Chapter Text
They arrive at The Grit, enjoying the cool blast of AC at the entrance. The hostess is a small blonde with small top knots on either side of her head. She smiles politely at Rey, preparing to tell her that all the tables are occupied when she sees Ben and visibly straightens up. “Mr. Solo! It’s wonderful to see you again!” It may just be Rey’s headache, but the hostess sounds much like a cat purring.
“Thank you, Kaydel,” Ben says politely but Rey notices the warmth doesn’t reach his eyes. “Rey, Beebee, Chewie and I need a seat. Outside.”
The hostess, Kaydel, eyes between Rey and Ben, looking confused and resentful. Rey can sense that Kaydel doesn’t get why someone like Ben would bring someone so plain. Rey doesn’t understand it either, what she did for Chewie doesn’t need to be repaid.
“Thanks,” Rey whispers to Ben, truly happy he remembered how much she is enjoying this weather.
“Make it my usual spot.” Ben nods curtly.
Kaydel purses her lips and looks Rey up and down before she says to Ben in a sickenly sweet voice, “Anything for you.”
Rey takes a deep breath, resolving to keep calm. She rather take a different route. “And Kaydel?”
The hostess looks semi surprised that someone else dare speak in Ben Solo’s presence but recovers quickly. “Yes?”
“Can you get us two Bloody Marys please?”
Her eyes narrow, and she looks between Rey and Ben, who is minorly surprised himself but smirks at the hostess all the same. “Whatever she wants,” he says, indicating towards Rey.
“Right away.” She leads them to the patio, turning around every few steps to glare at Rey. It makes Rey uneasy but she figures the girl Kaydel has nothing to worry about anyway; Ben already said it wasn’t a date.
Rey focuses on the restaurant, taking in each detail, noticing every framed photo, treat, and feather stuffed dog bed. Beebee holds his head high, walking as if he owned the place while each of Rey’s steps is more and more trepid. It goes beyond her expectations how catered to dogs this establishment is. There’s treats lining the walls, and every famous dog framed on the walls, from Snoopy to Air Bud.
Before the door leading to the back patio is a wall where a massive portrait hangs. Rey recognizes Luke Skywalker, famous TV actor, and his dog Artoo, as well as Chewie, but the man with grey hair and a scar on his chin is unfamiliar to her. She stops to admire it.
“That’s my dad and my uncle, Luke.”
“Luke Skywalker is your uncle?”
“Yeah, he was my mother’s brother.”
“I was a huge fan of his show when I was younger. Him and Artoo really inspired me and my love for dogs.” Her eyes wander over Han and Luke’s face, trying to find the resemblance between them and Ben. Beebee grows impatient so Rey tears her eyes away.
The back patio is decorated with lights and plants, the decor reminding Rey of bamboo and paper lanterns. Even though it is crowded, something neither Rey nor Ben are fans of, the atmosphere feels peaceful. There are dogs wandering leashless, and a few of them run up to Beebee and start playing, so Rey let’s him off the leash. Ben follows suit and let’s Chewie free, watching him run off with dogs far too small for him to play rough with.
“Wow,” is all Rey can say. The best part of the patio is that it overlooks parts of the city, including a park with a shimmering pond. The view is a rarity in such a crowded place.
“Isn’t it something else?” He mutters, eyes wandering the distance.
“It is. So how do you know the owner?” Rey asks. Kaydel continues to lead them through the patio and gives Rey another look, this time amused. Ben looks sheepish.
“Well, truthfully it’s me. My mom opened this shop for Chewie and my father. My dad would never eat a meal without meat but he certainly loved this backyard.” He shakes his head, a small smile on his face as he thinks back to a fond memory.
Kaydel leads them to the far side of the patio. “I’ll bring you two stools in just a moment,” she hurries to say before rushing back into the restaurant. Within moments a waiter is out with two stools followed promptly by a waitress with two Bloody Mary’s.
Soon they have vegan subs served to them and are drinking a beer and a Bloody Mary each. Chewie sleeps under Rey’s stool while Beebee explores and makes friends.
“I can’t believe I haven’t been here before.” Rey shakes her head and tucks a loose hair behind her ear before adjusting her overalls.
