Page 57 of Let Me Hold You

“Because I wanted to. I don’t need any payment.”

“It’s just lunch.”

“Okay then.” It wasn’t for show, but Levi could always adjust himself for Maggie. For other people, he didn’t care to, but for Maggie, he was always flexible with his time and schedule.

Since when had this been the case? When had it started?

He couldn’t remember. It was a gradual process as he got to know Maggie more. It probably started after Malachi left Atlanta. After he’d left, there were only two people left in their small circle: Levi and Maggie. Levi felt that he had been able to focus on Maggie more.

“You can buy lunch next time,” Maggie said. “Today, it’s my treat, friend.”

“Friend? I’ve been thinking, Mags…”Maybe I want to be more than friends.

“About what?”

She didn’t look ready to hear it. “We’ll talk later.”

“I’ll go wash up and change."

“Take your time.” He sat down on the armchair that Maggie had vacated.

He surveyed the living room one more time. Stared at the dust in the air.

He made a note to vacuum after they came home from lunch. He knew where the vacuum was. It was the only item belonging to Maggie’s parents that they hadn’t packed. The rest of their possessions in the house, including everything in the kitchen, were all gone.

Wait. Did I say home? Come home?

Well, in a way, this was like a second home for him in the last three years—more so in the last year and a half, post Soline.

This house was where he could be himself, crack stupid jokes, laugh with Maggie and her brother, eat pizza, and watch the Georgia Bulldogs on television every football season.

How could he say goodbye? He understood what Maggie must feel.

He heard the shower come on in the bathroom that was attached to Maggie’s downstairs bedroom.

As small as this house was, the architects had managed to squeeze in four bedrooms: two downstairs and two upstairs. While Malachi had occupied one bedroom upstairs, leaving the other available to house visiting missionaries on furlough, the two downstairs bedrooms were taken by Maggie and her parents.

Maggie had the smaller room, and it was barely the size of a closet. If he were to remodel the house…

Huh? What am I thinking?

He tapped his phone and checked his bank account and savings. If he sold his townhouse in Dunwoody and took that new job at Christmastown, he could buy this house for Maggie without tapping into his savings.

However, knowing Maggie, she would want to be a part of the process. That was where her organization skills shone. Levi wouldn’t want to deprive her of the opportunity to share the cost with him. She would want to have a say-so in the home renovation and remodeling, so why not bring her into the project at the start of it?

They could form a limited liability company, and come up with a name. Maybe Jacobs-Theroux LLC or Theroux-Jacobs LLC or whatever Maggie wanted.

If they had the money to pay cash for the house, that would be ideal. However, neither one of them was rich enough for that. They would have to get a loan, with the value of this property soclose to midtown Atlanta. After all, this urban neighborhood had been revitalized.

Lord Jesus, do You think I should buy this house for Maggie?

If the property was too expensive for both of them to buy together, then Levi would have his answer.

If they could afford it, then Maggie wouldn’t be sad.

Assuming she was sad because she was moving out of state. This piece of Atlanta might be a nice little present for her.

Levi texted the real estate agent who had helped him buy his Dunwoody property. He gave her the address to Maggie’s house, and asked her to compare house prices in the neighborhood.

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