she’s suggesting. “But it means so much to you. How can you even think about giving it up?”

It was her home for over forty years, the place where she spent the most time with both my mom and grandpa.

“All the memories I cherish most are right here.” Grams taps her temple, a warm smile spreading across her face. “Your happiness means more than the house ever did. In the past, we’ve had several developers interested in the property and I’m sure they’re still interested. Selling it should leave you with a substantial profit.”

“The money isn’t important.” I press my lips together. “You really think I should sell?” I finally ask.

“I want you to do what will make you happy,” she corrects me. “It’s time to turn the page, Reese. You’ve got a promising future ahead and that should be your focus.” Her eyes shine with warmth.

My mind spins as Grams words sink in. I never entertained the idea of giving up the house since it didn’t seem like an option before. Truth be told, I let my fear of failing her cloud my judgment and never asked her directly. Instead, keeping my focus on finding ways to afford to maintain the house since I assumed she wanted me to keep it. Now that I’m faced with the possibility of letting go and starting a new chapter, I’m left with a sense of uncertainty.

“What if I move in with Dawson and things don’t work out?” I ask, voicing my concern.

“You’ll have a good cry, then you’ll come here to play bingo, watch back-to-back episodes of your favorite shows, and find solace in the bottom of an ice cream tub. After that we’ll find you a stunning apartment with a beautiful view of the skyline.” She taps her finger on her mouth, hinting that she has more to share. “But what if moving in with him does work out?” Gram pauses to give me a chance to think about it. “If it were me, I’d rather take the risk then play it safe and always wonder if I missed out on something incredible.”

She has always been my greatest cheerleader, her support unwavering. I wouldn’t be where I am today without her. Though I wish I could have had more time with my mom, I’ll forever cherish the close relationship I have with Grams.

I get up to give her a big hug. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too, Reese.”

She swipes a stray tear from my face with her thumb and wipes it on the blanket draped over her lap. I furrow my brow, wondering how I hadn’t noticed it before. It looks new so I assume she won it in another round of bingo or one of her friends gave it to her.

With my mind cleared now, I help Grams finish the puzzle, and then we say our goodbyes.

On my way out of the facility, April waves me down near the reception desk. She must have started her shift after I got here.

“Reese, did you hear what happened?” she asks as she sets out new flyers advertising a knitting class for the residences.

“I haven’t,” I admit, glancing around the reception area, hoping for some clue as to what she’s referring to.

She leans over the desk, her voice dropping to a whisper. “A generous donor donated ten million dollars to the facility, enough to cover all the residents’ care for a full year.” She claps her hands, her voice filled with excitement. “You should get a call from the administrator soon, but I couldn’t let you leave without telling you the wonderful news.”

My expression goes slack. “Do you know who it was?”

She shakes her head. “They asked to remain anonymous.”

“Do you happen to know if the same donor had new blankets delivered to the residents?”

April chuckles. “Actually, yes. They told the administrator to get two cashmere blankets for every resident. It’s a sweet gesture since it tends to get cold here at night,” she says as she tightens her sweater around her middle.

“Thanks so much for letting me know,” I say on my way out.

I think back to the night Dawson came to bingo with us and Grams shared how she’s always wanted a cashmere blanket. This grand gesture has to be him. There’s no one else with that kind of money who would do something this thoughtful for this specific facility.

With my mind still reeling on what my next steps are, I need a little more time to process, so I head back to my house. When I arrive, there’s a bouquet of two dozen sunflowers on the porch accompanied by a simple note.

I had the furnace fixed – D

When I left the office, I didn’t tell him where I was going. Yet, he somehow knew I’d come back here eventually. My pulse is racing as I fiddle with my keys, and I’m enveloped in warmth when I finally step inside the house. However, aside from the heat now working, it’s the same as when I left.

Reese: Thank you for the flowers and for fixing the furnace.

Dawson: I couldn’t let you go back to a cold house.

Dawson: I’m glad you made it home safe.

Strange how this place doesn’t quite feel like home anymore.

Reese: Are you still at the office?

Dawson: I’m at Steel & Ink. I just finished an angel tattoo and it made me think of you.

The sentiment makes butterflies dance in my stomach.

As I survey the rundown living room, a thought occurs to me. Dawson could have easily had the place renovated while I’ve been staying with him, but he didn’t. While he’s not afraid to cross most boundaries, he somehow knew that I needed to make this particular decision on my own, and I appreciate it more than I can say.

Grams was right—this place is just a house. A home isn’t defined by a structure with four walls or an address. It’s the feeling of belonging. It’s unconditional love. And now I understand that my home is where my heart is—with Dawson.