Closer To You (Callaways Book 11)

by Barbara Freethy

  "It's good that you can be so analytical about it. But I'm kind of glad you broke his nose. You can thank Dylan for that. He made sure you and Hunter knew how to fight."

  He'd almost forgotten that. "You're right. I owe him for more than the car."

  "I'm sure he'll collect." She stood up. "I'm going to take off. I hope I'll see Grace again."

  "We'll see."

  "Always so noncommittal," she said with a sigh.

  He walked her to the door. "Have a safe drive back. And don't say too much to Mom and Dad."

  "I won't, but they'll still be hounding you with questions, so be prepared. Even when you don't tell them what's going on, Mom has this uncanny sense of knowing when one of her kids is in trouble."

  "I'm not in trouble anymore, and I'll call them later," he promised.

  "Ian, can I give you a little advice?"

  "Have I ever been able to stop you?"

  She ignored that. "You've always been better at acting than at talking, but sometimes a woman needs words. If you have feelings for Grace, don't assume she knows—tell her." With that, she gave him a hug and walked out to her car.

  As he closed the door behind her, he thought about her words. He wanted to tell Grace how he felt; he just hadn't had a second…until now.

  When he got to her bedroom, she was lying on her side on top of the covers, and her eyes were closed. He could see the purple shadows of weariness under her eyes and thought maybe his words needed to wait after all.

  Then her eyes opened, her amazingly beautiful green eyes, and his breath caught in his chest.

  "I'm not asleep," she said.

  "You should be."

  She patted the bed, and he stretched out next to her, turning on his side so he could face her. He wanted to kiss her, to touch her, but as Kate had said, this was probably more the time for words than for actions.

  "How are you feeling?" he asked.

  "Exhausted but wired. You?"

  "Pretty much the same. But it's over, Grace. You're safe now. You can go back to your life."

  "And you can go back to yours," she said, meeting his gaze. "That's the plan, isn't it?"

  "It was the plan."

  She raised an eyebrow. "What changed?"

  "You. Us."

  She let out a sigh. "Is there an us? It's been great, but my life is here, and yours is not."

  "That's true," he admitted. "But are we really going to let where we live determine whether or not we're together?"

  Her gaze narrowed. "Do you want to be together, Ian?"

  "Yes, I do. I've wanted to say that for a while, but I've never been really good with words that aren't science related."

  She smiled. "I think you're better than you think."

  "Then let me give you a few more important words. I'm falling in love with you, Grace."

  She sucked in a quick breath. "Really?"

  "I'm hoping I'm not alone."

  She put her hand on his arm. "You're not alone, Ian. I feel the same way. I didn't want to at first. You seemed to be absolutely the wrong person for me, until I realized how right we were together. I know I tried to pretend you were just like my dad, but the truth is I knew from the beginning that you were your own man, a man I could really care about—a man I do care about. I've dreaded the thought of you leaving; not seeing you again would break my heart. But I don't know how to ask you to stay when you need to be where you can be brilliant."

  He smiled at her earnest and loving honesty. "You don't think I can be brilliant in Tahoe?"

  "It's a small town in the mountains. You have the kind of intelligence and dreams that could change the world. You can't tell me that it wouldn't be better for you to be in a big city."

  "It would be better," he admitted. "What about you? Any chance you could teach somewhere else? There are a lot of schools in San Francisco."

  "I do like it here," she said slowly. "But I could compromise."

  "So could I. The bottom line is that I'm not willing to let you go, Grace. If you need to be in Tahoe, then I'll work from here."

  Her eyes sparkled. "You would really move to Tahoe for me?"

  "I'd move to the moon for you."

  "Everything is happening so fast. Should we slow things down? You could go back to the city. I could stay here. We could get together on weekends, take turns making the drive."

  She was being logical and practical, two traits he usually admired greatly, but not tonight. "That sounds awful, Grace. I don't want to see you on the weekends; I want to see you every day and every night."

