by Addison Cole
“I might have been right about that, but I was wrong to do what I did. I’m so sorry, sweetheart, and if you’ll forgive me, I…” He framed her beautiful face with his hands and gazed into her eyes, recognizing how big of a gift she was giving him by taking him back.
“I’ve spent the last two days trying to figure out what I could give you or what I could say to signify that I truly understand how badly I’ve messed up. That’s why I didn’t come on the next plane out of town after you left. But no matter how many times I went over it in my head, or tried to make you something that would prove to you how sorry I am, nothing came close. I finally gave up and got on a plane, and here I am.” He took her hand in his and laid his heart out before them.
“I don’t expect you to trust me again for a long time, but please know I love you. It’s not an excuse, and what I did was wrong on many levels, but I really did do it out of love. It was stupid and overprotective in the wrong way, and I will never make that mistake again. We can call and cancel the test. You’ll never have to think about it again.”
“Thank you,” she said softly. “When you brought up having a DNA test done after we saw Sarah, I was so scared. I didn’t want to think about Miriam not being alive. I was scared for Sarah, and for myself, about what connecting those dots would mean if the test came back positive. I didn’t want to think that my mother could have been in the wrong place at the wrong time because Abe had driven her away or because her mother didn’t fight hard enough for her.”
She swallowed hard, and he tightened his hold on her hand, wanting so badly to take her in his arms, but he knew she needed to get this out—and he needed to hear everything she had to say.
“I can’t change the circumstances that brought me into this world or that took my mother away. But I had Bert, and in a sense I had Abe, even if it was only for a short time. And, Grayson, I have you. I thought that was enough. But it wasn’t enough for you. You wanted to give me everything, even if the possibilities were nearly nonexistent, just like you tried to tell me.”
“I do, sweetheart. I want to give you everything. But I’ll never make the mistake of going around you again.”
“I know you won’t. You made sure I’ve had the opportunity to do things that I needed or wanted to do, even when I was scared and wanted to walk away. You’ve always known what I needed, Grayson. I don’t know how or why, but you have.”
“Sky would say it’s not me or you knowing anything. It’s the universe stepping in when we needed it most,” he said.
“I think she’d be right. She said I needed to be loved so I could heal, and she said you were ready. I didn’t understand what she meant before, but I think I do now. You were ready to love me, to be my rock, even if it meant doing hard things. I don’t want to cancel the DNA test. I need to know the truth. Thank you for not giving up on me.”
“I’ll never give up on you, baby. Not in a million years.” He leaned in for a kiss, and she pressed her hand to his chest, holding him an inch away.
“Wait. How did you get in here?”
“Luce.”
Her eyes widened. “Luce? You were her urgent call?”
He was indeed her urgent call. She’d read him the riot act before agreeing to meet him and let him into Parker’s house. “She’s wonderful.”
“She’s sneaky.” She wound her arms around his neck. “Like you.”
“Never again, sweetheart. From now on I’m an open book.”
Her eyes filled with wickedness. “Tell me about the juicy pages.”
“I’ve got a better idea.” He kissed her softly. “How about if I show you?”
Chapter Twenty-Six
PARKER LAY IN bed staring up at the ceiling, listening to what she lovingly deemed as her boys’ morning ritual—the familiar tapping of Christmas’s nails on the hardwood floor and Grayson’s sleepy, and always delightful, voice as he reminded Christmas to stay out of trouble and told their big dog he loved him before letting him outside each morning. Grayson spoiled their boy rotten. And she loved him even more for it. It had been eight weeks since she’d returned to California, six weeks since they’d received the DNA test results and learned that Miriam had indeed been Parker’s mother, and one week since she’d come back home to Wellfleet. In the span of a few weeks, she’d lost a man she loved and gained more than she’d ever imagined possible—a grandmother whom she was enjoying getting to know, a boyfriend who loved and adored her, and a sense of peace and belonging.
As if his ears were burning, Grayson sauntered into the bedroom wearing only a pair of black briefs and a sleepy, sexy-as-sin smile. “Hey, baby. Miss me?”
