29. Dawson

Dawson walked into the station whistling a hit Country song from the 90s. Last night with Olivia was rough, but he'd woken up with a new outlook on life.

Everything was going to work out. He'd laid it all at the feet of Jesus and stepped back. Whatever happened at Olivia's appointment today, he'd trust that it was all for the good.

That's what Dawson was doing. Olivia? She'd still been nervous when he talked to her before his shift.

She was going to be a tough egg to crack, but who could blame her? The future she wanted was hanging in the balance.

He'd spent half the night sorting through his own worries about Olivia's health. His first thoughts were for her physical and mental state, but he'd thought just enough about her possible future with or without kids to know that he would be okay either way.

Would she?

Of course it was a big deal–a huge deal–but he hadn't lost hope when she first told him she might not be able to have kids. There was still a possibility, and he'd had a good feeling when he suggested fostering or adopting.

The station was bustling, but no one was stomping around or loudly popping off information. That was always a good sign. Asa stood beside Lyric's desk, looking down at her with a goofy grin on his face.

The guy was head over heels–totally drooling over his new wife.

Who could blame him? Dawson was finally getting the chance to love Olivia like he'd always wanted, and he'd been obnoxiously obsessed with all things Olivia the entire week. He couldn't go a minute without thinking about her, and he had zero intentions to change.

"Morning, ladies and gentlemen," Dawson said as he walked by them, tipping an imaginary hat.

"What are you doing here?" Lyric asked.

"Gotta write up a report before heading out for the rest of the day."

Asa propped his back against the wall by Lyric's desk. "Where are you going?"

He'd promised not to share about Olivia's problems, so he went with the closest thing that wasn't a lie. "I'm hanging out with Olivia this afternoon."

Lyric clasped her hands at her chest. "Aww. That's so sweet."

"Missing work already. You got it bad, man," Asa said.

Lyric swatted her husband's arm. "Stop it. It's cute, and Dawson never takes off days." She turned to Dawson with a smile. "I'm so happy for y'all."

"Not as happy as I am," Dawson said.

"Happy about what?"

Dawson turned at the question to find Olivia walking up. A pastel green headband that matched her sweater pushed back her long, dark hair, and she carried a big white bag with a Deano's logo on it.

Dawson was heading toward her before his feet knew what they were doing. He took the bag from her hands and moved it to the side as he pressed a kiss to her lips. It ended too quickly, and it took Olivia an extra second to open up her eyes.

"Hello, my queen. I thought we were meeting at the doctor's office," he whispered.

After a short hesitation and a longing look meant just for him, she said, "I left work a little early to change and grab some lunch." She tilted her head toward the bag he now held. "Want to eat before we go?"

"I will never say no to food, though you're the bigger and better surprise."

He held her close to his side as she scanned the room around them. At least a dozen people milled about, but he doubted anyone cared about their public displays of affection.

"What if someone sees us?" Olivia whispered.

"Anna is out of town. We have a few days before we have to worry about that," he reminded her.

"It's not just Anna. What if someone sees and tells her?"

Dawson released Olivia and gestured for her to head toward the break room. "Okay, I'll keep my hands to myself."

She pressed up onto her toes and whispered against his cheek, "Not that I mind. I've been thinking about kissing you all day."

Dawson's breaths deepened. That was one way to make his brain short circuit. Every sound in the room faded as he grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the break room.

Olivia giggled behind him. "What are you doing?"

"Praying for an empty room." He dragged her into the quiet room, put the bag on the counter, and twirled her around to face him.

He cut off her laugh with a kiss, tasting that sweet melody that hummed through his entire body.

Kissing Olivia was an otherworldly experience. It was a give and take that balanced everything. They both gave their whole selves every time their lips slid against each other. His hold tightened around her waist with the need to crush her to him, eliminating all space that separated them.

Holding back the floodgates for over a decade had taken all of his self-control, and giving in was blissful and dangerous.

Olivia pulled back and hummed low in her throat. "As much as I'd love to keep doing this, we need to eat quickly if we're going to make it to the appointment on time."

The appointment. Nope. Dawson would not let that little ticking time bomb ruin this moment or any other.

"I don't need food. I need you." He pressed another quick kiss to her lips before pulling back to say, "I'll feed you on the drive over."

Olivia pushed against his chest with a hearty laugh. "I have a feeling that would break a few laws." She pointed to the bag of food. "Eat."

"What's on the menu?" He opened the bag and reached inside. "Skittles!"

Olivia snatched the bag from his hands. "That's for later. Food first."

"I thought being an adult meant I could eat dessert first."

She held up the candy bag and shook it, crinkling the packaging. "This is a distraction for the waiting room."

"Ah. Got it." He plucked the candy from her hand and stuffed it in his pocket. "Let's eat so we can make out in my truck."

Olivia laughed loudly, then covered her mouth.

He loved that. He loved that there was so much joy in her heart that it couldn't be contained, even right before a meeting they were both dreading.

"You two are just adorable," Lyric said as she walked into the kitchen with Asa right behind her.

"Guilty, and I have no regrets," Dawson said. As soon as he got the green light to talk about their new relationship, he'd be shouting it in the streets. How awesome would it be to tell the entire world that he'd found the one woman that he was made to love and support for his entire life?

Olivia opened the bag and started pulling out containers. "There's plenty for you two if you want chicken fingers."

Of course she brought extra. Olivia never did anything halfway. It was all or nothing. She took care of people without being asked. There were dozens of people who'd been blessed by Olivia's work who didn't even know her name. She never asked for fanfare, and she was happy doing anything for someone else.

Dawson could understand that dedication. He practiced it many times himself. What was the point of doing something if you weren't going to do it right?

His love for Olivia? It was everything. She was a perfect snapshot of each part of his life. She was the light in every second, and he couldn't wait to see all the things she'd do in the Lord's name.

When they'd finished lunch with Asa and Lyric, Olivia looked at her watch. Dawson stood and started cleaning up their mess. "Time to go?"

"Almost." The word came out defeated, and she kept her head down.

Dawson tossed their trash and stopped beside her. Offering his hand, he pulled her to her feet and lifted her chin. Those hazel eyes were tired and afraid, but he wasn't. Dawson knew that whatever the outcome, it would be good.

"I'm right here with you," he whispered. "Never leaving."

She pressed her lips together and nodded. It wasn't any kind of assurance, but she'd learn over time. The Lord would never leave her or forsake her, and neither would Dawson.