  Her eyes blurred with moisture and her lips trembled. "You're being amazing."

  "Just trying to keep up with your awesomeness," he teased. "We make a good team. I've never felt like this about anyone, Grace. I am not going to let you go. And I'm confident we can make us work."

  "I do like your confidence. School gets out in two weeks, then I have a break. We could go to San Francisco, spend some time there, figure things out."

  "That's a good plan, but I have another idea for where we should go when school gets out."

  She looked into his eyes. "Really? Ireland?"

  "It's where it all began. The first time I saw your photo in your dad's office, I couldn't take my eyes off you. And that’s exactly how I feel right now. But it isn't just about that. You need to see your dad."

  "I don't just need it; I want it," she admitted. "I want to end the anger and the bitterness. I can't change the past, but knowing how close I came to never speaking another word to him has made me realize how much I want to see him again."

  "Then we'll go." He leaned over and gave her a long, tender kiss that he wished could go on forever. Maybe it could…

  But as he lifted his head, he saw those shadows under her eyes again and despite the pink of her lips and the spark of desire, he knew what she really needed. "Sleep, Grace."

  "Really? But we were just starting something…"

  He laughed. "We can find our place again, but you're exhausted, and so am I." He flopped onto his back and pulled her close enough for her head to rest on his shoulder. "This is good," he murmured, finally feeling relaxed enough to completely let down his guard. He had Grace in his arms, in his life, in his future; that's all he needed.

  * * *

  When Grace woke up, it was dark, with moonlight streaming through the curtains of her bedroom. She was happy to realize she was home. For a moment, she'd been reliving the night before: the cabin, the fear of someone coming after them at any second, the terrifying run through the woods, seeing Ian about to get shot…

  Her heart beat faster at the memories.

  But they were safe. All was well. She looked over at Ian and felt an enormous swell of love for him. She loved his face, his body, his intelligence, his humor, his drive…so many things. He was the complete package, and he wanted her. She almost couldn't quite believe it.

  But she didn't want to let doubt into her head. She'd spent too long hating on the bitter part of love—the abandonment, the betrayal. But she was finally beginning to see that her parents' relationship was not hers, and she never should have been put in the middle.

  She couldn't blame her mother; she loved her too much for that. However, she could make some changes going forward, and she would. Because she'd been reminded in bold terms that the life she took for granted could be fleeting, and she didn't want to waste a second of it.

  She slowly got out of the bed, trying not to wake Ian. A glance at the bedside clock told her it was eight o'clock at night. They'd slept for six hours.

  Walking over to the window, she looked out at the night. A full moon shined brightly in the sky next to bunches of twinkling stars. It was a beautiful landscape with the snow still on the ground and the tall trees surrounding her property.

  She heard the mattress creak as Ian got up and walked over to her. "What are you doing?" he asked.

  "Just looking outside. It's a beautiful night. The storm is gone. It's peaceful."

  "It
is nice," he agreed, putting his arms around her waist.

  She leaned back against him, her head coming under his chin. They stayed that way for a long moment. She was just about to suggest going downstairs to make some dinner when she saw shadows in the sky.

  "Oh, my God, Ian," she said in amazement. "Look! Am I crazy, or does that look like Santa and his reindeers?"

  "No," he said immediately, but she could feel his doubt as they watched the shadows cross the moon.

  "I think it's Santa."

  "That's impossible," he muttered. "It's just the shadows from the trees."

  "Is it?" she asked, turning in his arms to give him a loving smile. "Or did we just get our miracle?"

  He gazed down at her with his heart in his eyes. "We did get a miracle, Grace—we got each other."

  "Sometimes impossible things are possible if you try hard enough, if you love well enough. That's what my grandmother used to tell me."

  "Then you better get ready for a lifetime of love, babe, because I intend to love you better than anyone could."

  "And I'm going to do the same." Her lips curved upward again. "My dad finally sent me something I don't want to send back."

