by Addison Cole
Grace laced her fingers together and stretched her arms above her head. “I miss him and Pepper, but I guess there’s always Christmas.”
“Speaking of Pepper. Mom invited her to the barbecue next Friday night, but she can’t make it, of course. She said something about a research project.”
“Pepper is always researching, but what barbecue?” She shifted, stretching her hamstrings, thinking about how infrequently she saw her scientist sister.
“You two are more alike than you might think,” Sable said with an air of boredom. “Last night Mom said she’s throwing a family barbecue next Friday night after Reed finishes the porch. Oh yeah, you’re supposed to invite him, and I was supposed to text you and let you know. Sorry.”
“Great. That should make him run for the hills.” Her family was a lot to handle in small doses. As a group they could be downright overwhelming, especially to a guy who was used to quiet.
Sable smiled and closed her eyes. “It’s best to indoctrinate him to the chaos earlier rather than later.” She set her hat over her eyes and said, “You don’t mind if I just crash right here, do you?”
Normally Grace would kick her out of her room, but she didn’t want to close the door Sable had only begun to unlock. She pulled off Sable’s boots and set them beside the bed. “Get some rest. I have to go run off my junk food.”
She wrote a quick note for Reed—Sable is sleeping on my bed, so don’t go in and whip off your clothes or anything. I went for a run. Xox, Grace—and went to the kitchen to find tape. She found it in the family junk drawer and put a piece on the top of the note. Then she grabbed a pen, crossed out Grace and wrote Gracie.
Humming, she went outside and taped it to the outside of the glass door that led to her bedroom. Reed had done a gorgeous job on the porch so far, and she was happy that her childhood home was being lovingly restored.
Remembering the mornings she and Reed had secretly met by the football field before the sun came up, she took off jogging in that direction.
As she rounded the corner toward town, energized by thoughts of Reed, she realized her childhood home wasn’t the only thing being lovingly restored.
REED STOPPED BY Roy and Ella’s to catch his uncle up on his progress at the Montgomerys and check on the delivery status of the materials for his kitchen, which Roy had offered to handle. They were sitting at the table enjoying breakfast when he tapped on the kitchen door and walked in.
“There he is,” Ella said as she rose to greet him, and promptly ushered him into a seat. “I’ll get you a plate.”
“It’s okay, Ella. I didn’t come for breakfast. Sit down and relax.”
“You know that isn’t gonna go over very well,” Roy said under his breath.
“A working man has to eat.” She set a cup of coffee in front of him and patted his shoulder before turning back to the stove. “You just relax.”
“Thank you.” Reed took a drink.
“Cade said you’re almost finished with the porch,” Roy said. “He’s mighty pleased with your work, of course.”
“That’s good to hear. I’ll be finished by the end of next week.”
“More importantly,” Ella said as she set a plate of pancakes in front of Reed. “Why are we the last to hear that you and Gracie are together again?”
He’d forgotten how quickly word moved between towns. “You’re not the last to hear.”
Ella sat beside Roy and set her napkin in her lap. “According to my friend Rosie, who saw Hellie at bingo last night, the whole town knows about you two.” She sipped her coffee, her smiling eyes peering at him over the rim. “Are we done keeping secrets?”
Reed chuckled and stabbed a hunk of pancake with his fork. “We are definitely done keeping secrets.”
“Well, thank goodness for small favors,” Roy said. “You can’t ever find honest love when you’re shrouded in secrecy. Life doesn’t work that way.”
Reed focused on his breakfast and not the message his uncle was really sending, which had landed loud and clear. When he’d returned to town, they hadn’t been pleased to hear that he had been serious enough to almost have been engaged to a woman they’d never met.
Ella reached across the table and touched his hand, bringing his gaze up to hers. “Honey, we understand why you had to keep things hush-hush when you were in school. Kids can be cruel, and you wanted to protect your girlfriend. You did the right thing under the circumstances. And as far as that last woman goes, well, I can only assume she hadn’t yet kissed your heart for you to keep her a secret. But moving forward, we’d really like for there to be no more secrets.”
