“YOU COULD HAVE told me.”
Dom reached for her, but she folded her arms across her chest and stepped back.
“I wanted it to be a surprise.”
She aimed the kind of smile at him that she’d seen Claudette use on opposing attorneys, the kind that made them wish they’d chosen another line of work.
“You succeeded.”
“It’s just … you’ve been through so much lately. And I wasn’t there for you for most of it. I wanted to make up for that. I know you love the house. And it’s convenient. You can walk to work and Calvin’s school from here, and of course I can walk to the high school.”
Julia’s fingers brushed the doorjamb. She did love the house. But …
“It’s the principle of the thing.”
Dom, who’d been deflating by the second, brightened. “Exactly. Which is why the sale is contingent upon your approval. I’m not a complete idiot. But Julia.”
He took both her hands, not speaking until she uncurled her fists and entwined her fingers with his. “I know this is a big step for you. For both of us. For all of us—Elena and Calvin and even the dog. I promise to be better about communicating.”
Julia tried hard to suppress a smile.
“What?”
She turned her head aside. Her shoulders quivered with held-in laughter.
“What, Julia? What’s going on?”
She lost the battle and whooped aloud. She freed her hands and swiped at her eyes.
It was Dom’s turn for the arms-crossed stance of disapproval, one he’d probably perfected as principal, a look that set her off again.
“I’m sorry,” she said finally. “It’s … communication. I could be better at it too.”
Puzzlement warred with severity in his expression. “What do you mean?”
“You’re wrong about something.”
He uncrossed his arms and shoved his hands in his pockets. “Apparently I’m wrong about a lot of things. What now?”
The laughter threatened again, but Julia managed to restrain it to an impish smile. “I can walk to Calvin’s school, but I’m going to have to get up a few minutes earlier each day if I want to walk to work.”
He glanced through the window. “What do you mean? You can practically see the courthouse from here.”
Julia put her hands on his shoulders and spun him around. “My new office is a couple of blocks in that direction.”
He spun back even more quickly.
“What are you talking about?”
She bit her lip. “I didn’t tell you. I, uh, wanted it to be a surprise.”
“O ye who professes to hate surprises.”
Julia knew she deserved that. But Dom awaited—and deserved—an explanation.
“You know how Claudette’s starting that new nonprofit?”
“What about it?”
Julia looked skyward. She looked at her feet. She looked everywhere but at Dom.
“As executive director, a lot of her work will involve fund-raising. She can’t handle the legal part all by herself. So … well … you’re looking at the new legal director for Justice Rising.”
Now Dom was the one laughing.
“You’re right. We really need to work on communication. You comfortable doing that under the same roof? This roof?”
At which point, Julia did what he’d probably expected her to do as soon as he told her to open her eyes. She fell into his arms and, with eyes wide open, kissed him long and hard.
“Let’s go get some cake,” she said when she’d caught her breath.
“Oh, the cake’s for everyone else,” said Dom, and what he said next removed any lingering doubts as to whether she truly loved this man.
“For you, I got pie.”