“Someone who talks about dogs as much as you do should be here everyday.”
The drinks loosen Rey’s tongue more than she intends. “Well, this place is not accessible. Too hard to RSVP. Too expensive.”
Ben finishes taking a swig from his beer. Neither of them want to recognize how they’ve been scooting their chairs closer and closer to one another. “Too expensive and what else?” It’s encouraging.
“Well the owner is too fancy. And he let his dog go!”
Ben claps once before hunching over in laughter. “I didn’t mean to.”
At this point Rey is drunk, enjoying herself to the fullest. “Alright, I know. I know you love Chewie, he told me,” she jokes.
“Did he now?”
She giggles. “Yes, he did. And he told me that he likes me.” Even though she is talking about one thing, her and Ben both know she is talking about something else.
“Well, yes. That’s a given,” Ben teases.
“Is that so? Then… what does he want to do about that?” She peers over at him from below her lashes while Chewie nudges at her leg. It’s difficult to control her heart rate.
“Excuse me, Mr. Solo?” Kaydel’s voice interrupts the moment. He tears his eyes away from Rey and gives the hostess an irritated look.
“Yes?”
“Several of the guests want to pay their condolences to you.” She steps aside and indicates towards the small crowd of people standing by and watching Ben.
He eyes Rey nervously before saying, “I’m sorry, will you excuse me for a moment?”
“Yeah, I’ll just be right here.” She smiles reassuringly. She reaches for the hot sauce bottle, mistaking it for her drink, and tips it to Ben like a toast. He cocks his head to the side and smiles before turning and walking away.
“Did you need anything else?” Kaydel asks.
“No thanks,” Rey responds, mildly embarrassed that she confused her drink with a condiment.
“What a breath of fresh air.” Kaydel puts her hand comfortably on Ben’s chair. “You’re not like the other ones.”
“Excuse me?”
“I just mean, Ben brings a lot of girls here, buys them drinks, calls them princess,” she says innocently with a shrug.
“Oh… Well I’m just here as a thank you for rescuing his dog,” Rey mumbles, dejected. “I just figured he shouldn’t be alone right now.
“I see! That makes a lot more sense. But honey, does he look alone right now?” Rey blinks and just like that the girl is strutting away.
Rey can’t even deny the truth- she’s average and a man like that would never want her. Her headache comes back full force and it becomes difficult to breathe. Beebee is there instantly, sensing his owner’s discomfort. Rey fumbles through her pack before grabbing hold of Beebee’s leash and clipping it on. It takes all of Rey’s focus and she feels exhausted by the effort. Getting to her feet seems like an impossibility but she somehow staggers up and begins making her way to the exit. Each step is more difficult than the last but she trudges on, determined to make it out with her dignity still in tact.
She makes it past the first steps of the patio before she loses her balance and would have fallen to the ground if it weren’t for the large hands that catch her. “Rey!” she hears but it sounds so far off and distorted.
“Open your eyes, Rey!” It’s Ben. She moans, trying to obey but her eyelids feel glued shut. It’s too much and she starts to swat the other person way, sounding much like Chewie had snoring that morning. A gentle but steady grasp locks around her wrists while another hand pries her right eye open. A light flashes in her eye and though it doesn’t last long, it’s agonizing.
“I think it’s a concussion,” Ben mutters to someone else, clearly irritated. “Rey? Did you hit your head?”
“I… can’t. Err moonlight and you.”
“What? Rey, did you hit your head?” He repeats.
“Tampons.”
“I think that’s a yes.” Rey is suddenly lifted into the air, all her weight resting against a warm, broad chest. “Rey, you have to stay awake. Stay with me, Rey.”
The sweat on Rey’s skin cools quickly inside the AC. She focuses on the sensation, finding some clarity in all the confusion.
Rey hears Ben’s distorted voice grow clearer. “Don’t fall asleep, Rey,” she mumbles to herself. She can hear a chuckle and smiles lightly.
“Good, Rey. Say it with me.” Mitaka is waiting outside with the car door open. Ben slips Rey into the back seat and then takes the dogs’ leash from one of waiters that came to help when Rey fell. Beebee climbs into Rey’s lap where he laps at her cheek. It helps her finally open her eyes, and the pain subsides considerably.
