“Seriously? Wasn’t that a little awkward? Did it make you mad?”
“Both,” Liv said. “He was successful twice. The second time I gave him a black eye and was grounded for a month.”
“Matt and I never fought when we were kids,” Grace said. “Maybe a disagreement here and there, but never an outright fight, and certainly not over a girl.” Grace twined her fingers with Liv’s. “We never could agree on women. Our tastes are very different.”
“But you’re twins. Aren’t you supposed to be the same? You guys finish each other’s sentences.”
Grace gave her an indulgent smile. “We finish each other’s sentences because we’ve always been so close. When you grow up as a military brat, you don’t get a lot of long-lasting friends. Maybe a year or two here and there, but Matt and I always had each other. I think we’d still be close even if we weren’t twins. Being the same age made things easier is all. We liked being in the same class and having the same homework and stuff.”
“If David and I had been in the same class, we’d have killed each other. Even though I hated him sometimes, and wanted to punch him a lot, I will say the dumbass has had my back whenever I needed it. Even when we weren’t speaking.”
“What about Timothy?”
“He was too much younger than us. We were in middle school when he was in kindergarten. And once we were done with uni he was finishing high school. Our social circles never met, except for the time Timothy came out to me.” Liv grinned at the memory of her younger brother taking her by the hand and leading her into his room, his expression serious as he closed the door and blurted out he was gay.
Liv giggled. “I wish you could have seen the look on his face. I mean, he had posters of the latest boy bands all over his bedroom walls. And it’s not like he was ever subtle about things, like checking out cute guys. He tells me he’s gay and I said, ‘Duh. Was that all you wanted to tell me?’”
“Poor guy. He obviously thought it was important to tell you, and you burst his bubble.”
“He did, but then we both started laughing and spent a few hours talking about it. He already knew Mom and Dad wouldn’t care, but I guess he looks up to me so he told me first. He made David figure it out on his own.”
“How long did that take?”
Liv grinned. “Two years, when Timothy took his boyfriend to prom.”
That got Grace laughing so hard tears came to her eyes. “That’s mean.”
“No, that’s David. He’s a dumbass. Remember?”
“I believe you’ve told me once or twice.”
An RCMP patrol car passed them and parked at an angle in front of Angel’s Jag to block her from leaving. Two officers got out and approached her. When Angel rolled her window down to speak to one of them, her gaze met Liv’s.
Liv gave her an instant smile and stood up, pulling Grace with her. “Well, our work here is done.”
“So it would seem. Ready for lunch?”
“I have a better idea.” Liv pressed her lips to Grace’s, not caring about the people walking around them or the idea that Angel might be watching. It was deliciously sexy, and only when her hands found their way under Grace’s coat did she stop. Not that Grace was complaining.
Their gazes met and they shared a laugh. Grace took her hand and tugged her in the direction of the restaurant.
Chapter Fourteen
The moving van arrived at Liv’s house at one o’clock on Tuesday afternoon. She found it a little weird Harry refused to wait until the weekend, but she didn’t mind. She watched while Grace directed the movers with each box and piece of furniture, first placing everything of Harry’s in his room. The room would be a little crowded until the extension was built.
Harry, thanks to Sara, was having lunch at Marge’s in Blue River and wouldn’t be back for another couple of hours. Liv waited to approach Grace until the movers were finished, which didn’t take as long as she thought. Maybe all of half an hour. She wrapped her arms around Grace from behind and pulled her close, enjoying the feel of her lean body. “Did Harry leave half his stuff at the cabin? Didn’t seem like a lot came out of that van.”
“He didn’t need the stuff in his kitchen, not that he ever used anything besides the microwave. He and Obaachan never did have a lot of stuff. She made sure of it because they were always moving around while he was in the Army. She taught my dad to make do with minimal stuff and did the same for us as kids. Kinda handy when you’re moving around your whole life.”
“Your grandma always gave good advice. I liked her a lot.”
“Me, too. So, other than a healthy collection of musicals on DVD, it’s mostly clothes and pictures.”
“Then it won’t take long to get him settled.” Liv nibbled on Grace’s ear, eliciting a groan from her.
Grace gently pulled away and twisted around to face Liv. “The sooner we get moving, the sooner we’ll be done. I do have stuff of my own to put away.”
“But can it wait?” Liv waggled her eyebrows and got the expected laugh out of Grace. “Fine. All work and no play…”
“Makes Olivia a frustrated girl. I know.” Grace patted her cheek. “You’ll live.”
“I don’t think so. I can feel myself dying right now.”
“Uh-huh.” Grace slipped away when Liv tried to pull her into another embrace. “You’re not helping.”
“I am helping. I’m helping celebrate that you’re finally here. In our home.”
Grace opened a box of clothes and started putting them into the chest of drawers they’d purchased for Harry. “It is. And once we’re married, I’ll let you make it official.”
“Seriously?” Liv sat on the twin bed and watched Grace, who kept her back to her most of the time. “Can I ask you something? I’ve been thinking about it, but I’m not sure how you’ll react to it.”
“Of course,” Grace said, continuing to work. “You can ask me anything, you silly woman. I don’t mind.”
