My stomach knots when I spot Grant’s truck outside the house. I continue walking, confused but also a little bit hopeful. If he had driven past me just now, I would have seen him. And now that I’m thinking clearly, I don’t remember seeing his truck in his usual spot at the frat house, where he was supposedly sleeping. Oh shit, I’ll bet that bitch was lying through her teeth.
Dex and Brady are sitting at the kitchen table eating when I enter. They simultaneously point downstairs and I race down the narrow steps to find Grant sitting in the music room on a stool, strumming his guitar.
He didn’t sleep with Emily. The relief I feel that he wants me as much as I want him is beyond me. “I’ve been waiting,” he says, holding his hand out for me to join him.
All the anger I’ve felt today dissipates from my pores and my feet move without hesitation. I clasp his hand and he squeezes tightly. Just like that, all is forgotten. The fears, worries, and doubts disappear and it’s only us again. “I was looking for you,” I reveal. He cocks an eyebrow but smirks nonetheless, happy we’re together.
“I’m sorry,” he says and I shake my head, trying to repress the tears that are trying to escape. “Baby, please don’t cry.” He brushes away a lone drop that falls with his touch. “I promise, I’ll never leave again.” He pulls me into a hug and kisses my head. “I love you,” he confirms and my eyes shut.
“I..I’m sorry, too,” I stumble out, and he tells me to hush as my tears wet his t-shirt. “I thought…”
“It’s over and done with, baby. Since I know we’ll have fights again, can we promise something?” he asks and I nod, waiting to hear what he’s going to say.
“We never leave. I don’t care how pissed off we are, we never walk out.” He pushes me back slightly to look me in the eyes, and I nod in agreement. “Now that that’s settled, I have another favor.” He stands up and leads me into the adjoining room. Pointing to where I should sit on a large, brown sofa, he takes a seat on the ottoman across from me. “Now bear with me, I’m no Brady,” he chuckles.
“I don’t want a Brady,” I joke.
“You might think differently when the glass over there starts cracking,” he says light-heartedly, motioning his head to the glass that separates the two rooms.
Bringing my knees up to my chest, my heart stammers as I wait for him to begin. Grant has never sung for me before and the anticipation is killing me.
Strumming the guitar a few times, he starts singing “I’m Yours” by The Script. Every muscle in his strong forearm flexes with each swipe of the strings. I can tell he’s concentrating on making sure he hits all the chords correctly, but every time he sings the words ‘I’m Yours’, he stares at me. And just like that, my heart is healed.
After he finishes, he leans the guitar against the couch and I jump into his lap. “God, I’ve missed you,” he whispers in my ear.
“Me too. I love you so much,” I say and he squeezes me harder.
“Show me,” he winks.
“Take me to bed and I will,” I instruct him.
“Anytime,” he says, repeating his classic line as he does every time I ask him.
It’s been a week since our fight. After Grant made love to me that night, he told me how he had driven Emily back to his house as she had requested, and then later she came to his room. That she did, in fact, try to put the moves on him, but he told her to fuck off. That she was being relentless, and he eventually just left the room, desperate to find me. We must have missed each other by only a couple minutes.
Rob left that night after Grant gave me multiple orgasms. It wasn’t my intention to push him out with my screams of pleasure, but it didn’t hurt that he left early. As much as Grant said he was going to deal with it, I had a feeling he would be dragging me everywhere with him if Rob had stuck around like he had previously planned.
It’s Saturday, and Grant had to go into Barbells this morning. When he gets back, we’re supposed to go see Mr. C, so I’m wasting time by flipping through channels, trying to find something to watch.
Sadie bounces into the room, obviously excited about something. “What’s with your chipper mood?” I ask her as she flops down onto the couch.
“Nothing,” she says and giggles with a huge smile across her face. Ignoring her, I turn toward the TV again. She’ll tell me whatever it is when she’s ready, and knowing Sadie, she won’t be able to hold out much longer.
