by Annie Rains
“What are you doing back here?” Abby asked.
“I’m hiding. And as soon as that ribbon is cut, I’m out of here.”
“Don’t you want to hug Jack or at least congratulate him?” Abby asked.
Grace turned to her. “He fixed up the house my mom has been staying at. He invited her to come today. Why would he do that?”
Abby laughed under her breath. “You two are like stupid teenagers. You know why he did it.”
Grace stared at her.
Then someone tapped the microphone again. Jack stood at the front of the applauding crowd. Grace couldn’t help but smile watching him. She’d registered at the local community college this week. She’s gotten herself a dog. Those were baby steps in getting what she wanted in life. But Jack was the biggest desire of her heart.
He cleared his throat into the microphone. “I appreciate everyone coming out. I’m going to make this short and sweet here today. There’s someone very important to me missing up here behind this ribbon. Chris Watson was my best friend. He’s the one that dreamed up this business, not me. He should be here. I have no doubt that somewhere he’s cheering us on, though.” He paused for a long moment, tipping his chin to his chest as if swallowing down his emotion. Grace wished she could put her arms around him and provide him some comfort. “There’s someone else who should be here beside me.” He looked up into the crowd, his gaze quickly zeroing in on Grace.
Her entire body warmed as their eyes connected.
“Grace. You want to come up here for a moment?” he asked.
She shook her head without thinking. She didn’t do crowds. She liked to disappear into them.
“Please,” he asked, lowering his voice. Everyone turned to look at her.
Grace swallowed and started walking toward the front of the crowd. She dipped below the ribbon to take her place beside him, then looked up. “What are you doing, Jack?” she asked in a whisper. Tears burned her eyes.
He grabbed her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Then instead of answering her question, he addressed the crowd again. “This woman is another reason this business is opening today. She believed I could do this. She encouraged me and never gave up on me.” He looked at her. “This woman is amazing. And that’s why the first boat ever constructed by Watson and Sawyer is named Grace. What do you think?” he asked the crowd.
In response, everyone cheered.
Grace laughed, even as tears slid down her cheeks. “You named a boat after me?” she asked, noticing the small boat off to the side now. It appeared to be made of oak wood. Her name was painted in calligraphy on the bow. “Oh my God. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” She knew he’d been working on a boat in his garage, but they’d rarely gotten out of the bedroom and the kitchen.
“I’m glad you approve.” Jack grinned at her. Then he held up a pair of silver scissors ceremoniously and cut the large red ribbon in front of them. The crowd went wild, and after a few more words from Jack, they started to disperse. The ceremony was over, short and sweet as promised.
And Grace was more confused than ever. He’d fixed her mom’s place, invited them here today, named a boat after her. What did it mean?
“Hey,” he said, turning to her.
“Hi.” She swallowed and dared to meet his blue eyes. She’d always loved those eyes, that mouth, that man. “Thanks for inviting me here today.”
The corner of his mouth lifted. “I want you here for all the important moments in my life. Our lives.”
Grace swallowed thickly, stepping toward him. Krista was right. There was a pull between them, like magnets. It was an undeniable force. “You and my mom?”
“You were right. She’s changed,” he said, running a hand down the length of Grace’s arm. “I have, too.”
Grace tore her gaze from his, reminding herself of why they couldn’t be together. Why was that again? She sucked in a deep breath. “This is a really great location. Your business is going to thrive here. I’m sure you’ll have more work than you can handle.” She was rambling.
“Grace?”
“Hmmm?” She looked up at him again.
“I’m sorry. I was a huge idiot.”
She lifted both brows in surprise. “I won’t argue with you on that.”
The other side of his mouth kicked up now, too. “And it probably won’t be the last time. But I can promise you that if you give me another chance, give us another chance, I’ll never let anything come between us again.”
“Not even my mother?” she asked.
“I’m starting to tolerate your mother. Maybe even like her a little bit.”
Tears flooded Grace’s eyes. “You’re just saying that because you know that’s what I want to hear.”
He smoothed Grace’s hair off her cheek and stepped closer, until their bodies pressed against each other. He draped his arms around her waist, holding her captive, but she didn’t mind. “Tammy is headstrong and opinionated, and impossible to love sometimes. Her heart is in the right place, though. And she’s pretty damn funny.”
Grace smiled up at him. “Really?”
“Yeah. She’s a lot like you with one exception. You are the easiest woman in the world to love.”
Grace fought off her tears. “You love me?” she whispered.
“So much.” His finger traced the side of her cheek. Then he dipped and pressed his mouth to hers.
The whole community could be watching right now and she didn’t care. If they were going to try this again, which she really wanted—more than she’d ever wanted anything—then they weren’t going to hide a thing.
A single clap came from the crowd. Followed by another.
Grace slunk back, but Jack continued to hold her tightly.
“Now that I have you, I’m never letting go.”
She melted back into him. “Me neither. I love you, Jack Sawyer.”
He grinned and kissed her mouth. “I like the sound of that. Does this mean you’ll give us one more shot?”