“Uh, you might.” Liv waited until Grace finished and stopped her from opening another box. “I mean it. It’s not all that easy to ask, because I’m not sure you’re going to say yes.”
“Olivia, just ask me.” Grace touched the side of her face, her fingers gentle against Liv’s skin.
Liv leaned into the feel of them and sighed. “I’d like you to take my last name. We have to finish the application for our marriage license, and I’d be honored if you would share my name.” She stared into those deep, brown eyes in front of her and searched for the answer. She was surprised to find them wet.
“Yes. I’ll take your last name.” Grace closed the space between them, wrapped her arms around Liv, and kissed her tenderly. “What took you so long to ask me?”
Liv stole another kiss. “I was afraid it would sort of turn out like when I asked you to move in. I don’t want you to feel like I’m smothering you. But—I don’t know. It’s kind of important to me we share a last name. And I’m proud of my name so…are you sure?”
“I am. I’ve been thinking about it. I chose not to take Carly’s name because it didn’t feel right. Maybe that was a premonition. But this time it feels right. Like it’s something I need to do.” She held Liv’s face in her hands and kept their gazes locked. Liv fell in love all over again.
“Thanks. I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I’m damn glad I did it.”
“You showed up at my grandfather’s mine at a time in my life when I was open to something new. The only crappy part is your dad and Ojiichan played matchmaker and now they’re both insufferable on the subject.”
Liv chuckled. “Maybe after we’re married they’ll shut up.”
“They won’t shut up until we give them grandchildren.”
“How many?”
“How many what?” Grace asked.
“How many grandchildren? I like the idea of even numbers. I had two brothers, but Timothy was so much younger and more like a baby sister than a brother. But I t
hink two of each would be nice.”
“Do you? And who is going to give birth to these children?” Grace raised one eyebrow, her mouth lifted in a smile.
“Both of us.” Liv surprised herself with the proclamation. She’d never actually thought about the subject, yet it felt completely right and natural. “We can flip a coin to see who goes first.”
Now the tears flowed from Grace’s eyes, and if not for the beautiful smile on her face, Liv would have been worried. It took a moment for Grace to speak, and when she did, her voice held a slight tremor. “You—you’re amazing. I love you so much. And yes, we can totally flip to see who gets pregnant first.” She kissed Liv again, slowly, tenderly, as tears streamed down Liv’s face.
“We’re going to be cool moms,” Liv said. “I’ll be the cool mom for sure. You’ll probably be the mean one.”
“Thanks a lot.” Grace playfully hit Liv in the arm. “Maybe I’ll be the one to spoil them.”
“I think that’s Harry’s job. But probably we’ll both spoil them a little.”
“A lot.”
They shared a laugh. Liv said, “Now that we’ve got our future planned out, should we maybe get Harry’s stuff in order? It’d be a nice surprise when he gets home.”
“It would be,” Grace said, not making a move. “But I kind of think I have other ideas on how to spend the next hour or so.” Her eyes tracked to Liv’s lips, and she pressed her mouth against them, leaving no doubt as to how she wanted to spend her time.
Liv guided her to their bedroom without a single complaint.
****
Terry stood outside the designated meeting room at the community center. She was dressed in navy slacks, black shoes, white blouse, and dark-blue jacket. It was the tenth outfit she tried on, hoping to appear as professional as possible. Jackie seemed confident about the mediation, but Terry’s heart hammered in her chest.
William hadn’t managed to get the date moved to Wednesday, but it was moved up to the following Friday. Still too soon for Terry, but also not soon enough. Her brain couldn’t settle on which was better. Jackie assured her they were ready. Hell, Jackie would probably need a box to bring all the paperwork she and Terry put together yesterday.
She paced to get rid of her nervous energy. It was her own fault for being so damn early. Jackie said she’d meet her at quarter to nine. The clock read eight fifteen.
A door opened down the hall, and Terry was shocked to see Sara stroll toward her. Their eyes met and held as Sara came to her without a word and embraced her. She leaned into Sara’s body and allowed the tension to melt away.
“I promised you a hug when you got home.”
“I needed to meet with Jackie…”
“I know. That’s why I’m here now.” Sara placed a kiss on Terry’s cheek but didn’t let her go.
“Thanks.” Terry closed her eyes and rested her head against Sara’s shoulder. “How’d you know?”
“That you needed me? Let’s just say I had help.”
“My mom sent you a text message.”
“Bingo.” Sara stepped out of their embrace, and Terry shivered at the loss of warmth. “I told my boss I had a meeting and I’d be late.”
“I kind of hate it when my mom does this stuff, because she’s always right. I’m glad you showed up. I really needed that hug.”
“There’s more where that one came from.”
Jackie joined them, though Terry never heard her come in. “I didn’t expect you this early. Sara? What’re you doing here?”
“Hey, Jackie.” Sara gave her a quick hug. “Terry needed a friend. She’s over the top nervous about this whole thing.”
“I know.” Jackie grinned at Terry. “We’ve got this. I’m sure of it.”
“How can you be so certain?” Terry asked.
“I have a statement from Jennifer Dillson regarding Felicia.” Jackie glanced behind her as if to see if anyone else were around. “Is it okay to talk about this in front of Sara?”