“So, where is everyone?” she asks in an annoying sing-song voice.
“Just tell me, Sadie. What the hell’s going on?” I put the remote down and face her.
“What?” Her voice sounds like that of a child who just got caught doing something they weren’t supposed to. “Nothing, I’m just waiting for Brady to return,” she says, leaning back against the couch.
“Where is he?” I ask, irritated with this whole conversation.
“He’s out right now. So what are you and Grant doing today?” she asks, thumbing through her phone.
“Supposed to go see Mr. C. I’m just waiting for him to come back.” Just as I finish telling her this, Grant walks through the back door. Only he’s not alone. Trey and Brady follow him into the room.
Sadie quickly stands up and kisses Brady hello, and Grant takes her spot on the couch. “What’s going on, baby?” He bends down and kisses me. Trey, Brady, and Sadie leave the room without a word, and the way they’re acting, I feel as though all of their bodies have been overtaken by aliens.
“Nothing much, except that everyone’s acting weird,” I say, and he grabs my hand.
“Let’s go, I want to take you somewhere.” He smiles at me, and my hand instantly grasps his, letting him pull me up. Snaking his arms around my waist, he brings me close to him and our lips meet. His tongue mingles with mine, and as always, butterflies fill my stomach.
Leading me out to his truck, he opens the door and I happily get in. When he pulls out of the driveway, I ask, “Are we heading to Mr. C’s?” He looks at me out of the corner of his eyes.
“You’ll see,” he says mysteriously and in turn I make my best pretty, pretty please face, but he shakes his head with amusement. “Just wait.”
Five minutes later, we arrive at a small ranch house. It’s painted yellow with white shutters, and flower planters line the front door. “Whose house is this?” I ask.
“Ours?” he questions. I stare at him and realize that it’s the first time I’ve seen him this nervous. “At least…I hope it is,” he softly says. Inching across the bench, I place my hand in his. “It’s just rented, month to month until we figure out what we’re going to be doing.” I frown, remembering our conversation back in Colorado. “We’ll figure it out, Jessa,” he says, picking up on my uneasiness. But wherever we decide, we go together,” he assures me.
Not waiting any longer, he opens his door and I slide out after him. We stand on the walkway, hand in hand, staring up at a house that Grant rented for us. It’s a step I was never sure we’d reach.
He starts to walk first, guiding me to the front door. Taking out the key, he inserts it and opens the door to our place. The whole scene seems surreal. He swoops me up and I laugh as he carries me over the threshold. After he puts me down, my eyes roam the room, taking in the cutest house I’ve ever seen. Grant stays a couple steps behind me, giving me space to wander, as I explore every nook and cranny.
When I land in the master bedroom, I gasp in awe. There’s a king-sized bed covered in a nice white comforter, along with a bunch of pillows resting against a deep chocolate colored headboard. Pictures of Grant and I together are mounted on the wall, and there are smaller framed ones lining the dressers. I turn around to find him leaning against the door frame, waiting for my reaction. “I know it’s not big and we have to do some work, not to mention find furniture…”
I stop him from continuing by planting my lips on his. “I love it, Grant, it’s perfect,” I whisper.
“I have one more thing to show you,” he says and backs me up, further into the room.
He guides me to the bed and I sit down, unsure of what he’s about to show me.
“Close your eyes,” he instructs and my stomach flutters rapidly, thinking this is it. “Okay, now open them.” He’s standing there shirtless, and this is not what I thought was going to happen when I opened my eyes. A smirk crosses his face when he turns around. There’s a white bandage on his top right shoulder blade.
“You went without me?” I question, disappointed. I desperately wanted to be there to watch him get his first tattoo.
“Can you put some ointment on it?” He hands me the small tube, and I start to unscrew the cap.