  "I hope I'm better than a puzzle box."

  "You have a lot of potential, and I think I'm going to enjoy finding out your secrets."

  "I don't have any, Grace. What you see is what you get."

  "I think that's what I like the most about you."

  "And here I thought it was the way I make you sigh and say my name with that sexy little catch in your voice, when I slide my lips along your neck like this."

  She flushed as the heat of his mouth started the fire again. "I like that, too. Do it again."

  He laughed. "Oh, I intend to," he said, claiming her mouth this time. "Every night for the rest of your life."

  "That sounds just about long enough."

  Epilogue

  Two weeks later

  "We have to make one stop on the way to the airport, so I'm driving," Ian told Grace as he picked up her suitcase and carried it out to her car. Since Grace had just finished teaching for the semester, they were finally going to make the trip to Ireland, but there was something he wanted her to see first.

  "Where's that?" she asked curiously.

  "It's a surprise."

  "I thought you didn't like surprises."

  "When I'm the one in charge, I'm good with them," he said with a laugh. "Trust me, you're going to like this one."

  "I do trust you, Ian."

  The serious note in her voice touched his heart. "I feel the same way about you, Grace." The last two weeks they'd spent together had been amazing. He'd never imagined he could love someone as much as he loved her, and they were only at the beginning. They had the rest of their lives ahead of them, and he couldn't wait. He wanted everything with her—marriage, kids, and years of loving each other.

  But he also wanted to tie up some loose ends from the past, so they could really move forward.

  "It's cold," she said, as she got into her car, rubbing her already gloved hands together. They'd only been outside a few minutes, but her cheeks were pink from the Tahoe wind.

  "Better get used to it. I don't think Ireland will be any warmer."

  "There's a part of me that's still wondering if I'm making the right move."

  "I don't think you'll get rid of that doubt until we see your dad. Then you'll finally know whether it was right or not."

  "That’s not exactly reassuring," she murmured.

  "Whatever happens, we'll be together. And aside from your father, I'm eager to see Ireland through your eyes."

  "It will be interesting to go back. But again, I'm not sure I'm ready."

  "You are," he said confidently. "You're ready for anything. If I've learned anything about you the past few weeks, it's that."

  She smiled. "So where are we going now?"

  "Haven't you guessed yet?"

  "Tyler's house," she said, as he pulled up in front of the little boy's home. "I already gave Tyler his present."

  "I know, but there's something else you need to see." He parked and turned off the engine. "No more questions."

  "Fine," she said, following him out of the car and into the house.

  Tyler's grandmother opened the door with a warm smile and welcomed them inside as if she'd been expecting them.

  "Grace," Tyler said, running out of the living room to greet her with a hug. "We just finished decorating the tree."

  "I can see that," she said, as Tyler grabbed her hand and took her into the room for a closer look.

  Ian smiled as she admired Tyler's tree. The scene in front of him was almost perfect: the fire in the fireplace, the grandparents helping their grandson decorate the tree, Christmas carols playing in the background. It was the kind of scene he'd experienced many times while he was growing up, but he hadn't really appreciated it until now. Now, he wanted to recreate it for himself. In his head, he could see Grace and a child of their own in a different house with a different tree, but just as special.

  Grace looked over at him, giving him a questioning look. "Is there something else?"

  "Be patient," he said.

  He'd no sooner finished speaking when the front door opened, followed by a female voice. "Hello, anybody home?"

  "Carrie?" Grace said, as everyone turned toward the entryway.

  Carrie appeared, a happy smile across her face.

  "Mommy!" Tyler squealed. "You made it home for Christmas." He ran into his mom's arms.

  "I told you I would," Carrie said.

  Grace came over to his side. "You wanted to give me a chance to see Carrie before we left for the holidays. That was thoughtful, Ian."

  "Not just Carrie," he said. "Watch."

  "I have an early present for you," Carrie told Tyler, her eyes suddenly very bright.

