Butler, Vermont Series: Boxed Set, Books 1-3

by Force, Marie

  She took off for her room, leaving Emma alone with Grayson.

  As she removed her coat and hung it in the closet, he came across the room to greet her. He wore a faded Red Sox T-shirt with equally faded jeans and bare feet. She loved that he already looked like he belonged in the place she and Simone called home. Maybe he did. Maybe he could come here, and they could make it work in New York.

  That possibility gave her a glint of hope that was quickly extinguished when she recalled what he’d told her the night they met about wanting to simplify his life. He’d left one city to move home to Butler. The last thing he probably wanted at this point in his life or career was to start all over again in another city.

  “Welcome home, dear,” he said, kissing her. “Did you have a nice day?”

  “I had a hectic day. How about you?”

  “I had a rather delightful day with your daughter, who showed me the ropes at American Girl. Not for the faint of heart, that place. Did you know we could have her birthday party there? I picked up a flyer. How fun would that be? She’d love it.”

  “Yes, she would. What’s this I hear about you buying a dress that you want her to hang on to until you need it?” She raised a brow in the universal “mom” look.

  “Um, well, you see…”

  Emma laughed. “You have no defense, Counselor, so don’t even try it.”

  “She couldn’t go there and not get a little something for herself. It wouldn’t have been right.”

  “Yes, she could, and yes, it would.”

  “Do I have to return my dress, Mom?” he asked with a teasing grin.

  Biting back a smile at his adorable contrition, she said, “Not this time, but don’t let it happen again.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Thank you so much for running her around today.”

  “Trust me when I tell you it was entirely my pleasure. She’s… Well, I don’t have to tell you how fantastic she is.”

  “I’m glad you think so,” Emma said, truly touched by his kindness to her child. “I hear we have plans for tonight.”

  “You heard correctly.” He wrapped his arms around her and held her close to him, speaking close to her ear. “I was told by a reliable source that Emma doesn’t like the city when it’s chaotic, and a night at home would be far preferable to going out.”

  Emma shivered from the desire that came from being close to him and breathing in his distinctive scent. “You have good sources.”

  When Simone came out of her room, banging and crashing as she dragged her suitcase behind her, Grayson released Emma and took a step back. She appreciated that he didn’t overdo the public displays of affection when Simone was around.

  “Did you remember your toothbrush?” Emma asked.

  “Nope.” She dropped the suitcase in the hallway with a thud and ran for the bathroom.

  “Use it before you pack it,” Emma called after her.

  “How much stuff does she need for one night?” Grayson asked, eyeing the stuffed suitcase.

  “About a third of what she packed. Lucy says Simone is prepared to be a bag lady as an adult. She loves to pack bags. When we clean her room, it’s all about the unpacking.”

  “That’s cute. She’s always ready to go.”

  His words had more significance than he realized in light of today’s events.

  “What?” he asked.

  “Nothing.” She shook it off to focus on her daughter and then her dad when he arrived to pick her up, stopping short at the sight of Grayson standing in Emma’s living room. In the span of a second, Emma witnessed a blatant flash of despair that he quickly tried to mask.

  “Nice to see you here, Grayson,” Ray said, shaking his hand.

  “Nice to be here.”

  “Are you guys going out?”

  “I hear that Emma prefers to stay in on New Year’s Eve,” Gray said.

  “That she does. She’s a homebody, my Emma.”

  There was no mistaking the hidden message in Ray’s gruffly spoken words.

  “Are you ready, pumpkin?” he said to Simone.

  “Ready.”

  “Kiss your mom.”

  Simone hugged and kissed Emma.

  “Happy New Year, baby,” Emma said, holding her squiggling body for a second longer than Simone preferred these days.

  “I’m gonna be ten this year! That’s double digits!”

  “I’m so not ready to have a ten-year-old,” Emma said. She could tell that Simone took Grayson by surprise when she hugged him, too. In typical Simone style, she did it so quickly that he barely had time to react before it was over and she was reaching for the handle of her overstuffed suitcase. She handed Ashley to Ray, who took the doll from her like the professional grandfather he was.

  Emma went up on tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “Thanks for having her, Dad.”

  “Happy to have her anytime. You know that.”

  She saw them off, standing in the hallway as they went down the stairs before returning to the apartment and closing the door, leaning back against it for a moment. “I still feel weird, like something is missing, every time she leaves me, even when it’s with someone who loves her as much as I do.”

  “She’s your soul mate,” Grayson said as he joined her at the door.

  “She really is.” She studied his handsome face. “Does that bother you? That I already have a soul mate?”

  He shook his head. “The way I see it, someone with a heart and soul as big as yours probably has room for more than one.”

  She reached for him, and he drew her into a kiss that made her thankful for more than twelve hours to spend alone with him. “This is all very devious, the way you conspired with my daughter to have me all to yourself.”

  “Is it? I hoped you wouldn’t mind. I reminded Simone of how she told me the night we met that you like to dance and asked where I could take you.” He lifted her into his arms. “And that led to dinner and dancing at home and her spending the night with Ray. That part was her idea.”

