Chapter 35
Thirty-Five
A knock on my childhood bedroom door interrupts my job search. “Come in.”
Dad’s face appears in the crack, his warm, golden-brown eyes still unable to look directly at me. “There’s someone here to see you.” His tone is stern, and I can see his knuckles turning white as they grip the door.
“Someone’s here to see me?” I’m not expecting anyone. Unless… I scramble up and peer out the window. My heart skips a beat when I see Lawson’s car in the driveway.
It hasn’t even been two days, but it feels like it’s been years since he walked out of my apartment on Friday and ended our relationship.
He never ended anything. You assumed he did.
“I’m inclined not to let him in,” Dad says. “Your mother is still gone, and out of the two of us, she’d fare better in jail than I would.”
I laugh as I shove my feet into my house slippers. “You’re probably right. Mom would make everyone her bitch. You’d just be someone’s bitch. ”
Finally, my dad looks me in the eye for the first time since he found out about Lawson and me. “I’m too pretty to go to jail, Luce. Make it quick.”
At least he’s joking with me again.
Lawson is standing just inside the door when I get downstairs, a familiar, gleaming cellophane bundle in one hand, and a bouquet of brilliant blue roses in the other.
“Hi.” His eyes are bright and hopeful but filled with caution as they glance at my dad to make sure he’s not going to sucker punch him when he least expects it.
“Hi.” I return his simple greeting. He’s got a lot of explaining to do.
Lawson licks his lips and chuckles, knowing I won’t make this easy. He holds out the flowers and cookies. “I come bearing gifts.”
Grabbing the flowers, I bring them to my nose, inhaling their fragrant notes. “Blue?”
Smiling softly, Lawson nods. “I told the lady at the flower shop that I needed something that celebrated attaining an impossible dream.” His voice drops lower, unguarded, raw emotion filtering through. “One I want so badly to come true.”
Affection warms my insides, my cheeks heating as he hands me the cookies.
I take the package and retreat a few steps, staring at him expectantly as I open it and pop one in my mouth. The silence weighs heavily between us—and my dad, who hasn’t left.
“I miss you.” Lawson steps toward me.
But when Dad clears his throat, Lawson stops and takes a deep breath.
“Will, I’m not going anywhere. I’m here to tell your daughter that I love her, and I’m sorry.
You can either stay and witness the exchange, which will probably be extremely uncomfortable for you, because after I’m finished talking, I will pretend like you’re not here.
Or, you can give us a little privacy. Either way, I will speak to Lucy, and when Bree gets back, I’d like to speak to you both as well. ”
Thankfully, Dad retreats into the kitchen after taking my flowers, mumbling about putting them in water.
Lawson looks back at me, his storm cloud eyes full of remorse and determination.
“I am so sorry, rainbow. For everything. For the films. For not coming clean when you wanted to. For waiting so long to divorce Charlotte and not parading you around like you deserve.” With every sentence, he steps closer until he’s standing right in front of me.
“I’m especially sorry for making you feel like I didn’t choose you after the leak happened and for what occurred on Friday.
I should have never left, not without filling you in on everything first.”
I sniff, fishing another cookie out of the package. I try to act as casually as possible, but his words intrigue me. “What do you mean?”
“Charlotte signed the divorce papers. And I left M.I.G. The reason Jules was in town was because she was helping me secure my own building.”
A familiar tingle blooms behind my sinuses. “Your own building?”
He nods, cupping my face in his warm hands. “Remember what we talked about? About focusing on low-income housing? I was thinking we could start a new business together. You can run the whole thing. ”
My lip trembles, and the cookie in my hand smushes into a large lump. “You want to start a business together?”
“I want to start a life with you, Lucy. I figured the business would be a good start.” The corners of his lips turn up in a smirk. “I was thinking we could call it The Rainbow Rooms.”
A watery laugh escapes my lips, and I wipe at the tears lining my lashes. “That is… the worst name for a building… ever .”
He laughs and tilts my face up to lean his forehead against mine. “We can call it whatever you want, Lucy. I just wanted to show you that I’m in this. And I’m sorry it took me so long to make things right. I love you.”
My hand presses against his chest. “And what about Rhys?”
Lawson pulls back. “Rhys is prepared to face whatever punishment you deem fit.”
“And you?” I ask, searching his eyes for any minuscule sign that he’ll resent me for my following words. “How do you feel about me moving forward with pressing charges?”
I’m not even one hundred percent sure it’s what I want to do, but I need to know where Lawson stands.
On one hand, I don’t think Rhys knew it was me in the video.
But on the other, it isn’t fair for him to get off scot-free.
I looked into it. He will likely get community service and a fine—not jail time.
Not unless M.I.G. catches wind and wants to go after him themselves.
The first-time offender’s penalties should be enough punishment to ensure he’ll never try to pull something like this again, no matter how upset he gets.
“Rhys has a lesson to learn. He’s an adult and understands that his actions have consequences. I support you, Lucy. And honestly, he supports you, too.” Lawson appears genuine, but in the back of my mind, I can’t help but wonder if it will stay that way throughout the process of me getting justice.
“And if I need time? To process all of this?” I step out of his hold.
Lawson’s arms fall to his sides, and his throat bobs as he swallows thickly. “If you need time, I’ll give you as much as you require. I’ll do whatever it takes to show you how serious I am.”
Before I can say anything else, a car door slams outside, signaling my mom’s return. We both turn to look at the front door as her string of curses becomes audible even through the walls.
She enters the house like a hurricane, and when her wide hazel eyes land on us, she points at Lawson. “You have some nerve showing up now .”
“I agree, Bree. It shouldn’t have taken me this long to get my shit together.”
Mom eyes the package I’m holding and holds her hand out, waving her fingers. Smirking at Lawson, I hand the cookie ball over, and she breaks a chunk off before shoving it in her mouth.
“You have a lot of explaining to do,” she says through a mouthful of marshmallowy caramel goodness.
“I am fully aware that I need to prove myself to you and Will, not just Lucy.” Lawson glances down at me with warmth in his gray eyes.
“I’ll tell you the same thing I told her…
I’m willing to do whatever it takes to show you I love yo ur daughter, and I will never do anything ever again to hurt her. ”
Mom appraises us with narrowed eyes before turning and heading toward the kitchen. “Well, let's hear it then.”
Lawson releases the breath he’d been holding and flashes me one of his heart-stopping smiles. I reach down and lace my fingers through his, every fiber of my being thrumming with anticipation as we follow her. Together.
Ready to face whatever is left of the storm as a united pair.