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She didn’t give him a chance to respond. Rather, she pressed another kiss to his lips and left the room to see to her daughter. Her hesitation frustrated him, but he wouldn’t claim he knew how to explain the relationship between a man and his woman to a child any more than she could. While patience wasn’t a tonic he was interested in when it came to Nora, he didn’t have much of a choice.
But that didn’t mean he couldn’t spend the day packing his apartment.
Wanting to hit the gym before he returned to his place, he didn’t bother with a shower before he got dressed. Once somewhat presentable, he sought out Evelyn and Nora. It wasn’t long until they were all making their way out the door. After hugs and kisses goodbye, they went their separate ways.
He spent an hour at the gym with his old friend Jedidiah, and it did him good. It gave him an opportunity to clear his head. When they finished their workout, Lawson had enough sense to recognize that rather than spend the morning packing his apartment, he should go seek out some advice from a trusted source that knew a thing or two about successful relationships and children.
It was late morning by the time he’d showered, dressed, and driven toward the outskirts of town to reach his parents’ house. He hadn’t called prior to making the journey and he hoped he’d find his mother at home. She’d been a stay-at-home mom while he and his siblings were growing up. After they’d all left the nest, she kept herself busy volunteering in a number of ways throughout Bedford County. Gale Steele knew no stranger in town, and she was known for her kind and generous spirit. Christmas just days away meant he had a fifty-fifty chance of finding the woman at home. When he pulled into the circular driveway and saw Justice’s Jeep Wrangler parked out front, he knew he’d gotten lucky.
Lawson walked into the house without bothering to knock or ring the bell. Even though this wasn’t the house he’d grown up in, any place his mama lived he didn’t need an invitation. Once inside, he followed the smell of freshly baked cookies to the kitchen. Gale was at the island, a festive apron tied round her waist as she transferred a batch out of the oven onto a cooling rack. From the looks of things, she’d had a busy morning. Justice stood nearby, her hip propped against the counter as she consumed a snickerdoodle. Both women looked his way as his booted feet announced his arrival.
Gale was the original to the carbon copy that was Justice: tall, slender, and with a beauty that could only be described as graceful. Of course, Gale didn’t have a drop of ink on her skin, she styled her hair a bit longer, and she had a few laugh lines Justice had yet to earn—but no one could mistake them for anything less than mother and daughter.
“Well, would you look at that timing. I just pulled your favorite out of the oven,” said Gale in greeting.
Lawson’s eyebrows shot up at the mention of his mama’s cranberry-white chocolate cookies, a treat she only ever made once a year.
“Don’t mind if I do,” he said as he made his way around the island to snatch one.
“Careful, now. They’re hot.”
Lawson didn’t care. His first bite nearly burned his tongue, but it was worth it.
“Thanks, mom,” he muttered before kissing her on the cheek.
“What are you doin’ here?” Justice asked.
“Came to talk to mom. What areyoudoin’ here?”
“Same. But I’ve gotta go. I’ve got a client in less than an hour. She’s all yours.”
“Bye, honey,” said Gale as Justice pressed a kiss to her other cheek.
Justice grabbed another cookie—chocolate chip, this time—then doled out the same affection to her brother before calling a blanket farewell on her way to the door.
“It appears I’m in high demand today. What’s on your mind, son?”
“I need a mother’s perspective, I guess,” he admitted. He grabbed another cookie then walked around to the other side of the island where he pulled out a chair and took a seat.
“I’m all ears.”
Gale set aside the empty baking sheet and spatula, focusing all her attention on Lawson.
“Lately, it seems Nora-Jean and I take three steps forward only to take one step back.”
His mother hummed a quiet sigh through a kind smile. “Happy as it makes me to hear my boy finally got his sweetheart back, I understand it’s only been a few days. You’ll get your footing.”
Looking down at the countertop full of treats, Lawson shook his head and confessed, “The thing is, every time she hesitates, I can’t tell if she’s using Evelyn as an excuse or not.”
“What do you mean?”
He met his mother’s eye. “I want us to move back in together. And before you say it, I know you believe there’s an order to things and you never did think it made sense us livin’ together without gettin’ married—but I had my reasons then, and I have them now.”
“Lawson Walker, you’re a grown man,” said Gale, holding up her hands in surrender. “Where and how you live is not my business. Though, I will say, I sure do hope you plan on makin’ her a Steele. You’ve kept us all waitin’ long enough.”
A smile played at his lips, but his amusement was tampered upon remembering the conversation he’d had with Nora-Jean only a couple hours prior.
“She keeps sayin’ she doesn’t want to confuse Evelyn. And I know the concept of Nora and me is new to her, but so far as I can tell, she doesn’t mind havin’ me around.”