  “I don’t mind at all. If she’s helping you to surprise me, that means she likes you and approves of us being together.”

  “I want her to approve, and not just because I want you, but I want her in my life, too. She’s so fun to be with, cute and smart and funny and polite. We had the best time today.”

  As she listened to him talk about Simone, Emma’s eyes filled with tears that she couldn’t contain no matter how hard she tried.

  “Hey,” he said. “What’s this? What’s wrong?”

  She shook her head and nuzzled his neck, wishing there was some way she could have everything she wanted for once in her life. Just once. Was that too much to ask?

  “Emma, sweetheart. Talk to me. Tell me what upset you.”

  Her cell phone rang, and she withdrew from him to answer it, even if she’d rather ignore it and focus on him. If Simone was anywhere other than with her, she’d never ignore a call. She saw Lucy’s name on the caller ID and took the call. “Hey, what’s up?” she asked, forcing a cheerful tone.

  “I have news!”

  Emma wiped the tears from her cheeks, acutely aware of Grayson watching her intently. “Are you going to tell me?”

  “We’re getting married the second Saturday in May.”

  “Oh, Luce.” Emma sat on the sofa. “That’s great. I’m so happy for you guys.”

  “You’ll be my maid of honor, right?”

  “Of course I will.”

  “I’m only going to have you and Cam and Simone. We’re going to do it in Molly and Linc’s yard under a tent.”

  “Sounds perfect,” Emma said with a sigh, thrilled for her sister and Colton, a man Emma loved and respected. “Have you told Dad?”

  “He’s my next call.”

  “He’s got Simone, so you can tell them both at the same time.”

  “Are you home alone for New Year’s Eve?”

  Emma glanced at Grayson. “Umm, not exactly.”

  Lucy shrieked. “Emma!
Is he there?”

  Emma held the phone away from her ear. “Maybe…” She glanced at Grayson, who was smiling because Lucy was so loud, he could hear her, too.

  “Oh my God! When did this happen?”

  “Yesterday.”

  “He went home with you guys?”

  “Maybe.”

  “Emma! Stop being a one-word sally, and tell me what’s going on.”

  “You already know. He came home with us, and we’re hanging out for a while.”

  “What’s the plan?”

  Emma glanced at Grayson again. “We don’t have one.”

  Lucy’s voice was much quieter when she said, “Are you okay, Em?”

  “I’m trying to be.”

  “Remember my mantra. If it’s meant to be, you’ll find a way.”

  Emma desperately wanted to believe that was true, but all she could see were the many obstacles standing between them and finding a way. “I know. I’m really happy for you and Colton, Luce.”

  “Thanks. I’m happy for us, too. Hey, did Linc call you?”

  “Yes, he did.”

  “What was that about?”

  “Just something Simone forgot at the house. They’re mailing it to us.” If she told Lucy about the job offer, she’d get her hopes up about Emma and Simone moving to Vermont, when that couldn’t happen. And then Lucy would feel bad that she’d gotten to move when Emma couldn’t. What was the point of even talking about it? “What’re you guys doing tonight?”

  “Going to Hunter and Megan’s for a New Year’s Eve party. What about you?”

  “Staying in and watching the ball drop on TV. Talk to you tomorrow?”

  “Sounds good. Love you.”

  “Love you, too.” Emma ended the call and put the phone on the coffee table.

  “Big news from Vermont?”

  “In case you or the people next door couldn’t hear her, they’ve set a wedding date. Second weekend in May, and I’m the maid of honor.”

  “Good for them. They’re a great couple.”

  “Yes, they are, and this is what she wants. I love seeing her get what she wants.”

  Grayson sat next to her and put his arm around her.

  Emma curled up to him.

  “Are you going to tell me what had you upset before Lucy called?”

  Emma wanted to tell him. She wanted to unload on him and rail about the many ways that life simply wasn’t fair sometimes. But again, what would be the point? There wasn’t anything he could do to fix the situation, and hearing that his uncle had offered her a job in Vermont would only get his hopes up for no good reason.

  “I’d much rather enjoy this evening with you than dwell on things that upset me, if that’s all right with you.”

  He studied her in that intent way of his, seeing her more clearly than anyone ever had before. “That’s all right with me. For now. But if something makes you sad, I want to know what it is.”

  Emma took his outstretched hand and let him draw her onto his lap.

  He wrapped his arms around her. “I can’t bear to see you sad.”

  She closed her eyes against the rush of emotion. Wouldn’t it be nice to have him, to have this, every day for the rest of her life? Wouldn’t it be nice if he could be an actual father to Simone rather than “like a father” for a day? Wouldn’t it be so very, very nice to have it all?

  She couldn’t have it all, but she had right now, and that was going to have to be good enough.

  * * *

  Chapter 27

  I am in you and you in me, mutual in divine love.

  —William Blake

  From the second she came home with Simone, Grayson had sensed a change in Emma. Something was wrong. They’d shared their deepest secrets, so why wouldn’t she tell him what was bothering her? Had she changed her mind about him during the day they spent apart? Was she wishing she hadn’t allowed him to invade their home and their life in the city?