I get up on my knees and start to unpeel the taped corners. “What did you get?” I ask, but he doesn’t answer, instead remaining completely still. As the tattoo becomes visible, I’m happy to see he got the exact nautical star I pointed out to him in Colorado.
“Do you like it?” he asks, his voice etched with worry.
“Of course, I picked it out,” I say. As my eyes take it all in, I notice that at the corner of the north point rests a set of initials. A gasp escapes me when I see the letter ‘J’, but then I notice the ‘B’ right after it. “Are these your mom’s initials?” I question, letting my hand lightly glide over them.
“No,” he says with a laugh, and confusion hits me. I look at them again, but before I can say anything, Grant turns around and gets on one knee in front of me. “They’ll be yours, if you agree to marry me.” He opens up a black velvet box that holds a stunning, diamond solitaire in the shape of an oval. “And if you take my name,” he adds. I laugh, nodding my head. “Say it, baby,” he nudges.
“Yes!” I exclaim and jump into his arms.
Three Months Later
Grant
Jessa and I both graduated last month. She’s working in an art gallery in a neighboring city, and I’m still searching for a full-time job. In the meantime, the owner of Barbells has offered me a full-time management position, enabling us to afford the house. We’ve slowly been able to furnish it with mismatched furniture, which isn’t high-end but it’s ours. One day, I’ll give her the house she deserves, but for now we’re happy and that’s all that matters.
I lean against the trunk of the large oak tree in my tuxedo, while my gorgeous wife sits in a chair by my mom’s gravestone. Her long silky gown complements her stunning body. The revealing open back exposes the slightest trace of her lotus tattoo. She’s a breathtaking sight every day, but today she truly stopped my heart when I saw her walk down that aisle. I’m still not sure how an asshole like me managed to capture her heart.
After I proposed and she accepted, we quickly planned the wedding, seeing no reason to wait. In a small, outdoor ceremony filled with only close friends and Jessa’s family, we committed ourselves to each other for eternity.
We were on our way to small reception, but I asked her to stop here so she could open my mom’s last letter. A letter that I worried would never be opened now rests in the hands of my lovely wife.
Jessa
We pull up to the gravesite. I’ve come many times with him recently, and I thought he would want to stop here after the wedding, but when I saw the white folding chair placed by her heart-shaped stone, I was completely taken aback. Escorting me out of the limo, he places the discolored envelope in my hand. I already feel the tears welling up in my eyes. To My Daughter-In-Law is written in a beautiful cursive penmanship. Leading me up the path, he stops at the old oak tree, letting his hand drop out of mine. Nudging his head in the direction of the grave, he slowly walks toward the tree to wait for me.
I hesitantly walk up to the headstone and place my hand on top of it, hoping to feel the presence of a woman my husband loves, but that I never knew. I sit down in the chair, crossing my ankles. With a deep swallow and slow release of my breath, I run my finger along the flap, careful not to tear it. My shaking fingers take the letter out and a whiff of now familiar perfume hits my nostrils. Unfolding the paper, I will myself to get through this. With one last look at Grant by the tree, I turn back around and start to read.
Dear Mrs. Bishop,
Congratulations, Mrs. Grant David Bishop. Since my son gave you this letter, it must mean you hold his heart in your hands. This also means that he’s no longer mine. I know it must seem odd for me to say that, but even though I’ve passed away, I’ve still been the woman in Grant’s life. This is the last letter I’m writing, and it’s only fitting that it goes to the woman taking my spot.
Although I only had him for fourteen years, I hope I instilled in him the values a husband and father should possess. I won’t give you silly mother-in-law advice. I don’t care if you cook for him or clean after him. All I ask is for you to love him, fiercely and purely. Entrust him with your dreams and let him try to make them come true. Work together to keep your love alive and constant throughout both of your years. If you hold each other’s hearts and you love and respect one other, nothing will be able to come between you two.
Please take care of my baby; he’s been without a woman in his life for far too long.
