Page 113 of Waiting for Acceptance
“It’s so nice to meet you.”
He pats my back and laughs. “Well aren’t you just sweet as pie.”
“That she is.” I feel my cheeks heat and while I’m sure Gran and Pops have no idea why, I can tell by the look on Fitz’s face that he definitely does, and I’m blushing for a good reason.
“Oh, I’m just so happy you both are here. I still can’t believe it.” Gran puts her hands up to her face and smiles. “Come on in here and have a seat, I’m just getting something whipped up for lunch. Are you hungry?”
“Always,” Fitz answers before I can, but I’m grateful he does. My stomach has been growling since we pulled in the drive. “I’m going to grab our bags, I’ll be right back.” He kisses my nose and runs outside.
I watch after him, seeing the screen door slam as he trots out to the car. My eyes scan the room quickly, taking in the country plaid couch with matching curtains, the fact that there are fresh flowers in old metal watering cans and mason jars on every solid surface, and the worn boots next to the bench by the door. Everything here would be considered antique to people my age, and I love every single thing in this house. The creaky wooden floors, the China cabinet full of matching dishes, the old record player in the corner, and the rug that looks like it’s been around forever.
“So, Lauren. Tell me, how did you two meet?” I pause for a moment, turning back to face Gran while trying to rememberthe story we agreed to tell everyone else, but it feels like…I don’t know, a sin or something, to lie to Gran. So I don’t.
“Well, we actually met at one of the summer conferences The Fitzgerald Firm hosted last year.” I lean against the kitchen counter, admiring the fresh food spread she has out while she works on lunch.
“Those are always a very big hit. Were you speaking there?” I laugh out loud, then cough to try and cover it up, catching a playful glance from her.
“No, nothing like that. I was one of two people chosen from my firm in Nashville to attend. I just happened to meet Fitz at a mixer that night.” She smiles and continues working on lunch so I, of course, keep talking to fill the silence. “I was actually getting hit on by some other guy who didn’t understand the wordno, and Fitz kind of swooped in and saved the night.” Her smile reappears.
“He’s a good boy that way.” Gran winks at me.
“Glad the manners we taught him seem to have stuck,” Pops adds. Warmth spreads in my chest at their appropriately placed admiration for their grandson.
“The best.” Gran slides a bowl of fruit my way, handing me a fork along with it.
“What are my two favorite ladies talking about?” Fitz walks back into the room, standing behind me to rest his chin on my head.
“You,” I answer simply, looking up at him.
“Uh oh.” Gran and Pops laugh at his reaction.
Pops walks over and grabs Fitz by the neck, giving it a firm shake. “Why don’t you come help me and Lochlan with the rest of the cattle?”
“I thought we were having lunch?” Fitz asks, and Pops picks up a small loaf of uncut bread and holds it to his chest.
“Lunch isn’t ready yet and we’ll be done before it is. The city is making you soft on me.” Fitz shakes his head with a small grin. I can tell by the look he gives me next that he wants to make sure I’m comfortable staying with Gran—which I am.
“You boys have fun.” I smile and he kisses my head, takes amassivebite out of the bread, and grabs an old cowboy hat from right by the back door before putting it on his head with a wink and disappearing outside. I watch after him, still not quite believing that this was his life up until college. I really have no idea who he is, do I?
“We keep his hat right there waiting for him until he finds time to come back home.” A soft smile plays on her lips.
“Can I help you with anything, Gran?” I offer, looking around at the spread she has on the counter.
“You know what, as a matter of fact, you can. Would you mind squeezing these lemons for the lemonade?” She slides a bowl of lemons and a juicer my way. I hop up to wash my hands before returning to my seat to squeeze them. “So, tell me, do you enjoy working in real estate?”
“I do. I actually got kind of bored with it for a while before Fitz came along.”
“Bored? How so?” She continues mixing what I believe is chicken salad.
“I guess I just didn’t feel challenged enough? Coleson is such a small firm, and while we’re highly sought after, it just got…”
“Boring?” Gran smiles at me and I laugh.
“Yeah. I don’t know. I just… I have my strategies down to a science on when to reach out to past clients, and when it’s time to find new ones. I make myself present on social media a lot more than the other agents so I get contacted more, meaning I know how to handle a busy schedule and get everyone into the houses they want to view, and I’m quick to get houses listedwhen it’s time. I don’t know. It sounds silly now that I say it out loud.”
“It sounds to me like you’re excellent at what you do, but that you’ve outgrown the position. How did Vincent change that, though?” I think back to all the things he had me doing when he first came to Coleson—making me go through training with him, only to put me in charge of leading training the next week. How he pushed me to do more and was constantly giving me scenarios to come up with a solution for, even though it would never be necessary, and how he would do anything to keep me from sitting on my ass for any length of time.
“He gave me more responsibility. He pushed me, and while at first I thought he was doing it just to piss me off, I realized how bored I was when he wasn’t there.”
