Chapter 25
After waking up Sunday morning in Atlanta with a full week off to spend with his wife, Evan McCarthy was ready to put months of planning into motion, hoping to pull off a surprise his amazing Grace would never forget.
And the best part? The song he’d written about her had made it all possible.
She’d made everything possible for him, and now he was ready to repay the favor for the many sacrifices she’d made so they could be together while he toured.
He’d been able to reach for the brass ring, all because of her encouragement, her insistence that he chase the dream and her willingness to travel with him.
Every night for months, he’d appeared onstage with Buddy Longstreet, Taylor Jones and Kate Harrington, had spent time with them, their families and the musicians that supported them all.
To say he was living the dream would be putting it mildly, but the only way this dream could’ve come true was with Grace by his side.
She’d put her own dreams on hold to support his, turning her pharmacy over to her friend Fiona to manage while she was off-island.
And now, the day he’d been anticipating for so long was upon them, and he couldn’t wait another minute to put plans into action. He kissed her awake. “Gracie.”
“Mmm, ten more minutes.” She was super grumpy in the morning since she’d been pregnant. While she’d been spared the morning sickness that so many of their friends and family members experienced, she was tired all the time.
“I ordered breakfast.”
One beautiful brown eye opened. “What’d you get?”
“The French toast you liked the last time we were here.”
“You remembered that?”
“I remember everything that makes you smile the way that French toast did.”
Her eye closed again, and she snuggled deeper into the covers. “Best husband I ever had.”
He pushed a hand under the covers to caress a sensitive breast, making her gasp. “You gotta get up. We have to be somewhere right after breakfast.”
“Where do we have to be? I thought we were on vacation.”
“We are, and it’s a surprise. Now get your sexy ass out of bed and get packed. I’m taking you on an adventure.”
“I thought we were staying here for the week.”
“We were. Now we’re not.”
They’d talked about going home for the week, but decided not to since that would require devoting two of their seven days off to travel.
Because Grace had been so tired, they’d decided to stay in Atlanta and hang out at the hotel until they had to be in Orlando the following weekend.
She’d insisted she’d be fine if he decided he wanted to go somewhere else, which was the reason he knew she wouldn’t mind that he’d made surprise plans for them.
His Gracie was nothing if not a good sport.
She’d proven that over and over again during the rigorous tour that’d taken them to thirty cities since the beginning of July.
He hoped the week at home would be restorative for them both.
As an added bonus, he’d be home for the last-minute wedding of his sister Mallory.
He’d gotten a text from her two weeks ago, letting him know that she and Quinn were tying the knot on their upcoming mutual birthday.
Mallory had asked him to sing at the wedding, and he was honored she’d asked.
“Is it the kind of adventure that includes sleep?” Grace asked. “Lots and lots of sleep?”
“As much as you want, but first you have to get up.”
“All right, all right. I’m getting up.”
But she didn’t move.
“Grace…”
“Evan…”
“I love you. Get your ass up.”
Mumbling and grumbling, she sat up, pushed her dark hair back from her face and forced her eyes to open.
“There she is. My gorgeous wife.”
“I feel like I’ve been drugged or something.”
“Vic said it should get better in the next trimester.”
“God, I hope so. At least I’m not puking my guts up like Abby has been.”
“I got a text from Adam. They had their appointment on the mainland, and you won’t believe what they found out.
” His brother had also mentioned the power failure on the island that was now in its second day while the temperatures stayed at roast level.
Hopefully, the power would be back on by the time they got home.
“Nothing bad, right?”
“Nope, nothing bad. In fact, they found out they’re expecting quadruplets.”
“What? Seriously? How’d that happen?”
“The old-fashioned way, which makes it a true miracle.”
“After everything they went through… That’s incredible.”
“From what Adam said, they’re still in shock. Five kids under the age of two…”
“Holy crap. Abby must be freaking out. To go from not being able to conceive to quads…”
“I know.”
“Well, I’ve certainly got no business complaining about being tired from carrying one baby. Imagine how she’s going to feel.”
“She’s going to need a ton of help.”
“Fortunately, both families are there and can pitch in.”
“Adam said my parents offered to move in with them for the first month or two.”
“That’s so great. They’ll need that kind of help. Five babies…” She shuddered as she got up to head for the shower. “Dear God.”
The news from home had only added to Evan’s good mood this morning, knowing what his brother and sister-in-law had endured after hearing she might never be able to conceive.
And now this… What an amazing development.
Evan couldn’t wait to see them and the rest of his family later that day when he surprised Grace with the unscheduled trip home, among other things.
They ate breakfast in their suite, checked out of the hotel and took a car service to the airport.
“When are you going to tell me where we’re going?”
“When we get there.”
“What’s with all the mystery?”
“You’ll see.”
By prearrangement, the car delivered them right onto the tarmac where a small private jet waited to take them home.
“What’s all this?” Grace asked.
“Your chariot, my love.”
“Since when can we afford to fly private?”
“Since your song went to number one and stayed there for twelve weeks. This is all your fault.”
She smiled even as she rolled her eyes. “My fault. Whatever you say.”
He placed his fingers on her chin and met her gaze. “There’s no ‘My Amazing Grace’ without my amazing Grace.” Kissing her, he added, “You’re the secret to all my success, and now I want to spoil you a little bit, so will you please let me?”
“If I must.”
“You must.” He followed her out of the car, helped the driver with their bags and then walked with her up the stairs to the plane.
They were greeted by the pilots and flight attendant and given VIP service on the two-and-a-half-hour flight.
When the pilot announced they’d be landing in thirty minutes, Evan opened his backpack and found the item he’d bought on the sly a week ago in anticipation of this moment.
“What’s that?”