Love,
Your Mother-In-Law
XOXO
I gently wipe the tears from my eyes. Even though I never knew her, I somehow feel closer to her now. I take a few minutes to compose myself before folding the letter and placing it back inside the envelope. Kissing my fingertips, I brush them against the headstone when I stand up. His footsteps move closer and I feel his hand on the small of my back before he leans over and kisses my temple. We don’t say anything for a few minutes.
Then Grant’s voice crackles as he starts, “Hi, Mom. As you already know, Jessa and I got married today. Even though you weren’t there with us physically, I still felt you with me and I still miss you every day. Love you, Mom.” He finishes by placing a white rose at the base of the heart.
After one more goodbye, we turn around to make our way back to the limo. “So that was the last letter?” I ask.
“Unfortunately, yes,” he confirms with disappointment.
“Oh, I was hoping there was one for the father-to-be,” I tell him. He stops mid-step and stares at me. I place his hand on my belly, and his blue eyes flicker down and then back up to my face.
“No…” he says, obviously surprised. I nod my head, smiling over to him. Without speaking another word, his lips turn up and he wraps his arms around my waist, lifting me up. “You just gave me the best wedding gift any man has ever received,” he declares, genuinely excited. Holding me close, he turns back around toward where we just came from and calls out, “Did you hear that, Mom? You’re going to be a Grandma.”
When my feet touch the ground, he places his hand back on my belly, spreading his fingers over its entirety. Bending his knees so his mouth is at my stomach, he says, “Hey there, little guy.” Grants looks up and smiles at me, then continues to speak to my belly while staring into my eyes. “Or girl,” he adds. His expression turns serious when he says, “Whatever you are, know that your mom and dad already love you and nothing can ever change that. And I promise to do my best not to fuck this up.” I cock my eyebrow at him and he quickly makes amends, saying, “Sorry, I’ll work on that.” We both laugh.
His next words halt my humor abruptly. “What I’m trying to say is that I’ve made mistakes, and I’ve let down people close to me when they needed me most. Not that I’m going to be perfect all the time, but I give you my word that I’ll love you and your mom with everything I have and I’ll do my best to never let either of you down. You are both my world now, and nothing else matters to me except for the two of you.”
Tears course down my face and I wish I could blame these damn hormones, but I know that those heartfelt words would have made me cry no matter what. I really don’t know what I did to deserve this man, but I silently pledge the same sentiments that he just verbalized to our baby.
Grant stands up, places a gentle kiss on my lips, and nuzzles me close, his hand still resting on my belly. With a brief kiss just outside my ear, he w
hispers, “Our lives won’t be perfect, Jessa, but they will be filled with love and happiness. I promise you that.”
We stand there in a tight embrace, silently absorbing the dizzying array of emotions. Then he entwines his fingers with mine and without a word, we walk out of the cemetery and toward our new life together.
Epilogue
Trey
I clap my hands as Jessa and Grant make their way into the room. As he leads her into the small banquet room filled with a small group of close friends and family, you can see the change in both of them. They appear madly in love, and who can blame them? No one would expect I’d be a sappy shit, but I’m not going to deny that a tear rolled down my cheek when they said ‘I do’.
Jessa and I connected like a brother and sister when she started dating Rob. Hell, we’re probably closer than most siblings. I felt bad that I never told her that he was cheating on her. To be honest, I never really knew, only suspected it. The first time I saw her with Grant, I could just feel that they were supposed to be together. And the long road they took to find their happily ever after was well worth it.
Walking over to the bar, I ask the bartender for two shots of Jack Daniels. Jessa joins me and I give her a kiss on the cheek. “Here you go. Let’s change the Jack to be a good thing,” I tell her, holding the shot glass up for her. I’m surprised when she shakes her head, a secretive smile spread across her lips. “What the fuck? How on Earth did Mr. Planner let that happen?” I joke.
Let Me In (The Invisibles #2) Page 25