Terry didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”
“Jennifer is disputing his claims. She says it’s not in the best interest of Felicia to be with them. She belongs with her mother.”
The blood drained from Terry’s face. Was that possible? She’d not talked to Jennifer since this whole mess started. Was she really on her side? Sara put her arm around Terry’s waist and helped her stay on her feet when she swayed. “You’re serious?”
“I am. She offered to come here today. I told her the statement would be enough for now. We can always do a video conference if the mediator wants to hear from her.”
“Wow. How did William take it? He’s got to be pissed.”
Jackie’s grin nearly split her face. “He doesn’t know. We’re going to surprise him with it in”—she glanced at her watch—“twenty minutes. I need to step in and speak to the mediator for a moment. You’ll be all right out here for a bit?”
Terry nodded, unable to form any sensible words. Once Jackie was in the office, Terry sought a chair along the wall and sat down heavily. Sara stayed with her and held her hand. “Talk to me,” Sara said. “I can see so much is going on in that brain of yours.”
“I don’t know. I didn’t expect this. I mean, I’ve always had a good relationship with Jennifer. She and Ann were really close, and she adores Felicia. I guess I thought she’d be all for getting custody of her. It’s been hard seeing Jennifer since Ann died. They’re so much alike. They always cowed to whatever William said—until Ann and I got together. Then Ann was done with him.”
“Maybe Jennifer is as well.” Sara bumped shoulders with her. “This is a good thing, right?”
They both looked up in time to see William confidently stroll down the hallway, his lawyer at his side. He barely acknowledged Terry before going into the meeting room. Terry saw the smug expression, and her confidence renewed. This was happening, and she was about to see that smug look wiped off his face.
“Yes. This is a very good thing.”
****
Two hours later, Terry stood in her office. She immediately changed into more comfortable work attire and settled behind the desk. There was a lot to do regarding the Dresden project, but her mind and heart weren’t in it. Her concentration simply wasn’t there. After almost an hour of nothing getting done, she chose to leave. A glance at the clock told her it was nearly lunchtime. She wondered if Sara had plans.
She made the short walk to the bank in no time and lightly rapped on the doorframe to Sara’s office. The door was open, and Sara looked up from a pile of paperwork and smiled. Terry found herself captivated by blue-green eyes. When she looked at them, she saw only love.
“Hey there. You hungry?”
Sara laughed. “Does a bear shit in the woods?”
“Sometimes he shits in a field. Or in front of a mine office. Or next to the miners’ trailers. You just never know. They’re sort of unpredictable.”
“Well, I’m not.” Sara stood up and grabbed her coat. “I’m always hungry. Head to the first restaurant you see and buy me food.”
“Why do I have to buy?” Terry asked, following her out of the bank.
“Because you’re the one asking me out.”
“I’m asking you out? I said are you hungry. How is that asking you out?”
Sara tossed her a fake mean look and Terry laughed. Sara said, “Because the question was rhetorical. Therefore, you were asking me out.” She kept walking, taking a right turn out of the bank and going for a popular restaurant two buildings down. They were quiet as they entered and were seated almost immediately.
Terry didn’t bother looking at the menu. They’d been there dozens of times while they were dating, and she remembered what to order. “So, it’s a date is it? That why we’re here?”
“We’re here because it’s closest to the bank and I’m starved. Feed me.”
“Wow, grumpy much?”
“Only when I’m starving.” Sara didn’t rea
d the menu either, and they made their orders as soon as the server arrived. Once he left, Sara reached across the table and took Terry’s hand in hers. “How’d it go? I wish I could have gone in there with you. I’d have held your hand the whole time.”
“Talk about me, not you. Got it. The mediator was nice enough, and she didn’t bat an eye when William tried to do his usual I’m-better-than-you shit. She asked a lot of questions and took a ton of notes, even though she recorded the meeting. William didn’t like the stuff she asked and got pissy when she brought up his use of the ‘r’ word. I think he showed his true colors, to be honest.”
“What’d Jackie say?”
“She’s confident our case was strong enough to prove I’m a good parent and Felicia ought to stay with me. She gave her statements from Felicia’s teachers as well as Sally Johnson, the assistant principal at her school. She talked to a lot of people.”
“It’s her job and she’s damn good at it. I’m glad she was there to help you out. If she’s confident, I’d say it’s pretty much a done deal. When will you know for sure?”
“Could be a week, could be a month. Depends on how busy the mediator is. In the meantime, I have to play nice with William and let him see Felicia, though I did get them to agree he can’t see her alone. Mom or me have to be there. Mom’s going to let him come over tomorrow afternoon. I’m going to make myself scarce. I’m afraid I’ll end up in a fight with him, and I don’t want Felicia to see that.”
Sara squeezed her hand and only let go when the server brought their food. They ate in silence for a few moments before Terry spoke again. “Tell me about your morning. I get the impression it wasn’t a nice one.”
“Nope, though the day started out nice because I got to give you my promised hug.” She winked at Terry, who found the gesture adorable. “But then I got a phone call, and sometimes it takes one call to turn the day into shit.”
“Who was it?”
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