“The blindfold I need you to wear for a short time.”
“What is going on, Evan?”
“Good things.” He kissed her as he put the blindfold in place. “Only good things.”
“Can I blindfold you later?” she asked.
He went immediately hard at the thought of her taking that kind of initiative. “Any time you want, baby.” Grasping her hand, he placed it on his hard cock so she could feel what her innocent question had done to him.
She snorted with laughter. “You’re so easy.”
“Only with you.”
The plane made a smooth landing on the island right on schedule at one o’clock.
His dad’s best friend, Ned Saunders, was picking them up and under strict orders not to say a word until they’d reached their destination.
Grace would know Ned’s voice anywhere, and he wanted to at least try to keep the fact that they were home a secret until they got to where they were going.
He helped her off the plane and into the broiling heat that had gripped the island for days now and had most likely caused the island-wide power failure. They’d lived through a few power outages growing up here, usually when it was hot like this.
Evan had donned a ball cap that he pulled down over his face, hoping he wouldn’t be recognized in the terminal.
They got lucky. The place was nearly deserted.
As they walked out the main door, Ned’s woody station wagon was parked at the curb.
He greeted Evan with a big grin and a thumbs-up that their plan was coming to fruition.
“When will I know where we are?” Grace asked as Ned drove them to their destination with the AC on full blast. “It’s obviously somewhere hot.”
“You’ll know in a few minutes.” He felt like a little boy on Christmas.
In addition to the surprise he’d arranged for Grace, the hit song had also allowed him to buy Ned out of the Island Breeze recording studio that Ned had graciously funded at a time when Evan was convinced his career in music was never going to happen.
Ned hadn’t wanted him to return the money, but he’d accepted it when he realized it was important to Evan.
He would never forget the lifeline his beloved extra uncle had extended to him at a time when he’d badly needed a purpose.
The studio had been a surprise success and was now being run by Evan’s good friend Josh.
Everything had changed in the last couple of years, but the best change was the woman who was now at the center of his life. She owned his heart and soul, and he couldn’t wait to show her what she meant to him.
One more minute, and they’d be there. They’d be home.
Ned took a left turn onto a dirt road that ended in front of a huge contemporary home that sat on the coast, overlooking Long Island Sound.
At night, they’d be able to see the Newport Bridge lit up in the distance.
About a year ago, they’d attended an open house at what Grace had deemed her “dream house.”
She’d laughed about the sheer impossibility of it as she oohed and aahed over the custom cabinetry, the teak accents, the inground pool and spacious yard.
It had five bedrooms and seven bathrooms, a media room, a wine cellar and a dining room big enough to host their entire family.
It’d sold shortly after they’d toured it, and when it came back on the market a few months later, Ned had called him to let him know.
He’d been instrumental in helping Evan pull this off by acting as his local representative during the purchase.
Evan was elated as he got out of the car, hugged his beloved friend and then went around to help Grace out.
She wobbled a bit before getting her bearings.
He kept his hands on her arms until she was steady. “Are you ready for your surprise, love?”
“Very ready. Is that the ocean I smell?”
“Maybe.”
“Can I look now, Evan?”
“You can look.”
She removed the mask, blinked a couple of times as her eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight and then gasped. “We’re home? On Gansett?”
“We are, and we’re home in more ways than one. Remember this house?”
Her eyes widened. “What about it?”
“You loved it so much. We both did.”
“Evan… What’ve you done?”
“It’s ours.”
She screamed and launched herself into his arms. “You’re not serious!”
“I’m as serious as a heart attack. It’s ours. The baby needs a bedroom.” The loft above the pharmacy where they’d been living until now didn’t have room for a baby.
“Oh my God! Evan!” She hugged him so hard, she nearly broke his neck.
He’d never had a better hug.
Behind her, he saw Ned grinning like a loon as he looked on. “Ya done good, kid.”
“I thought someone bought it,” Grace said, releasing Evan so she could include Ned.
“They did, and when it went back on the market, Ned called me to ask if we were still interested. That’s when I got the idea to surprise you.”
“Best surprise ever!”
“I’m so glad you think so. On the flight, I started getting a little panicky over buying a house without you knowing about it.”
“You knew how much I loved it when we toured it that day.” She glanced up at him, her dark eyes shining with unshed tears. “Is it really ours, Evan?”
“It’s really ours, and it’s all because of you. Because you loved me so perfectly that I had to write a song about you, a song that went to number one and stayed there long enough to make all our dreams come true. None of this happens without you, my amazing Grace.”
“None of it happens without us.”
“I’m thankful every single day that my amazing Grace is such a stickler for doing the right thing that she had to come back to Gansett to pay me back for buying her a ferry ticket home.”
“I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself if I didn’t pay you back,” she said in the prim, haughty tone he loved so much.
“I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself if you hadn’t come back.” He took her hand to lead her toward the front door. “I was going to come after you.”
“What? You were? You never told me that before.”
“Yes, I did.”
“No, you didn’t. I would’ve remembered that.”
Evan used the key Ned had given him to open the front door.
After ushering Grace inside, he turned to wave to Ned.
Evan would call him when they were ready for a ride to the pharmacy in town, where they’d left Grace’s car and his motorcycle.
Also thanks to Ned, they had what they needed to spend the rest of the day and the night at their new home—food, beverages and a bed.
As always, Ned had been an excellent partner in crime.
He hadn’t dared clue in any of his family members, as they wouldn’t have been able to contain the surprise.
As they went into the foyer that was the size of their apartment over the pharmacy, Grace looked around, taking it all in once again, her eyes big with wonder. “I never dreamed anything like this, Evan. Or anything like you.”
He put his arms around her. “Welcome home, love.”