She looked up at me, tail wagging lazily against her dog bed.
On cue, I heard Taylor coming in through the front door. She dropped her purse on the counter and bypassed the kitchen to greet me with a kiss. “Hey.”
“Hi.” I stood, wrapping my arms around her. “Want to help me take them out back?”
“Sure.” She crossed the room and opened the baby gate, and I helped shepherd the four furry tornadoes out the back door. We herded them into their outdoor playpen, where they took turns peeing and wrestling. Little heathens.
I smiled as I watched them. “I have some interesting news for you.”
“Yeah?” The look she gave me was sharper than I’d expected. “You got a job?”
I shook my head. “My news is foryou, actually.”
A wrinkle appeared between her brows as she waited for me to explain.
“My dad had a change of heart. He wants to sell this place to you and buy a condo in the Bahamas for himself and Vivian instead.”
“What?” Taylor pressed a hand over her mouth. “No way. Really?”
“Really. You still want to buy it, right?”
“I do,” she said, eyes widening. “I really do.”
“Then it’s yours,” I told her.
“What happened to change his mind?” she asked, glancing around the yard like she was already envisioning herself living here. “And why a condo in the Bahamas?”
I repeated my dad’s story, and Taylor’s smile grew while she listened.
“Wow. That’s crazy,” she said. “And amazing.”
Before I knew it, she’d pulled me into her arms. With a laugh, she spun me while I clung to her with a surprised giggle. She looked ecstatic, like I’d just given her everything she’d ever wanted. And while I was a little unsure where I fit into this new scenario, I was happy for her,reallyhappy for her.
“My grandma would be so happy about this,” I told her. “I really think she would be thrilled to have you and your dogs living here.”
“I hope so,” Taylor said, her eyes suspiciously glossy. “I mean, I think so too, but it means more coming from you, as her granddaughter.”
“I think you can trust your own judgment where she’s concerned.”
Taylor reached out to tuck a lock of my hair behind my ear, her fingers lingering against my neck. “And you?”
“I’m happy you’ll be living here too,” I told her.
“No, I mean, what does this mean for you?” She threaded her fingers with mine.
“I don’t know,” I said. “That’s up to you, I guess. Why don’t you give my dad a call and work out the details, and then you and I can take it from there?”
“I’d like you to stay,” she said, her expression gone serious.
“We’ll see, okay? I’ve freeloaded in this house long enough. It’s time for me to find my own place, depending on what job I get and where.” I wanted to stay. I wanted it more than anything, but I couldn’t let her buy this house with her hard-earned money and then live here like a guest. This was a scenario I hadn’t planned for, and I wasn’t sure how to handle it.
Taylor turned away like I’d hurt her feelings. “You’re probably right.”
Whatever happened, I had to decide soon, because I needed to sell my condo in Boston if I wasn’t going to live there. But first, I needed a job. “Dinner’s almost ready,” I told her. “And afterward, you can give my dad a call and make things official.”
30
Taylor
