Page 5 of Love It or List It
“So, as you are aware, DeeDee Mitchell left her house to the two of you in equal share.So until you make further decisions, it’s a shared asset.”
Joe nodded.That wasn’t unexpected.He’d had months to get used to the idea of Meg’s relative leaving him half a house, even if her motives remained a mystery.
“The estate has been paying the property taxes for the past few months, so you’ll be billed for that,” she continued.“Last month the house was appraised and valued at two hundred and ten thousand dollars in its current condition.You can either sell the property and split the proceeds, or one of you can buy out the other.”
Joe glanced at the ripped knee of Taylor’s jeans and doubted the guy had a spare hundred thousand lying around.Mechanic work could pay well if you owned an established business, but someone in that position would’ve sent someone else to change the flat.
“Of course, before you make any decisions, you should visit the property yourself and investigate.Mrs.Mitchell left you the contents of the house as well as the structure and land, and those assets have not been evaluated.”She eyed them both with a shrewd look.“As a lawyer, I feel the need to point out that as strangers, you should take on the task of cleaning it out together.”
“Wait,” Taylor said, “she left us the contents?”He licked his lips and finger-combed his mess of waves out of his face.It looked even more disheveled and touchable.“Like, all of them?”
Ms.Kelly nodded.
“But… that house is full.”He sounded daunted by the prospect.
“Yes.All of it.In the past few years, Mrs.Mitchell had already gifted the few items of sentimental value to the relevant family members, a common act for people who want to ensure inheritance or see the enjoyment of the younger generation.”
Taylor blinked.“So.She left us her house worth a couple hundred thousand dollars and everything inside?”He looked down at the closed folder in his lap, then back up at Ms.Kelly.“Was she crazy?”
Joe bristled.Where did Taylor get off?Sure, DeeDee was eccentric, but she’d adored her family.And while Joe himself was surprised by her move, he also knew that she never would have done it if it put Meg’s future in any sort of peril.But Meg was well taken care of.DeeDee and her late husband were no fools, and they’d raised equally practical children.Meg’s dad and his wife hadn’t been hurting for funds when DeeDee was still around, but they were even better established now that they had her nest egg.Joe suspected that not leaving them the house that Meg hadn’t ever set foot in was an act of kindness.Cleaning out the house for sale would be an undertaking.
“Such gratitude,” Joe muttered.
Taylor flinched and then looked at him sideways.“Sorry, but I haven’t exactly lived the kind of life where someone just leaves me a house with no strings attached.”Then the corners of his mouth twitched up and his dark eyes sparkled.“Or one string, I guess, in the form of an unlikely house husband.”
Joe’s cheeks went furiously hot and words deserted him.His hand clenched reflexively around the pen.
Austin couldn’t know the sick feeling that gave him in his stomach as he thought of Paul.Joe thought it was a pretty reasonable reaction, really.Anyone who’d had a broken engagement a week before they were supposed to close on their first house together would’ve felt the same.
Ms.Kelly cleared her throat.“Keeping the joint asset is also a possibility, of course.”
Joe wished the floor would swallow him.Jesus.He scrubbed a hand over his hair.“Uh, I think we’ve taken up enough of your time for the day.Maybe we should just get these signed.”
Blessedly, Austin Taylor did not argue.
Filling out the rest of the paperwork didn’t take long.Ms.Kelly’s assistant took copies of their driver’s licenses, then of the ownership transfer papers.Then Ms.Kelly slid two identical brass keys across her desk.“Here you are, gentlemen.Congratulations.”
Joe stared at the key with no small amount of trepidation, suddenly aware he was being kind of a freak show.He wasn’t usually this socially inept.He pasted on a smile and picked up his key, then turned to Taylor.“I kind of feel like we should be toasting to something.”
Next to him, Taylor had picked up his key as well and was holding it up as though it held the answers to life’s questions.
On a whim, Joe touched the keys together.“Cheers, I guess.”
Taylor quirked that wide mouth again.The hint of a dimple appeared.
Joe’s kids were going to give him the business forever.
Ms.Kelly looked between them and then offered, “I’m going to get a refill on my coffee.Why don’t you take a moment to exchange contact information.”
Subtle, Joe thought.He fought the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose like his mom did when her clients were being particularly obtuse.
The door clicked shut.
“Do you feel like you’ve been called to the principal’s office for being naughty?”Joe asked.
Taylor smiled.Definitely a dimple.“Now what makes you think I’ve ever been in the principal’s office?”
That smile, for one.“Call it a hunch.”