“Where are we going?” She inquires, looking out the window.
“My place. I want to make sure you’re okay and I figured you’d want to get out of such a crowded place.”
“Thanks.” She sighs, thinking back to how she probably made a complete fool of herself. So much for networking with the clients at The Grit. It seems Rey’s luck isn’t changing after all. The car ride there is very silent, with Ben regularly glancing over at Rey in concern. She stares out the window, thinking of how to get out of this situation with the last of her self esteem
“Err… you can just drop me and Beebee off anywhere,” she tells Mitaka, unsure if her voice was even loud enough to be heard. The driver eyes the rear view mirror nervously.
“What?” Ben asks, his face almost… angry?
“I don’t want to be a bother anymore,” she explains. “Beebee and I can just walk the rest of the way.”
“Are you mad? I’m not letting you out of my sight. Mitaka, keep towards Alderaan Manor.”
This throws Rey off. “I thought you said you were taking me to your place?”
“That is my place. It belonged to my mother.”
“Senator Organa was your mother? Wait, why does your whole family have different last names?”
“It’s a long story,” he chuckles.
Rey at this point shouldn’t be surprised that he owns the nicest home in the city, but still! Alderaan Manor is a giant estate with private and public sections with art galleries, museums, pools, gardens, wedding halls, you name it. Within the estate is a mansion where the owners who fund the project live, the Organas.
It’s too good to be true.
“Mitaka, can I really trust this man,” Rey jokes.
Mitaka hesitates, unused to passengers addressing him so often. “Yes, ma’am. Best man I know,” he declares confidently.
She shakes her head in disbelief. It’s not that she doesn’t believe him, it’s just that she feels lost in fantasy. Her and Beebee are Dorothy and Toto off in Emerald City, meeting the magic wizard.
“Ben, really. You don’t have to worry about me, I’m feeling better.” It’s only half a lie.
“Humor me,” he says as if he doesn’t believe her. “Besides, I have something to show you.”
It takes a whole fifteen minutes after passing through the main gates to reach the mansion, driving, that’s how large the grounds were. Rey can’t help but wonder what it would be like to walk the gardens each day with Beebee. It’s hard not to picture Ben and Chewie there with her after the day she’s had but she knows that’s her living in a fantasy. The hostess was right about her; she’s plain and simple. And mildly concussed.
Rey notices they pass the mansion’s gates and looks to Ben for an explanation.
“Patience, Rey. You’re a walker, you should have some.”
She narrows her eyes at him, but it’s playful and when they lock eyes, it feels like her heart goes out of whack again. This time in a good way.
“Fine,” she mutters dismissively.
Ben shakes his head with a mischievous smile.
They arrive at a brick building with a large yard surrounding it, fenced in with gray pickets. Ben thanks Mitaka as they climb out with Chewie and Beebee. There’s no one else in sight, so Rey let’s the corgi loose, knowing he won’t run off but instead just sniff the area. The dog follows them inside where Rey takes careful steps closer to the center of the room.
There’s a white tile floor, a bar, and an outdoor patio from what she can see. It’s entirely empty.
“This is what I wanted to show you,” Ben says, the sound of his voice echoing off the walls.
“Oh… Thank you?” Rey doesn’t know what to say. It’s just an empty bar.
He chuckles, amused by her confused expression. He’s gotten very used to that look and at this point seems to be intentionally causing it. “I should explain. First, I didn’t mean to be a jerk yesterday when I ran into you. I was running after Chewie.”
“Ah that makes sense. You know how condescending it is to call someone princess?”
His goofy smile emerges once again. “Yes, but it’s something my father said to the most beautiful woman he knew.”
Rey scoffs immediately. “What a line.” She looks away, crossing her arms.
“Sorry, I had to! The last part is true though. My father did used to call my mother that.”
“Ben. Why did you bring me here?” Rey sounds exhausted, and the fact that she has work tomorrow only makes her more tired.
“I want to pick up where we left off.”
“What, Ben?”
“Remember?”