He leaned down to kiss her, and her heart turned over in her chest. She hadn’t fully comprehended how deeply a person could love another human being. But she was learning, because every single day she fell even more in love with Grayson.
Christmas leaped onto the bed and licked her face.
Parker fanned his breath away. “Did you give him peanut butter again?”
“Just one cookie,” Grayson said with wide, anything-but-innocent eyes. “You can’t blame me. He gave me those eyes again.”
She laughed as he sat down beside her on the bed. “Those are the only eyes he has.”
He leaned in for another kiss. “I’m a sucker for them, the same way I’m a sucker for you.”
“Lucky us.” She giggled, and he kissed her again. “Did you decide what you want to do today?” She’d wanted to go to Martha’s Vineyard, but Grayson needed to meet with a client later in the afternoon. They’d been batting around other ideas, but he seemed a bit distracted.
“You mean besides you?” He lifted her onto his lap and took her in a long, languid kiss, drugging her with his affection. He deepened the kiss, drawing hungry moans from both of them.
“Do you think we’re turning into sex maniacs?” she teased.
“I’m not sure.” He nipped her neck. “But I think we should investigate the possibility.” He waggled his brows and Christmas barked, then whimpered.
“He wants another cookie. You’ve spoiled him.”
Grayson laughed. “Actually, I think he had a burr beneath his collar. Can you check? I tried, but I had a hard time dodging his tongue long enough to get a good look.”
She rolled off his lap and began feeling Christmas’s neck. “Come here, you big peanut-butter-loving mutt—” She felt something odd under his chin. “What the heck?” She lifted Christmas’s face and spotted a little silver pouch dangling from his collar. She whipped her head around, her eyes filling with tears as she met Grayson’s loving gaze. Shivers raced down her spine, and she knew—before he had a chance to say a word, before he had a chance to blink, she threw her arms around Grayson’s neck and kissed him square on the lips.
Christmas barked, and she laughed and kissed Grayson again. Her heart didn’t just turn over. It tumbled inside her chest.
“What is all this for? Did you find the burr?”
She swatted him, laughing as their mouths came together again and Christmas pushed in between them.
“All this for a little silver pouch?” Grayson teased. “What would you give me for a peanut-butter cookie?” He wiped tears of joy from her eyes and, thankfully—because she was shaking too badly to move and clinging to him so tightly not even air could fit between them—he removed the pouch from Christmas’s collar.
“I really wanted to get down on one knee and do this right,” he said with the biggest, most loving smile she’d ever seen. He rose with Parker in his arms, dropped to one knee, and set her on the other. Christmas jumped off the bed and stood beside them, his tongue lolling out of his mouth.
“Parker Polly Collins, my sweet, amazing girl.” His voice was thick with emotion. He swallowed hard, his eyes suspiciously glassy, while a river of joy flowed from Parker’s. She didn’t even try to wipe her tears away. She didn’t want to miss one second of seeing the love on Grayson’s face.
“I had a whole speech memorized, but, baby, you’re looki
ng at me like that, and I’m so nervous I feel like I’m going to pass out.”
“Don’t pass out,” she said quickly. “Not until you ask me!”
“Don’t worry. I brought backup.” He opened the silver pouch and handed her a slip of paper.
Fresh tears spilled down her cheeks as she read it. “Parker Polly Collins, my sweet amazing girl, if you’re reading this, I must be out cold. I’m sorry.” She looked up and smiled.
He covered the note. “Don’t read the rest. I think I can cover it. Parker, I spent months falling in love with you from thousands of miles away, and the minute I saw you, in your sexy sweatpants, with tequila breath and your killer guard dog, I knew I was a goner.”
A half laugh, half sob burst from her lips. “Ohmygosh, Grayson,” she whispered.
“Every day I learn more about you and fall in love with you all over again.”
“Grayson,” she said through her tears. “I’m not going to be able to speak by the time you’re done. Will you marry me?”
“Oh, baby,” he muttered with a smile. “I wanted to make this perfect for you.”
“Don’t you see? You already have. You gave me the family I never knew existed, and now you’ve given me something even better. A chance for our own family.”
He gazed deeply into her eyes, and her throat clogged with emotions. “Baby, will you marry me? Crazy cross-country schedules and all?”