A spear of guilt pierced Reed’s chest. “No more secrets,” he agreed. “And I’m sorry for keeping them in the first place.”
“That woman was a stopgap, son,” Roy said as he cut his pancakes. “Someone to hold you over until the time was right for you to come back home and find your true soul mate.”
Reed’s fork stopped midair. “That makes me sound a little callous, Roy. I didn’t think of her as a stopgap. I just wasn’t capable of giving her all of myself.”
“That’s not what I meant, Reed, so put out those fumes.” Roy sat back and exhaled a long, slow breath. “Love’s a funny thing. When it hits, there’s no keeping your distance or wondering if you should do something to fix whatever feels off. That’s how we knew you and Grace were meant to be together, and that’s why we kept your secret, when the proper thing to do would have been to make you stand up to your friends and her friends and pick her up properly at her daddy’s house. The stopgap I spoke of had nothing to do with you treating that other woman badly, or making a bad judgment call. I meant you were filling the emptiness inside you. That’s only natural, just as it was only natural for her to feel the weight of another woman in your heart.”
Reed set his fork down on his plate. “Roy, did you know Grace was coming back to town?”
“I may have heard she was scheduled for a visit,” Roy mumbled, and filled his mouth with pancakes.
“Ella?”
“My memory is not what it used to be.” She patted her mouth with her napkin.
They ate in silence for a few minutes while Reed processed that new information. Were they matchmaking? He dragged an assessing gaze over Roy’s face, wondering what else he might have kept to himself.
“Most of your appliances are being delivered Thursday,” Roy said a few minutes later. “Are we still on for starting your kitchen after you’re done with the Montgomerys?”
“Yes. I’m looking forward to working together, although Grace and I have already gotten some of the painting done. There’s not much left to do beyond the kitchen.” He eyed the two people his father had trusted with his life. The two people who knew what he needed even before he did, and he had to ask the burning question. “When did your doctors give you the okay to return to work?”
Ella choked on her coffee.
Roy stilled, staring at his plate.
Reed’s gut clenched tight as shock tore through him. “Roy?”
“Well, heck, Reed. What do those doctors know? My body needed the rest, and you were here anyway. We still hadn’t settled the new corporation paperwork, and the jobs we were bidding on hadn’t come in yet. It made sense for you to take on the Montgomery job.”
“He really did need to rest, Reed,” Ella added. “You can see how much stronger he is now.”
“I can, and I’m happy to do the work.” Reed finished eating and carried his plate to the sink, stewing over, and touched by, their efforts. “I sure am glad we’re done with secrets.”
Ella’s gaze darted to Roy.
“Aw, come on, Ella. What more could there possibly be?”
She glared at Roy.
“Gosh darn it.” Roy tossed his napkin on the table and said, “You know how I said that most of your appliances would be delivered Thursday? I transposed the numbers on your stove and accidentally ordered a bright red one. But it’s handled.”
Ella sto
od up and reached for Roy’s plate. Roy slid an arm around her waist and pulled her closer. “And for the record, your aunt gave me an earful for being less than up-front with you about work. But the stove order is fixed, so don’t you worry about that.”
Reed chuckled. “That’s all right, and speaking of fixes…” He kissed Ella’s cheek and patted Roy’s back. “I have to go get my Gracie fix for the morning. Love you, and I appreciate you watching out for me. Not just now, but…well, you know.”
“Yeah, we know,” Roy said. “Now get your lazy butt over to that job before your girl thinks you’ve forgotten her.”
Twenty minutes later Reed pulled into the Montgomerys’ driveway and was greeted with the most spectacular view of a fine butt, a bottom he’d know anywhere. He stepped from the truck as Grace unfolded her gorgeous body and reached her fingers toward the sky. She turned, smiling brighter than the morning sun, and holy smokes, her black running pants rode low on her hips, clinging to every inch of her like they were painted on. And her running bra did some sort of cross-over thing, creating cleavage so deep he wanted to crawl in and live there. Her hair was pinned up in a high ponytail, exposing her long neck and cute ears he liked to nibble on. Her cheekbones looked even higher with her hair pulled back, her eyes looked greener, and her skin glistened with a sheen of sweat that made her appear oiled up and scorchingly sexy. He was catapulted back to the days of watching her cheer for the opposing team and was reminded of how jealous he’d been over the guys who had been lucky enough to watch her practice on a daily basis. She had womanly curves now, and her eyes were sharper than that of a naive girl, which made her that much more attractive.
