Chapter 19
There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness.
—Friedrich Nietzsche
Grayson held the passenger doors for both “ladies” and waited for them to get settled before closing the doors and going around to the driver’s side.
When he got in the car, he said, “I have to make a quick stop in town and then one more stop on the way to Burlington, but I’ll have you there in plenty of time. Don’t worry.”
“What were you going to tell me before?”
“It’ll keep until we get there,” he said, winking at her.
“Seriously?”
“Uh-huh.”
“That’s just mean.”
Grayson smiled. He couldn’t wait to tell her the surprise—and he hoped she was as happy about it as he was. They pulled into the parking lot behind the store. “Why don’t you take Simone into the store and let her pick out something from me for Christmas?”
Simone let out a happy squeal and had her seat belt off and door open far faster than she should’ve been able to with one working arm.
“That’s not necessary, Grayson.”
“Mom! Come on!”
“I didn’t give her a present for Christmas. Simone, you can pick out whatever you want.”
“No way! You can’t give her carte blanche!”
“I just did.”
“What is carte blanche?”
“It means,” Grayson said before Emma could, “you can pick out whatever you want.”
“Within reason,” Emma added. “You have to be able to carry it on the plane.”
“Well, that rules out a pony or a go-kart,” Grayson said.
Simone giggled, and he lost his heart to that joyful sound.
He held out his hand to her. “Come on. I’ll show you where the good stuff is, and you can pick something out while I run up to the office, okay?”
“Okay,” she said, taking his hand. “Thank you, Grayson.”
“You’re very welcome.”
He left them browsing the extensive toy department and dashed up the back stairs to the offices, eager to get back to them as soon as possible. It was ridiculous, really, how gone over the two of them he was. “Hi, Mary,” he said to the family’s longtime administrative assistant.
“Hey, Grayson. How’s it going?”
“Very good. Uncle Linc told me you had the letter from Sheehan’s lawyer.”
“Right here.” She handed him the packet. “Hope you can make that go away.”
“That’s the plan.”
“I hear you’re moving home. Your mom must be thrilled.”
“She is. It’s nice to be home, but I’m actually heading to New York for a week or so.”
“That sounds fun. I’m hoping to get down there myself in the next few weeks.”
“Have you been before?”
“Yes, I have,” she said, blushing.
“To visit anyone we know?”
“A friend.”
“A friend, huh? Does this friend happen to be related to my cousin Will’s wife, Cameron?” Rumor had it that Mary was seeing Cameron’s dad, Patrick Murphy, the billionaire businessman.
“Possibly,” Mary said, blushing madly.
Grayson laughed. “All these New Yorkers invading our tranquil little town.”
“I know! It’s so wrong.”
“Actually, it’s feeling kind of right to me.”
“I might’ve heard you’ve been hanging out with Emma.”
“I forget how the information pipeline works in this town.”
“It’s more about how it works in your family.”
Grayson laughed at that, knowing it was true. “I’ve gotta run to Burlington.” He handed her a business card. “If you hear any more from Sheehan’s attorney, let me know.”
“I will, thank you. Have fun in New York, and Happy New Year.”
“That’s the plan, and same to you.” Grayson waved and headed down the stairs, rejoining Emma and Simone at a huge display of doll clothes. “What’s the verdict, Simone?”
She held up a dark blue gown on a tiny hanger. “I think this dress would look nice on Ashley. Do you?”
Grayson gave the dress a careful examination. “I agree. That color would complement her eyes.”
Emma coughed, and when Grayson glanced at her, he saw that she was covering a laugh.
“Don’t you agree, Emma?” he asked.
“Absolutely.” She rubbed her hand over her lips, clearly trying not to lose it laughing.
“I would say she needs at least two more outfits to complete her wardrobe. What about this one?” He held up a suit with five different pieces as well as two pairs of shoes.
“I like that,” Simone said, eyeing it carefully. “Are you sure? One is fine.”
Could she be any sweeter? “I’m sure. Get that one and another one. Anything you want.”
She took a careful survey of all the options before landing on a set of red plaid flannel pajamas with a matching red robe and fuzzy slippers. “How about this one?”
“A girl definitely needs PJs,” Grayson said, taking note of the others she considered for future gifts. “Let’s hit the register and then hit the road.” He steered her toward the front of the store, with a side trip to the penny candy aisle to fill a small bag, before they checked out.
“Thank you so much,” Simone said, holding her big green bag by the handles as they made their way to the car.