Grace went up on her tiptoes and kissed his lips again. “Third time’s a charm.” Her heart swelled to the point that it felt like it might burst inside her. This was her heart’s biggest desire, not just a moment with Jack, but a lifetime.
And she planned on chasing this desire all the way to her happily-ever-after.
Epilogue
Grace stirred in bed, her leg catching on the warm lump near her feet under the covers. “Hope, move,” she said sleepily, rolling into the other, much larger warm body under her covers.
Jack.
Worried that she was only dreaming, she kept her eyes closed a moment longer, smiling as she scooted toward him.
“Hey, beautiful.”
She loved that deep, raspy edge to his voice in the mornings. Waking up just like this every morning for the rest of her life would be…well, her idea of heaven. Especially if she never actually had to leave the bed.
“Morning.” She finally cracked one eye and looked up into Jack’s blue eyes. Yeah, this was definitely heaven. “What time is it?”
“Five o’clock. We slept in. Up and at ’em.” He rolled onto his side and got up, as if rising before the sun wasn’t the most unnatural thing in the world.
Hope sprang off the bed with him. Traitor.
Grace pulled her body upright and yawned. “This is what I get for dating a fisherman.”
Jack walked around the bed, bent, and kissed her. “I’m a builder now. You only have to keep these hours sometimes. Besides, today is all your fault, so don’t go blaming me.”
A small smile lifted her mouth. “Yeah.” She hadn’t won the East Coast fishing tournament, but her visit to dear old Mr. Tomlin had softened his hard heart. Not long after Grace had gone to see him, he’d gone to see Pete. The two had sat down over a few beers and decided fighting over a girl after so many decades was foolish. Then Mr. Tomlin had offered to sell the Beatrice back to the Sawyer family for a fair price. He hadn’t given it back—his heart wasn’t tha
t soft.
“I haven’t been out on the Beatrice since I was a kid. I can’t wait,” Jack said.
Excitement pushed Grace off the bed. She changed into a pair of shorts and a tank top, walked into the bathroom, and pulled her hair back into a ponytail. “It’s old, though, right? Is it going to sink while we’re out there?” she asked, walking back into the bedroom.
“No. Sam and Noah have been working on it. We’ll be fine. But I’ll be keeping a very close eye on you. No falling off the boat this time.”
Grace held up two fingers. “I promise. But if you want to anchor yourself to me, I’m game.”
Jack slid his arms around her. “That’s not a bad idea.”
She swatted him away. “Come on. Let’s go get a coffee from the Blushing Bay Café before we go. I need caffeine.”
“Or,” he said, voice dropping, “I could find a different way to wake you up.”
Grace laughed, but kept on walking. “We’ll never leave the house in that case.”
After grabbing two coffees and muffins to go at the café, they walked up the pier where the Beatrice was docked and climbed aboard. Sam, Noah, and Pete were already waiting. Krista and Joey headed up the pier behind Jack and Grace. They’d participated in the tournament to get the Beatrice back to the Sawyer family. It’d been a team effort and they deserved a seat on the boat’s first ride down the Blushing Bay Channel in far too long.
“I wish your mother could’ve come,” Pete said to Grace as she sat down along the side of the boat.
“She and boats don’t mesh these days, but thanks for saying so.”
Pete nodded.
The great thing was that Grace actually thought Pete wasn’t just talking. The Sawyers had accepted not only Grace, but her mother in some ways, too. They were amiable to one another, friendly even, and one day, if things continued the way they were, Grace could even envision them all being in the same room together when she and Jack said their vows.
As if reading her thoughts, Jack squeezed her hand. Then the engine roared to life on the Beatrice, propelling them forward and out onto the water. They rode along the channel and out into the deeper waters. The focus wasn’t on catching a fish today. Instead it was on new beginnings, maybe. At least that’s what Grace was focused on as she looked out on the group of people she now thought of as her family. Even Joey.
After anchoring thirty minutes later, they ate a picnic breakfast that Abby had made for everyone, laughed, and Noah even jumped in for a swim—pulling Krista into the water with him.
“If that girl didn’t love him so much, she’d probably kill him,” Jack said, leaning over and whispering in Grace’s ear. The sensation tickled as she turned to look into his eyes. “It seems I felt that exact same way about you just a couple of months ago.”
He used his index finger to pull her mouth to his, no longer needing to hide their kisses. “And look where we ended up.”
“I like where we’ve ended up so far,” Grace said, her lips still scraping against his.
“I don’t know.” Jack looked down at her hand in his.
Grace felt her stomach drop. “You don’t know?” she asked.
“I like where we’re going, don’t get me wrong. I’d just like to change a couple things.”
She swallowed nervously. “Oh?”
He nodded, running the pad of his thumb over her fingers, pausing at her left ring finger.
Everything inside her fluttered.
“Maybe just one thing,” he said.
“Oh?” she said again, unable to find any other words.
“Yeah.” Her gaze flicked up and held hers, and in that moment, she knew any changes would only add to their perfection. He dropped to one knee on the floor of the boat and Grace gasped with surprise and excitement. “I would change your last name. You were always meant to be a Sawyer, one way or another.”
Grace laughed even as the tears slid down her cheeks. She didn’t fight them. She welcomed them because they meant she was happy—so, so happy.