As he reached for her, his heart tumbled inside his chest, and he sent up a heap of silent gratitude that his relatives had known him well enough to keep their secret about Grace’s visit. Had he known she would be there, he might not have taken on the job.
“You have never looked more beautiful than you do right now,” he said as he gathered her in his arms.
“I’m all sweaty,” she warned.
He guided her arms around his neck and said, “I don’t care if you’ve rolled in horse manure. You’d still look and smell better than any woman on earth, because you’re mine, Gracie, and I adore you.”
He pressed his lips to hers, soaking in her sweetness. He ran his finger along her side, and she shivered in his arms. “I didn’t know you were a runner.”
“I usually run at the gym, but I haven’t gotten a temporary membership at one here yet,” she said as they made their way to the porch. “And if I keep eating M&M’s and pizza, I’m going to need to go twice a day or buy bigger clothes.”
“I would love to get you out of those clothes,” he said as they climbed the steps and followed her toward her bedroom door, earning an adorable blush. “Why would you work out in a gym when you can enjoy sunshine and fresh air? Help me today. You’ll get a great workout, and I’ll get to spend the day with you. Win-win.”
Her brows knitted. “You just want me to hold your tools.”
Just hearing her say that got him going. “Baby, I always want your hot little hands on my tools.” He pressed his hips to hers and said, “But I’m pretty sure your parents wouldn’t appreciate the show.”
Her cheeks pinked up again, and he couldn’t resist pressing his lips to them.
“You don’t have to help me.” Knowing how competitive she was, he egged her on, hoping to spend the day with her. “It’s a man’s job, anyway.”
Her jaw dropped, and just as quickly her eyes narrowed and she took a step back. “A man’s job? Let me get my dad’s tools…” A smile lifted her lips, and she wrinkled her nose. “Actually, let me get Sable’s tools. I promised Brindle I’d stop by her play rehearsal later, but I think I can show you up before that.”
He hooked his arm around her neck and laughed. “You’re really hot when you’re trying to prove a point.” He gave her a chaste kiss and noticed a note taped to the door and snagged it. “Is this for me?” He read it aloud. “Hey, big boy, come on in. I’m ready and waiting. Man. I wish I hadn’t stopped to see Roy—”
She ripped the note from his hands and scanned it. She gritted her teeth, fire in her eyes, as giggles floated out the kitchen window, where Brindle and Morgyn were cracking up.
“I’m going to kill them,” Grace seethed, crumpling the note in her fist as her sisters came out the kitchen door, laughing hysterically, with Reba and Dolly on their heels.
She shoved the note in his hands and bolted off the porch toward them. Brindle and Morgyn screamed and ran into the yard. Reba and Dolly chased after them, barking up a storm.
“I’m going to kill you!” Grace hollered.
“Not if you can’t catch us!” Morgyn yelled back as she raced, full speed, toward the barn.
“Don’t get me dirty!” Brindle screamed as Grace grabbed her. “I have to go to work!”
Grace’s bedroom door opened, and Sable walked sleepily out. “What’s going on?”
Reed watched Grace tackle Morgyn to the ground, both of them laughing. “I think Gracie is finding her way back to her roots.”
Chapter Thirteen
AFTER THE MORNING chase, Grace’s sisters left for work, and Grace changed into a pair of the sexy cutoffs Reed loved, and then they went to work on the porch. She worked through the morning like she’d been building porches her whole life. She was as meticulous as Reed was, and he got a kick out of her refusing to let him carry the planks or do much of anything for her. With her, however, was another story. Reed taught her how to use the chop saw and nail gun, gave her a lesson in leveling and shaping, and she listened so intently, he knew she didn’t miss a word. Together they measured, cut, and hammered. He had a field day making sexy comments about her screwing the boards, which earned a few blushes and a lot of laughter.