“Yes!”
He pressed his lips to hers, half kissing, half laughing, and said, “I love you so much.”
“Good, then shut up and kiss me. I’ve never kissed a fiancé before, and I want to see if he’s as good as my boyfriend was.”
“Don’t you want to see your ring…?”
There went her thoughtful man again, trying to make her life wonderful.
“Later,” she said as their mouths came together and he carried her to the bed.
GRAYSON STOOD IN his yard, listening to the sounds of love surrounding him. Summer and Hannah giggled at the water’s edge. The other Seaside babies played on blankets on the shore, while their parents chatted happily around them. On the other side of the dock, Mira watched her son chase Christmas, Pepper, and Joey, who were too busy running after birds to notice. Occasional barks floated in the breezy summer afternoon.
Sawyer, Sky, and Grayson’s brothers and father were talking on the grass a few feet from him, their deep voices similar and comforting. Matt’s arm was draped lazily over their father’s shoulder. It was wonderful seeing everyone together. Grayson’s and Parker’s schedules were a little chaotic. They had two homes now, their cottage on the pond and Parker’s home in Malibu, as well as a gazebo for each; Grayson intended to keep his promise of giving Parker everything. He’d built the gazebos with the same theme as the railing he’d installed in the house on the bay: thick, stable roots with lots of branches and a few birds thrown in for Christmas. It didn’t matter how chaotic their schedules were or how many homes they had. As long as they were together, wherever they were became home.
Hunter broke away from the group, watching Jana cross the grass toward the gazebo as he came to Grayson’s side. “You finally figured out how to get Matt to visit.”
“It was a nice side effect to the engagement party,” Grayson admitted, though he would have rescheduled if Matt couldn’t be there.
“He’s had his eye on Mira all afternoon.” Hunter nodded toward Matt, who was watching Mira and her son like a hawk.
“Good. Maybe he’ll have a reason to stay.” Grayson shifted his gaze back to Parker. She’d been sitting in the gazebo for the past hour, talking with Luce, Sarah Stein, and Jamie’s grandmother, Vera, who had come back for the engagement party. After the DNA results had come back, he and Parker had visited Sarah and gently broken the news about Miriam and about Parker. Sarah had cried tears of sadness over losing her daughter and tears of joy for the granddaughter she now had a chance to get to know.
Parker leaned in and hugged Sarah. She talked with Jana for a few minutes, both of them stealing glances in Grayson’s and Hunter’s direction. Then they stepped out of the gazebo and headed over to them. Parker’s eyes connected with Grayson’s, sending an electrical charge through the air. He knew he’d never get used to the effect she had on him.
“It’s a shame Reggie wasn’t able to find out any more details about her mother,” Hunter said. They’d hired private investigator Reggie Steele, who had come highly recommended by Kurt’s friend, Treat Braden. There was no record of Miriam Stein after she left home and no record of Sherry Collins until she took a job at a music store while she was pregnant with Parker. She’d worked there until the day she was killed. Apparently her boss was a good guy and had allowed her to bring Parker—Polly—to work with her. Reggie assumed Miriam had secured several false identities in the years in between when she’d left her family and when she’d become Sherry Collins. He’d been unable to make any connection between Miriam or Sherry and Bert, although it appeared that Bert had left the letters as a guiding light for Parker. Reggie discovered that Bert had made a few of the same inquiries he had, which indicated that Bert had at least suspected there might be a connection. He’d spoken with Sherry’s boss a couple years earlier and had mentioned that Parker reminded him of his niece. They could only assume Bert hadn’t told Parker of his suspicions so as not to upset her without having proof to back up his thoughts, and perhaps he was still hoping to figure it out. His attorney said Bert had notified him of the safe-deposit box several years prior to his death.
Sky insisted it was the universe stepping in once again, and Grayson thought it was probably a little bit of both. It had been as heartrending as it was a blessing for both Parker and Sarah to have the level of closure they were able to find.