“Err.. no,” she admits with a grimace. All she can really remember from The Grit is the splitting headache, her encounter with Kaydel, and the portrait of Ben’s family. “Sorry.”
He shakes his head quickly. “No, I’m sorry. Of course you wouldn’t remember. But, do you remember talking about how much Chewie likes you.” His tone conveys something else.
Rey tries hard to recover the memory, the effort hurting her head but she can picture Ben sipping on beer, loose and relaxed. It comes back to her all at once- Ben was about to tell her how he felt about her.
“Yes, Ben?” She breathes.
“I want to hire you.”
“Oh? Oh.” She didn’t expect that but recovers quickly. “Yes?”
“I need someone to manage this business.” He indicates around him.
“Wait, what?” That is the last thing she expected.
“I wanted to open something special to honor my father, like The Grit. Rey, seeing you in there, and what you said, it’s inspired me to make another dog bar. One more accessible to the public, like you said.”
“I see.” She is still thoroughly confused. Why did he bring her here?
“I need someone who is passionate about dogs to manage it,” he explains, his gaze intense, filling Rey with a certain heat.
Rey looks around the empty bar. It’s spacious and it’s easy to imagine a dog door installed by the entrance to the patio. She takes in how opportune this offer is. Beautiful view of the patio and pond, exclusivity, and dogs. There’s nothing more that screams Rey but she hesitates.
“What about the dogs I care for already?”
He ponders this for a moment. “How about we offer them a discount to come here?”
She considers this but grimaces, feeling that it isn’t right. What if they don’t have the time to come here? Then Rey realizes something more selfish. How would Beebee and she walk the city if they were stuck here?
“I don’t know, Ben.” Truthfully, it was always an inefficient system to have one walker as the manager. Maybe Ben could teach her some structure. Suddenly a handful of other logistic problems came to mind.
“I probably couldn’t start for a while because of the business I already have. Besides, I don’t have a car and would have a hard time getting here every day. Plus, even if it is for dogs, Beebee can’t just hang out in a bar all the time. He needs to get out!”
Ben looks up for a moment and Rey relaxes a little, surprised that he’s actually thinking over her words.
“Rey, what if you lived here? For free, of course. It’s a big place; you’d have your own section of the mansion. Bigger than wherever you are currently, I guarantee. All to yourself.”
Rey is stunned. Some part of her wants to deny the offer and just leave, to get out of the whole situation and forget that the day ever even happened.
She can’t look away from his face, though, and she recognizes this opportunity as once in a lifetime. Not even once in a lifetime, even rarer. She knows she wants to accept. A better living situation, a higher paying job, and a stable business that she knows will succeed.
Suddenly, she feels like she has been silent and staring into Ben’s eyes for way too long. She reaches a compromise and crosses her arms. “I want to make this a doggy day care and bar. Somewhere people can come with their dogs, but also leave them to be cared for and walked.”
“Deal,” he replies instantly.
Rey looks away and surveys the building again, finally starting to imagine herself actually being in charge of a place like The Grit. She feels hesitant, scared, excited, and as if she is dreaming all at once. This would be a huge change in her life and she can’t even believe it might really happen.
Her eyes come back to Ben, who is waiting patiently, and she realizes that she was lost in thought for the second time.
“So it’s a yes?”
“Uh, what?” She says, forgetting what they were talking about. “Oh, yes, I will take the job!”
“You’ll be moving here, then?” Ben replies with a growing smile and cocked eyebrow.
“I’ll do it!” Rey says, becoming more comfortable. When she looks at him, she can’t deny what she feels. Butterflies in her stomach and disbelief painted on her face, she tries to hide her attraction to him and think of him as someone that is hiring her only for a job. But then, how did she even get here? Why was he so interested and persistent?
He offers his hand and this time, she takes it, both of them grinning brightly.
“How about some dinner to celebrate?” he inquires slyly, but she picks up on the hidden meaning.
“Alright, flyboy, but I choose where we eat,” she says triumphantly. “And we sit outside so Beebee gets to go!”
He doesn’t hesitate before saying, “Of course! I know just the place.” He smiles knowingly.
“And where’s that?”
“Our home.”