  "What is it?" Tyler asked, a breathless, hopeful note in his voice.

  "It's me, son." A man appeared behind Carrie. He was on crutches, his left wrist in a cast, and healing scars across his face.

  "Dad?" Tyler looked like he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

  Kevin put the crutches against the wall and opened his arms.

  Tyler moved into his father's embrace, and then Carrie wrapped her arms around both of them.

  Ian looked down at Grace, who wiped a tear from her eye.

  "How did you know?" she asked.

  "I spoke to Tyler's grandmother at the science fair last week. I told her to call me when she knew for sure Kevin would be coming home. I knew you'd want to see Tyler get his Christmas miracle."

  She slid her arm around his waist and gazed up at him with an emotional, teary gaze. "Thank you, Ian."

  Carrie broke apart from her husband and son and came over to them, as she dabbed at the tears on her cheeks. "Grace," she said, as the two friends hugged it out. "Can you believe it?"

  "I had faith," Grace told Carrie.

  "Kevin isn't just home for Christmas," Carrie continued. "He's home for good. We'll be ringing in a new life on the new year."

  "I'm so glad."

  Carrie turned to Ian. "You must be the man who stole my best friend's heart and turned my son into a budding scientist."

  He laughed. "Guilty on both counts. It's nice to finally meet you."

  She shook his hand. "And you. I can't wait until we can get better acquainted."

  "Me, either. But that will have to wait. We need to go if we want to get to the airport on time."

  "Okay. Love you, Grace," Carrie said. "Thanks again for your help."

  "I was happy to do it," Grace said.

  They said their good-byes to Tyler and everyone else and then walked back to the car.

  As Grace fastened her seat belt, she said, "That was the perfect Christmas present, Ian."

  "It was good, but it's not the only thing you're getting."

  "Really? What else?"

  He laughed at her impatience. "You're going to have to wait. First thin
gs first…"

  "I know. Ready or not—Ireland, here we come."

  * * *

  They arrived in Ireland just before four o'clock on a Wednesday afternoon after almost twenty hours of traveling.

  "How does it feel to be back?" Ian asked, glancing over at her, as the taxi took them back to the place where she was born.

  "It feels right…and wrong. I'm happy but also sad. I remember the good times, but the bad images follow those up. The day we left my dad will be forever imprinted on my brain, and we didn't even see him that day. The last time I actually spoke to him was twenty-four hours before that. Now it's been more than ten years. Where did the time go?"

  He took her hand in his. "I'm glad you're doing this, Grace."

  Ian been a big supporter of her journey home. Her mother and sister had not been nearly as enthusiastic, but in the end they'd both wished her well.

  "I don't think I made your mom into a fan of mine, though," Ian said, giving her a rueful look. "She blames me for your renewed interest in your father."

  "Maybe a little," she admitted. "But she'll get over it. She's always had to blame someone; I don't think I realized that about her until recently. But she is a good person. She loves me, and she's going to love you, too, because she wants me to be happy. And you make me happy."

  "I always want to make you happy, Grace."

  "I want to make you happy, too."

  "We're off to a good start, and this is only the beginning, babe."

  As she looked out the windows at the familiar streets, retail shops, bakeries, cafés and pubs, she was assailed with nostalgic longing. Maybe she could go home again. Maybe this wouldn't be a total disaster.

  When they arrived at her father's apartment building, her sentimental feelings fled, replaced by tension and uncertainty.

  Ian held her hand all the way up the stairs, releasing her only when she had to knock.

  A moment later, her father opened the door. She froze as their gazes locked. He'd definitely aged since she'd last seen him. There was more gray in his dark-red hair now. His brown eyes held a weariness that she didn't remember, and his tall frame was leaner, more fragile. But his beard and glasses were oh so familiar. Her heart squeezed with a painful love that almost was hard to bear. But she'd come this far; she couldn't turn and run.