“You’re very welcome. I can’t wait to see how she looks in her new outfits.”
He held the door for Simone and waited until she was settled before closing it.
“Thank you,” Emma said softly. “She loved that.”
“I did, too.”
“It complements her eyes. Really?”
“It did!”
Her gaze dropped to his lips and then returned to his eyes. “You’re too much.”
“Nah, I’m just enough.” He winked and waggled his brows. “We’ve got to go.”
“I know, but I don’t want to.”
“It’s going to be okay, Emma. Remember, I promised.”
She nodded and got into the car, but when he got in, he noticed she had tears sliding down her cheeks. That was when he knew he couldn’t keep his surprise from her any longer.
“Hey.”
She looked over at him.
He raised his hand to her face and brushed away her tears. “I was thinking I might come with you guys, if you don’t mind.” To his great horror, Emma began to cry harder. “Emma, honey.” He glanced at Simone, who also seemed on the verge of tears. This surprise was not going as he’d planned.
And then Emma released her seat belt and reached for him.
Grayson pulled her in as close as he could get her with the center console between them. “Shhh. I don’t have to go if you don’t want me to.”
Emma shook her head. “I want you to,” she said softly. “I can’t believe you’re actually coming with us.”
“Only if it’s okay with you guys.” He looked to Simone, who nodded enthusiastically.
“It’s more than okay.” Right there, in front of her child, Emma kissed him square on the lips.
“Ewww,” Simone said, covering her eyes.
“That’s a relief,” Grayson said. “For a second there, I thought I’d read this all wrong.”
“You didn’t. I can’t believe this. I was so sad this morning to have to leave you here.”
He felt breathless and off-kilter when he stared at her lovely face. “You know this is totally crazy, right?”
“Totally.” She reached for his hand and held on tight. “The best kind of crazy.”
Grayson looked into the backseat, where Simone was still hiding behind her hand. “It’s safe to come out now.”
She spread her fingers.
“Are you okay with me coming with you guys?”
“Will you stay with us?” she asked.
“If that’s all right with you.”
“Sure. That’ll be fun. I can show you my room, and you can meet my friends.”
“I’d love to meet your friends.”
Emma squeezed his hand again.
He started the car and tried to focus on driving on the way out of town, but he stole frequent glances at Emma.
More than once, he caught her looking at him, as if she still couldn’t believe this was happening.
He knew how she felt. He couldn’t believe it either, but if this was crazy, he never wanted to be sane again.
He was coming home with them! Emma could barely contain the excitement that came from knowing they had more time together. She didn’t have to leave him and go back to her “normal” life and be forced to pretend that nothing had changed when everything had.
The relief was so profound it left her feeling dizzy and off kilter.
She held on to his hand and repeatedly looked over at him, trying to confirm he was real, that this was real.
Emma had never experienced this kind of joyful excitement, except in relation to her daughter.
But that was a different kind of excitement.
This, with him, was something all new, something private and deeply personal.
The man who’d fathered Simone had been the only real “boyfriend” she’d ever had, and it was a stretch to call him a boyfriend or what they’d had a real relationship.
Grayson was the first man she’d ever been seriously involved with, and she couldn’t wait to show him their home, introduce him to their friends and spend more time with him.
Under normal circumstances, she’d never have introduced a new man to her daughter so soon.
However, Simone had been a part of “them” from the beginning, acting as a matchmaker by encouraging Grayson to ask her to dance at Hunter’s wedding.
Simone liked him. He liked her. Was it too soon for the three of them to be acting like a little family?
Absolutely, but she couldn’t seem to find the wherewithal to take a step back from something that felt so damned good.
She glanced over at him again, and he caught her looking.
“What?” he asked.
Emma turned to check on Simone, who was listening to the music Lucy had put on the phone for her, earbuds in place, her gaze focused on the scenery. “Just doing a reality check.”
“What do you mean?”
“Making sure you’re real and you’re really coming with us.”
“I’m really coming, and this is as real as it gets, at least for me.”
“For me, too,” Emma said softly. “It’s kind of scary.”
“What is?”
“How fast it all happened.” She ventured another look at him, and her gaze connected with his until he returned his attention to the road.
There was no denying the powerful connection that zinged between them, and when he looked at her that way…
Her heart raced, and the surge of emotion was almost too much to process.
“I’ve decided that something that feels this good can’t be treated lightly. I want to run with it, and I hope you’ll run with me.”