Four
Four
January, which she’d expected to be a slow month, was flying by. They’d booked three new clients, thrilled Margo and Lara with their mock-ups, and had been asked to present a workshop at their alma mater.
She and Noah were meeting with Emily and her team tonight to let them do a walk-through. Her crew needed to figure out lighting and space. She and Noah had also added two new honeymoon destinations to that jar—Paris and Greece. He, of course, had been to both, but Grace hadn’t been anywhere outside of the United States. Italy was in that jar, and she was secretly hoping it would be the one they pulled. She couldn’t even imagine seeing the architecture in person . But, any one of those options would be a dream come true.
Grace tapped the mouse again. She was using the new design program she and Rosie had purchased to map out furniture placement for a client wanting an entirely new look for their sunroom. This particular client had not only changed their aesthetic multiple times but also which room they wanted furnished. Grace had canceled a huge shipment of furniture a couple of months ago when the client decided they didn’t want to decorate the apartment over their garage.
Her phone rang loudly with Morty’s ringtone—the Jaws theme song—making her smile. She swiped accept and put him on speaker.
“’Sup, old man?”
“Guess I got the wrong number,” he said in his wheezy drawl. “Wasn’t looking for a smartass.”
Grace laughed. She’d met him at a low in her life and, even after taking a job for him as a care aide when he’d hurt himself, never imagined the ways in which he’d fulfill her deep-seated need for family.
Multitasking, she kept arranging furniture on the screen, dragging a tiny couch across the mock-up living room. “Well, you got one. How are you?”
His chuckle filled her office. The sun streamed through the open window and the gentle breeze made the gauzy, ivory sheers flutter. The scent of ocean and flowers washed over her like a calming spray.
“I’m good. Nothing hurts too bad today, Tilly’s making chicken pot pie, and I won at poker last night. What more does a man need?”
Grace picked up a pencil and tapped the eraser end against the desk softly. “Not much. Maybe some beer, potato chips, and a decent pizza.”
“You offering?”
Grace laughed again. “Sure. Maybe you and Tilly can join us this weekend?” Would Morty and Tilly be okay with being filmed? She’d started a list in her Notes app to keep her questions and concerns about doing the show in one place.
“Sure. I’ll let you feed us. How’s Pretty Boy?”
Morty loved Noah, even if his grumpy demeanor when they were in the same room suggested otherwise. More than that, Morty, whom she thought of like the dad she’d never known or had, loved Noah for Grace. She hadn’t been the only one in search of family. Between the old guy, his wife, Tilly, their friends, Noah, and Noah’s family, not to mention Rosie and Josh, Grace was surrounded in the best possible way.
“Noah’s great. On the go, as always.” Taking a deep breath, she let it out and then told him the details of what Emily had proposed.
“That something you want to do?” Morty asked.
Grace pushed back from her desk and moved through the bungalow toward the kitchen. She didn’t like the little hitch of uncertainty that nestled into her ribs. “Yeah. I think so. I mean, building our clientele is always going to be a good idea. And as far as the personal stuff goes, I want to marry Noah. I want the entire experience to be magnificent.”
“Sure. You’re not wrong. But marrying the person you love and want to spend your life with is sort of magnificent on its own, isn’t it?”
Grace’s hand stopped midair as she was reaching toward the handle of the fridge. Morty wasn’t wrong either. Marrying Noah would be magnificent. No matter what.
“It’s an adventure,” she said, repeating Noah’s words, though they felt a little empty.
After hanging up with Morty and grabbing some lemonade, she went out onto the covered back porch, still thinking about the conversation. Curling up on one of the wide rockers, she tucked her feet under her and stared out at the ocean. When she’d moved in, Noah had intended to put up trees along their fence line, which would have blocked her view. They’d fought over it as they had a dozen other things, all the while burying their true feelings for each other.
They’d been through a lot in the last year and a half. To think, the first time she’d laid eyes on him, she’d wanted to throw a hammer at him. Well, not the first time, since her initial sighting was him coming out of the surf one morning while she was wrangling a motley crew of pups. She’d been struck stupid with lust, but she hadn’t known who he was. Then she’d moved in to her home, burying the emotions and childhood issues that brought up, and focused on aggravating her very hot, funny, over-the-top neighbor.
Even with multiple jobs, she’d had a lot of debt and a spiraling feeling of emptiness when they’d started. He’d been her neighbor, her nemesis, her best friend, lover, and now, he’d be her husband.
“You look dreamy-eyed. Whatcha thinking about, Gracie?” Noah asked, coming up the back porch steps. He wore a pair of jeans and a pale-gray polo shirt. His hair was styled and he was wearing dress shoes over his preferred sneakers, so he’d clearly had a meeting.
Her pulse sped like just the sight of him reminded her of how alive and happy he made her feel. He was her adventure.
“You. How far we’ve come.”
Noah leaned over her, putting one hand on each of the arms of the chair, his face coming close. “We’ve come a long way, baby.”
She laughed, tipped her chin up. “Something like that.”
Noah’s mouth closed over hers, his head tilting to kiss her deeper even as he put his hands under her, boosted her up, and moved them so she was on his lap. He continued kissing her like they’d choreographed the maneuver dozens of times. She wasn’t sure she’d ever tire of kissing Noah.
When he pulled away, he leaned his forehead on hers and stroked his thumb over her cheek. “I missed you today.”
Grace burrowed into his chest, sticking her nose into the crook of his neck and breathing deeply. “Me, too. Morty and Tilly are going to come for dinner this weekend.”
One of his hands roamed up and down her thigh. “Sounds good. Maybe we should invite everyone over.”
Grace sat up. “It’s like you crave gatherings.” She smiled at him, brushing his brownish-blond hair off his forehead. “Everyone is coming in two weeks for Valentine’s Day.”
“Is that still okay with you?” A little V formed between his brows.
Grace arched up and kissed it, then kissed his cheek. “Of course. It’s sweet that you want to do something with everyone. I’m having lunch with the girls tomorrow so we can firm up plans.”
His hand continued to move along her thigh but it slowed, lingered, and when it trailed back up, his hands kept going, his index finger traveling along her side. Grace’s breath hitched as Noah leaned in, kissed the tip of her nose, his hand traveling down, then up again, under the hem of her blouse, along her heated skin. His breath on her lips made her pulse race, sending a myriad of sensations through and over her body.
“What are you thinking about now, Gracie?” Noah’s husky whisper caused that delicious little dip in her stomach that made it impossible to get close enough.
“You,” she replied easily, sealing her mouth over his even as he stood up with her in his arms. She was never not thinking about him. Part of her had worried, for a long time, that she was setting herself up for a fall. But she knew him well enough now to know that Noah would always catch her.