Page 77 of Give In To Love
I needed to get my living situation sorted, or I would be stuck in Omaha for another year, which I really didn’t want. I was tired of the commute, and if I were honest, I wanted to be closer to TJ. We’d only been dating for about a week, and the distance thing was already frustrating. Sleepovers had been a hell of a lot easier when we’d been roommates.
Saturday morning, I was back on the road to Astaire, but instead of going to one of the apartment buildings as planned, I found myself heading out to Gram’s house. I’d been thinking about the offer she’d made for me to rent or buy one of her houses, and I was starting to think my stubbornness in that regard was a little like cutting off my nose to spite my face. At the very least, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to look at the properties.
I pulled into her driveway, then trotted up the stairs, wishing I’d remembered my jacket because my hoodie wasn’t quite cutting it in the chill of this October morning. It would seem fall was finally making her appearance. Gram appeared at the door, her face immediately pinching in concern at the sight of me. I probably shouldn’t have shown up unannounced.
“Jimmy? Is everything okay?”
“Yes, ma’am. I’m sorry to just show up like this. Can I come in?”
“Of course.” She stepped back, allowing me to come inside, then led me back toward the kitchen. After pouring us each a cup of coffee, her hands shaking a little with the effort, we sat at the kitchen table.
“Now, what can I do for you?”
“I was wondering if those properties were still available? The ones you gave TJ the keys to last week?”
Her brows drew up. “They are. But if you don’t mind my asking, what’s changed your mind?”
I ran a hand through my hair. My curls were popping out now that I’d allowed them to grow. “I think maybe I had an overreaction to your original offer. I was being stubborn.”
“I might know a thing or two about being stubborn myself.”
I chuckled. “I just… Did TJ tell you about my ex?”
“That he was a manipulative asshole? Yes.”
God, I’d missed this woman. “He was. And I lost my identity for a little while. I’m still trying to find it. And I’m working on figuring out how to assert my independence without pushing away the people who matter.”
“Like TJ.”
“Especially TJ.” I sipped my coffee. “Anyway, I think I was just so determined to do things on my own that I dismissed the offer out of turn. I hope I didn’t offend you.”
“Oh, baby. I wasn’t offended at all. Don’t you worry about that.” She stood slowly, pausing momentarily, as if she were getting her bearings, then walked over to a drawer and pulled out a set of keys. She set them in front of me before taking her seat again.
“Would you want to come with me?”
She looked at me, her coffee cup paused halfway to her lips. “Well, now, I don’t get around as well as I used to. I don’t want to slow you down.”
“I’m not in a hurry. I’ve, um, missed you.” She’d taken me by surprise when she hugged me last week, and I’d realized just how much I’d missed TJ’s family. They’d become like my own in the short period of time we dated.
“Oh, baby, I’ve missed you too. I’d love to come with you.”
41
TJ
The soundof laughter greeted me as I walked in the back door of Gram’s house after dance class. I dropped my bag in the mudroom and stepped into the kitchen, surprised to find Jimmy and Gram embroiled in what looked like a fierce game of Uno. I paused, leaning a shoulder against the doorframe and watching them. Jimmy caught my eye and smiled, his face alight with happiness, though he returned his attention to the game.
Jimmy played a green four and Gram cackled with delight as she placed a red four, her final card, on top. Laughing, Jimmy dropped the rest of his pile on the table while Gram scooped them up and began organizing them. Wordlessly, Jimmy grabbed half the stack and began shuffling. He didn’t acknowledge her difficulty with the task. He just jumped in to help.
His posture was relaxed, his eyes bright and happy as he shuffled the cards in front of him while Gram did her best to do the same with her share. Unable to help myself, I closed the distance between us and dropped a kiss on the top of his head before sitting in the empty chair next to him.
“This is a pleasant surprise.”
He flashed me another smile, then took Gram’s stack of cards and melded them in with his own. “I looked at Gram’s properties today.”
My eyes widened. I hadn’t seen that coming. “Yeah?”
“Looks like I’ll be moving next weekend.”