“You’re going to owe me a full-body massage after this,” Grace said as they lined up a plank.
“If you think that’s a threat, you’re sorely mistaken.” He swept her into his arms and kissed her, with an accompanying “Mwah!” earning another heart-melting laugh.
“It looks like you two make a great team,” Cade said as he came around the side of the house with Dolly and two glasses. He handed them each a drink. “I thought you could use some iced tea. With Axsel gone, it’s nice to have a man around again. I’m a bit outnumbered in the estrogen castle.”
Reed laughed. “You are a bit outnumbered.” He took a drink and knelt to love up Dolly.
“I don’t know, Dad,” Grace said as Dolly wound around her legs. “Sable’s kind of like a guy sometimes.”
“Sable’s a tough cookie,” Cade agreed. “But beneath that tough exterior, she’s a real sweetheart. She’s got a softer side. Always has. She just needs a man who’s strong enough, and patient enough, to find it.”
“Good luck with that.” Grace tipped her face up to the sun, eyes closed, looking like a goddess despite the sweat she’d earned and the dirt she’d acquired. How many women would spend hours doing manual labor in the hot sun when they could be doing any number of other things? Not to mention doing it with a sense of humor. But Grace had never been afraid of hard work.
Reed had always thought she was more afraid of not standing out as her own person than of the work it might take to get there. He didn’t know for sure, but he thought that might have something to do with having grown up with so many siblings. The reason didn’t matter. He loved Grace for her determination and her insecurities. She was as real as a woman could be, and he knew he was one lucky man.
“You raised strong daughters,” Reed said. “Sable’s no stronger than Grace. They just show it in different ways.”
“I’d agree with you there,” Cade said.
Marilynn and Reba came out of the barn, and the minute Reba saw them, she bounded across the grass and joined Dolly. The two pups smothered Reed with kisses. Grace took Reed’s glass and set it on the deck beside hers, then sank down to the grass with them
. Reba immediately crawled up her body and licked her cheek.
“This is their playtime,” Marilynn said as she came to Cade’s side. “But I can call them off with one command if you’d like.”
“I love dogs.” Reed grabbed Reba’s head and pressed a kiss to the end of her snout. “Won’t you be sad when you’ve trained them and you have to give them up?”
Marilynn and Cade exchanged a knowing smile.
“We miss them all, but if we kept them we’d have to buy a bigger house,” Marilynn explained.
“It’s hard to let them go, no doubt. But we raise them to be independent and to make a difference in other people’s lives, just like our children,” Cade said as Grace pushed to her feet beside him. He put his arm around her, love brimming in his eyes. “It’s nice to see you doing something other than working, darlin’. I made lunch for you and Reed. It’s in the fridge.”
“You didn’t have to go to all that trouble,” Reed said as he rose to his feet.
“No trouble at all. I threw together a few sandwiches and cut up some fruit. No great shakes. It’s the least I can do, considering you’ve got my girl sticking around without her nose in a script.”
“Dad.” Grace rolled her eyes. “What would you have me do? Be barefoot and pregnant?”
“Now we’re talking!” Marilynn said with a smile. “I could use a grandbaby or two.”
“Stop!” Grace said.
“Don’t worry, sweetheart. I’m taking your mama out for a trail ride.” Cade reached for Marilynn’s hand. “She won’t be able to marry you off this afternoon.”
“Reed, why don’t you ask your aunt and uncle to join us for the barbecue next Friday evening,” Marilynn suggested.
Reed glanced at Grace. “Barbecue?”
“Oh, shoot! I was supposed to tell you about it,” Grace said. “I got a little sidetracked with—” She glanced at his shirtless body. “All the work we’re doing.”
He chuckled.
“Work? Is that what they’re calling it these days?” Marilynn teased.