  He wanted to relax and enjoy this evening he had planned for them, but how could he do that when she was obviously upset about something? Though he told himself to leave it alone the way she’d asked him to, he couldn’t do it.

  “Em,” he said, running his fingers through her long hair, “I can’t stand that something’s upset you and I don’t know what it is.”

  “I… It’s nothing to do with you. Not really.”

  “Not really? Come on. Talk to me the way you have from that first night. Tell me what’s on your mind.”

  She took a deep breath and looked up at him with those blue eyes that gave away her every emotion. “Lincoln offered me a job in Vermont.”

  Grayson felt like he’d been sucker punched. “He did? When?”

  “Today. He called and told me their admin, Mary, is leaving the company and asked if I might be interested in her job.”

  “That cagey bastard,” Grayson said, smiling.

  “Did you know about this?”

  “Nope, but I’m not surprised. With him and my Gramps on a quest to get us all coupled up, they’ve apparently set their sights on us.” He looked down at her. “What’d you tell him?”

  “That I’d think about it, but really… There’s just no way I could do it.”

  “How come?”

  “Many reasons, but mostly because I couldn’t leave my dad here alone. He’d be heartbroken if Simone and I moved away from him. And Simone is doing really well in school and has a great group of friends. Their parents are a huge source of support to me. I just… I can’t…”

  He laid a finger over her lips. “I understand, sweetheart. It’s too much to even contemplate.”

  “I want it,” she whispered, her eyes filling. “I want the job and I want you and I want Vermont and… I want it all.”

  “Aww, baby.” He kissed away her tears. “Maybe you should talk to your dad and see what he says before you make any decisions.”

  “I can’t. He’d tell me to go and that he’d be fine, but I’d never be able to do it knowing he’d be here by himself. We’re all he has, and with Lucy in Vermont more than she’s here these days… I just can’t.”

  It meant so much to him that she wanted to, and it made him determined to find a way to make this work for everyone. That was what he’d done for his entire professional life—figure out the details and get people what they wanted. He needed to approach this situation as if it were the most important case he’d ever worked on.

  “I need to tell you something,” he said, deciding to lay his cards on the table even if it was far too soon for such things.

  “What?” she asked, her brows knitting with concern.

  He rubbed the furrow between her brows with his index finger. “I love you, Emma. I love Simone. I want both of you in my life to stay, and I’m very determined to make that happen one way or the other. So I don’t want you to worry. We’re going to figure this out.”

  “You…”

  “Love you. I think I fell in love with you that first night at Linc and Molly’s when you trusted me enough to tell me something you’ve never told anyone else. And every minute I’ve spent with you since then has only made me want more—of you and Simone.” He cupped her face and compelled her to look at him. “I’m not going anywhere as long as you want me here. I’ll figure out my work situation, whether it’s here or there or whatever. I worked my ass off for years in Boston, and I socked away a lot of money that I didn’t have time to spend. If you want me the way I want you, you’ve got me. I’m right here.”

  “I still can’t believe this is happening.”

  “Believe it. This has been the best week of my entire life, hands down, and all I want is more. If that’s what you want, too—”

  She kissed him. “Yes, it’s what I want. You’re what I want. I love you, too. How could I not love you after this incredible week we’ve spent together and how amazing you are with Simone?”

  Hearing she loved him was the greatest gift he’d ever been given. “Promise me you won’t worry about how it�
��s going to work. Everything’s going to be fine.”

  “I’ll try not to worry.”

  Grayson could tell he took her by surprise when he stood with her in his arms and headed for her room. He’d waited forever to find a woman who looked at him the way she did, as if he’d single-handedly hung the moon just for her. He laid her on the bed and came down on top of her.

  She welcomed him into her embrace by wrapping her arms and legs around him. “Grayson…”

  “What, sweetheart?”

  “Tell me again. Tell me this is real, and I’m not dreaming.”

  “You’re not dreaming. It’s so real, and I love you.” He kissed her with all the love and desire and passion he felt for her, wanting to reassure her that she truly had nothing to worry about where he was concerned. Was it too soon for words of love and commitment? Probably, but with so much at stake for both of them, he didn’t see the need to hold back. What had Linc and Molly said about knowing the first day they met that they were going to change each other’s life? The same was true for him and Emma.

  That first night, when he’d found himself spilling his guts about his father and she’d told him about the violent act that had resulted in her precious daughter, he’d known she was the one for him. With hindsight, that was patently clear to him. He withdrew slowly from the kiss and rose to his knees to help her out of the scrubs she’d worn to work.

  “There was supposed to be dancing,” he said.

  “Doesn’t this count as dancing?”

  “I suppose it does.”

  As he undressed her, she watched him with expressive eyes gone soft with emotion. When she was bare, he whipped his sweater over his head and tossed it aside and then reached for the button to his jeans.

  “Let me,” she said, sitting up to do the honors. She pushed the button through the hole and unzipped him slowly, working around the huge bulge, and then pushed his pants and underwear down until they were around his thighs.

  His cock was so hard, it ached, but he held off, waiting to see what she would do.