“Then what?”
He smiles. “While I’m in Webley today, I’ll get everything I need to start practicing law again. Business license, all of that.” His smile fades. “That means looking for an office. I have to have one. I can’t just use a mailbox in a shipping store, it needs to be a real office. That’s the other reason I don’t want to work out of the house, because I don’t want people coming here, or our home address being listed on forms I file for cases.”
That reminds me. “Your first trial by fire is this morning.”
He frowns. “Huh?”
“Breakfast first. We’ll drop your car at Kurt’s garage so he can fix the tire for you while you come with me to the store. I’m going to show you your new office.”
That earns me a handsome, arched eyebrow. “Okay.”
An hour later, I’m letting us in the back door of the store and disarming the alarm. I make a mental note to make Des a set of keys and program an alarm code into the system for him, because he’ll need them. Then I lead him up the stairs and across the open space to the unused office, where I flip on the lights.
“Your new office. I won’t take no for an answer. No charge.”
He looks stunned. “I can’t not pay you rent.”
“You said you’d do whatever I asked, right?”
He nods.”
“Well, what better way than to work right here. We’re open the hours you’d need to have people come in. The elevator’s close to the back door, so no worries about access. The parking’s easy and plentiful back there. We’ll put up a sign on the back door directing people. Your new landlord will even change the doorknob so you have a lock on it, and add blinds to the windows for privacy.”
“That could get confusing, though. With the store having the same address.”
I grab a roll of blue painter’s tape from a nearby table, stick a piece of it on the door frame, and use a black marker to write a large B on it. “There. Problem solved. Same street address, but you’re in ‘Suite B.’”
He stares at it for a moment before he starts laughing and hugs me. “I love it. It’s perfect. Thank you.” He kisses me. “You won’t get sick of me being in here all day?”
“Not at all.” I grin. “Don’t be shocked if my staff gives you holy heck for a while, though.”
“I deserve it.” He drapes an arm around my shoulders. “I’ll get business cards ordered today and update everything with the state bar association. I’ll wait to change my driver’s license and car registration and all of that until I’ve got the condo emptied and I’m moved, just in case I run into any snags.”
“You’ll have to rearrange the garage yourself,” I add. “It’s not bad, but you do it.”
He laughs. “Gladly. That’ll give me a chance to visualize how much I’m able to bring with me. Most of my furniture is staying there. I’ll sell it with the condo.”
We turn as the elevator door opens and Jasiri steps out, freezing when she spots Desi standing there with me.
“Boss?” she asks.
“Yeah, he’s back.” I poke him in the stomach. “And he’s apologized. He’s back for good. I need to talk to you about next weekend and scheduling, though.”
By the time we finish that conversation, most of the staff has arrived. From their guarded expressions I can tell Desi has a long road ahead of him to win them back. Finally, before we open for the morning, I call everyone together downstairs, with Desi standing right beside me.
“Listen, everyone. I appreciate you all being here for me and understand that some of you are going to hold a grudge against him. He knows that, too, and knows that he has to earn your trust back. Please, understand I’m an adult and while I’m not going into details, just know that we love each other and I’m happy with how this is working out. You’ll be seeing him around here all the time, because he’s going to use my dad’s old office upstairs as his law office. So when people show up looking for him, please, don’t send them away or sabotage him. I’m not asking you to like him, I’m just asking for you to give him a chance.”
There’s a reluctant exchange of glances and low grumbles between them before Jasiri steps forward and claps her hands together. “Listen up! Tom’s an adult, and I respect his judgment. We’re all adults here right? This is a good thing. He’s been miserable for long time because this knucklehead left him.”
That prompts a round of laughter, breaking the tension, and she waits for it to settle before she continues. “We don’t have any right to be more upset about this than he is. Let’s give Desi a second chance. Most of us were friends with him before he left. I think we can be magnanimous enough to give him a second chance.”
And like that, I sense the tide’s turned. Everyone steps forward to take turns shaking Desi’s hand and hugging me.
Along with several of them whispering offers to take Desi hunting and not bring him back should he screw up again.
I lead Desi back to the key counter and make him a set for the back and front doors. Then I program his new alarm code into the system and show him how to work it. Once that’s finished, I grab a lockset and lead him to one of the registers, where AJ’s finishing up with another customer.
I put the lockset on the counter and point at Desi. “He’s paying.”
