by Zoe York
“I know you will always miss her,” Grace said. It was important to say that out loud.
He nodded. “Forever. But when I hold you in my arms, I’m not thinking about her like that. It’s not a comparison thing. Ever. I love you, Grace. Exactly as you are, exactly where you are, and on your own terms. I want to share my life with you in a way that makes you happy. Visiting back and forth for now, and then one day, when you aren’t looking, I may just move in for good.”
“But California—”
“We’ll keep my house. We’ll want to visit the kids. But you built all of this, and I would never ask you to leave it. Besides, I look really good in flannel.”
“You do.” She laughed and tugged at his collar. “I’ll have to get you more—”
“Did you hear me?”
She had. She was still processing it, so—
“I love you.” This time, he didn’t say anything else around it.
Harder for her to ignore this way. She saw what he was doing. So she nodded.
“I didn’t think I would find love again. But I have, and it’s different with you. This thing between us…it took me by surprise.”
“You said it was an ambush.” She finally found her voice. “At camp. That’s what you said when I said I didn’t know what this was.”
“We were ambushed by love, because neither of us thought it would happen for us again. And then bam, it did.”
“I’m set in my ways,” she murmured.
“I’m not looking to change anything about you. I want you exactly as you are.”
“But with a better book organization system.”
“Not even that. Just more shelves. I love the precarious piles. Let’s just get them up off the table, so I can cook for you.”
“So much pressure,” she grumbled, and he laughed as he squeezed her tight.
Epilogue
April
Coronado
“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Mom…” Tegan and Wyatt were louder, but as they sang, Grace saw Frank mouth her name. Gracie. Somewhere over the winter holidays he’d added the -ie to her name and it had stuck.
She blew out her candles in a single breath. It helped that there were just two of them, a wax number five and a wax number six.
“Thank you, my darlings,” she said as she served four big pieces onto plates. “So far, this has been a magical birthday.”
“And you haven’t opened your presents yet,” Frank said, grinning. He’d already given her a card, along with breakfast in bed—and an orgasm to start the day, too. But he’d kept the big present a secret until the kids arrived for cake. It was in the living room, a large box wrapped up in bright yellow paper. It had been there since she’d arrived three days earlier.
They’d been flying back and forth regularly, with Frank staying with her in Saratoga Springs more often than he was here in California. But two weeks ago, he’d flown out west ahead of her, saying he had some birthday preparations to take care of.
She was pretty sure the present was handmade, and that warmed her heart more than she’d ever have expected at this point in her life. Or any point in the past.
Frank was more than she’d ever wanted, and everything she would ever need.
He was even better than the birthday cake Tegan had brought, and that was saying something. “This cake is incredible, baby. Where did you get it?”
“This bakery I found near the—” Tegan stopped and looked at Wyatt. “Let’s give her the card now.”
He laughed and kissed his wife on the head as he got up to grab an envelope they’d set on the sideboard.
Grace took it from him, curious as she ripped open the flap. Inside was a birthday card. Bright green and pink. Very cute. And then she started reading it.
What’s the best way to say
Happy birthday?
Is it with a kiss, or a hug,
Or a cuddle with a bug.
What’s the best way to celebrate
Is it balloons or a nice big cake?
So when it’s Grandma’s day—
Grace’s eyes filled with tears and she put the card down, her hands shaking. Tegan flew into her arms and they hugged each other tight.
“Really?” she whispered into her daughter’s hair. “A baby?”
“Yep. Just before Christmas, I think.”
“That’s wonderful news. So, so wonderful.” She breathed in deeply and squeezed Tegan tight. “How are you feeling?”
“Just fine. Really, so good.”
When they pulled apart, she saw Frank was shaking Wyatt’s hand. She smiled at them. Frank would be a grandfather. What a special gift that would be.
He caught her eye, and she crooked her finger at him. He came close and gave her a gentle kiss. “Big news,” he said softly.
“I know. Grandma. Nana? Granny? I can’t choose.”
He laughed out loud. “I don’t think you need to pick right now. And I’ve heard the grandchildren sometimes have a say in that, too.”
“I suppose they do.” She squeezed his hand tight. “What about you? What do you want to be called?”
He shrugged one of his big shoulders. “Just Frank, I suppose.”
“Oh, no,” Tegan said, throwing herself around him. “You’re definitely a Papa. Or maybe a Grampa.”
“I don’t know…” His neck turned red.
A year ago, Grace would have wondered if he felt uncomfortable. Now she knew that meant he was pleased. She squeezed his hand. “Definitely Papa.”
He smiled. “We’ll let the munchkin decide that.” Then he cleared his throat. “Okay, my turn for gift giving. Let’s go through to the living room once we’ve finished our cake.”
Grace stood up, giving him a smacking kiss on the cheek. “Cake can wait. I want to get into that present! It’s been teasing me since I got here.”
They paraded into the living room, where she took a picture of the giant present before hooking her finger under the yellow paper and ripping it back.
Inside was a piece of furniture. It looked like a desk, of sorts, but higher. A standing desk, maybe, with lots of drawers and tiny shelves.
“It’s a cross between a potting bench and an apothecary table,” Frank said, wrapping his arm around her. “I was hoping you might have a reason to spend more time out here, and you’ll need a work space to make soap and try new recipes, even if the primary work happens back in New York.”
“Oh, Frank,” she breathed. “It’s magical.”
“And when the baby arrives, we can make more changes to the house, whatever you need.”
She stopped poking into the various nooks and crannies and gave her love her full attention. “Frank.”
“Yes?”
“You are the reason I would spend more time out here. Not just the baby. I’m thrilled about the baby, of course I am, but you are my heart. You are enough to make me endure this constant sunshine and golden sand.”
“Me?”
“You.”
“Well how about that.”
“I love you, you big, gruff man. I love that you made me this table, and I love that you’re excited about being grandparents together, and I love that you don’t want me to ever change.”
He swept her into his arms and buried his face in her neck.
She squeezed him tight.
“I love you right back,” he murmured against her skin. “I can’t wait to be Grampa to your Grandma.”
Her heart skipped a beat.
She brought her lips to the curve of his ear. “We’re going to make that dirty, right?”
He chuckled under his breath. “You know it, wildflower.”
Keep reading with other books in this series by Zoe York. Skinny Dipping Dare (Tegan and Wyatt’s book), Take a Chance on Me (Grady and Priya’s story) and Winning Back His Wife (Heather and Michael Tully’s book) are all available.
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About the Author
Zoe York lives in London, Ontario with her young family. An author of more than twenty sexy small town and military romances, she is a fan of heroes that could be swoon-worthy in real life, and heroines that could be her best friends. She's currently chugging Americanos, wiping sticky fingers, and dreaming of heroes in and out of uniform.
Website: www.zoeyork.com
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