“I thought it might be a little too soon yet, but then I realized I’ve loved you for the better half of fifteen years. And if you’ll let me, I’ll love you another seventy, Grace Donner.”
Grace’s body vibrated with excitement and emotion. She nodded, worried that if she spoke she might succumb to the ugly cry.
“Is that a yes?” someone asked.
Not Jack.
Grace looked over her shoulder and saw her friends and family watching them. Looking back at Jack, she sank to her knees on the floor with him. “Yes. I’ll marry you, Jack,” she whispered.
He grinned like that teen boy she’d first fallen for. Then he pulled a box from his pocket and opened it to reveal a small, round glimmering diamond. “It was my grandmother’s. She was a beautiful woman with a beautiful soul. She loved simple things, a lot like you, I’d say. If you want something new—” he started, but Grace shook her head.
“This is exactly what I want. You are exactly what I want, Jack Sawyer.” Taking her hand, he slid the ring on as those behind them cheered. Then she wrapped her arms around his neck, anchoring herself to the man in front of her—forever.
For Gene and everyone who has been touched by Parkinson’s disease. Stay strong, keep fighting, never lose hope.
Acknowledgments
As always, I want to thank God first because writing is a true blessing in my life. I would also like to thank my family. I wake up early in the mornings to write these stories, but that sometimes means I’m exhausted by the end of the day (and maybe a little grumpy, too). Having your support means everything to me and I couldn’t chase these stories or my dreams without you. I love you all! Thank you for all you do!
Thanks to my super agent, Sarah Younger, for keeping me straight, and to my wonderful editor at Penguin Random House/Loveswept, Junessa Viloria, for saying yes to a whole new series! Blushing Bay would just be a fictional place in my imagination without you ladies! Thanks to the entire team at Penguin Random House/Loveswept for all your hard work and professionalism. It is truly an honor to be part of your team!
I would like to give a HUGE shout-out to my critique partner and very good friend, Rachel Lacey! Your advice and suggestions make my books infinitely better! And to my #girlsnightwrite ladies, Sidney Halston, Rachel Lacey, April Hunt, and Tif Marcelo—Muah and much love to you all because you inspire me and make me a better writer!
Last, but certainly not least, I would like to thank my readers! Thank you for spending your time in the pages of my stories, for falling in love with my heroes, and rooting for my couples’ happily-ever-afters! I so appreciate your kind words, recommendations to others, and reviews! Thank you from the very bottom of my heart!
BY ANNIE RAINS
A Hero’s Welcome
Welcome to Forever
Welcome Home, Cowboy
Welcoming the Bad Boy
Welcome Home for Christmas
Blushing Bay
Forbidden Kisses
PHOTO: SARAH SAVAGE PHOTOGRAPHY
Annie Rains is a contemporary romance author who writes small-town love stories set in fictional towns on the coast of North Carolina. Raised in one of America’s largest military communities, Annie often features heroes who fight for their country, while also fighting for a place to call home and a good woman to love. When Annie isn’t writing, she’s spending time with her husband and three children, or reading a book by one of her favorite authors.
Connect with Annie Rains:
annierains.com
Find Annie Rains on Facebook
Join Annie Rains’s private Facebook reader group
@AnnieRains
Pinterest.com/annie4094
Instagram.com/annierainsauthor
Sign up for Annie Rains’s newsletter to keep up with the latest news on her books
Read on for a sneak peek of the next book in the Blushing Bay series
Stolen Kisses
by Annie Rains
; Coming soon from Loveswept
Chapter 1
Krista Nelson wanted to pop the Barbie’s head right off her shoulders. She was blond, unlike Krista. Tall, unlike Krista. And she was Noah Sawyer’s date.
Unlike Krista.
Krista swallowed and waved a hand at the two sitting across from her. “Of course it’s okay that you brought a friend.” Her smile was so large and fake that she felt like her face might crumble on the table where they were seated. It was fine. She and Noah had dinner every Wednesday night, just the two of them. Until tonight. But it was fine.
Krista narrowed her eyes on the Barbie. Amber was her real name, she thought she remembered Noah saying. And she was probably a nice person under her thick shell of perfection.
“So how long have you two known each other?” Barbie asked.
Noah answered the question. “Kris lived in the house across from me and my brothers growing up.”
“That’s cool,” his date said.
“My parents moved a few miles away during my senior year of high school,” Krista said. “But we never lost touch.”
Noah grinned, those boyish dimples of his poking deep craters in his cheeks. “She just can’t stay away from me.”
Krista shook her head with a smile. “Because you’re so irresistible.”
Noah glanced over at Barbie. “Don’t worry. It’s not like that between us,” he told her. “Kris has always been just one of the guys.”
Pain seared through Krista’s heart. “You know I hate when you use that expression. I’m a woman.” In case he hadn’t noticed.
“What I meant to say,” he amended, “is that we’ve always been best friends. Nothing more.” He swung an easy arm around Barbie, hooking her far shoulder and pulling her closer.
“Wow, that’s really great,” Barbie said, turning and meeting his eyes. She and Noah were so close their lips were practically touching.