“Miriam was obviously smart,” Grayson said. “But that’s not surprising. Look at her daughter.” He couldn’t take his eyes off of Parker as she crossed the grass in her cute jeans shorts and the colorful bohemian top she’d bought in Provincetown with the girls yesterday. When they were on the Cape, she no longer fretted when she left the house. She’d always have to be careful in more media-centric areas, but she finally seemed comfortable in her own skin, as evident in everything about her, from her more relaxed aura, to her gorgeous smile, bright eyes, and loving nature.
“Hey, sweetheart,” he said as she came to his side. “Everything okay with the ladies?”
“Couldn’t be better. Sarah and Vera have so much in common. They’re talking about the old days.” Parker’s eyes filled with mischief. “Jana and I were just thinking…”
“Oh no. This can’t be good.” Hunter pulled Jana against him.
“You’re right,” Jana said, poking his abs. “It’s not good; it’s great.”
“What would you guys think about a double wedding?” The hope in Parker’s eyes tweaked every part of Grayson’s heart.
Grayson looked at Hunter, who rolled his eyes, but Grayson knew his brother well. That eye roll was to keep up his macho image. Hunter would do anything for Jana. The same way Grayson would for Parker. Before either of them could say a word, Sky ran across the grass and barreled into the group.
“Oh my gosh, you guys! I have the best idea!” Sky grabbed Jana’s and Parker’s arms. “A triple wedding!”
The girls screamed and hugged each other.
“Yes!” Parker said.
“Definitely!” Jana added.
“Wait, wait, wait.” Hunter waved his hands, silencing them. “Parker and Grayson don’t even know where they’re living from one week to the next. He’s going to Texas, she’s going to be filming in some undetermined location, and then he’s in Georgia. How can you guys plan a wedding?”
“We’re engaged! Of course we’re going to plan a wedding.” Parker waved her engagement ring, which Grayson had made. He’d poured his love into the intricate rose-gold setting, creating tiny birds and flowers surrounding a two-karat pear-shaped diamond.
“If my girl wants a triple wedding, w
e’ll make it happen,” Grayson said as Parker came to his side. He draped his arm over her shoulder, soaking in her radiant smile. “Right, baby?”
“Definitely. So we do a little more traveling than most couples. This is our life now, Hunter. This moment here, and our time in Texas and California, and wherever else life leads us. There’s nothing we can’t figure out, so let’s not overthink it.”
Parker gazed up at Grayson and added, “Besides, how can you doubt your brother’s ability to do anything? He said he’d give me everything, and he’s already given me more than I ever dreamed of.”
Ready for more Seaside fun?
WHISPERS AT SEASIDE
WHISPERS AT SEASIDE…
Having a mad crush on her boss’s son, Matt Lacroux—an intriguing mix of proper gentleman and flirtatious bad boy—is probably not the smartest idea for single mother Mira Savage. Especially when the company, and her job, is already on shaky ground. But as a Princeton professor, Matt’s life is hours away from Mira’s home on Cape Cod, keeping him safely in the fantasy-only zone. And as a single mother to six-year-old Hagen, with a floundering company to save, fantasies are all she has time for. But Mira doesn’t count on Matt coming home on sabbatical with plans for more than just fulfilling his publishing contract and reconnecting with his family. While Mira’s saving his father’s company, will Matt succeed at claiming her heart?
Chapter One
MATT LACROUX NEEDED a shower, a vacation, and to figure out what he was doing with his life—in that order. And sex. Sex would be good. It had been a long time since he’d had a warm, willing woman in his bed instead of a research project to work on, papers to grade, or notes to coordinate on the book he was writing. In fact, now that he was thinking about it, he might move sex up to the top of his list—if he didn’t have someone else’s blood on his hands.
He tugged off his torn shirt, tossed it in the hamper, and turned on the shower. He’d been back on Cape Cod for less than three hours and had already broken up a fight between drunken college kids over by the Bookstore Restaurant, where he’d eaten dinner and thought he would write for a while. Maybe he should have done what so many other professors did when they took a sabbatical and gone to a nice resort somewhere, or holed up in a mountain cabin. He could have stayed at his cottage on Nantucket, but he missed his family, and his father wasn’t getting any younger. Plus, his siblings’ joint wedding was only two months away. It was taking place on their mother’s birthday, to honor her memory. It was time to reconnect.