Page 149 of Return To You

Before I start on the roof, I call Colton’s guy to order some material. I’ll need help to fix the roof, but a couple of guys will be easier to secure than supplies, after the storm that hit the whole state. Then I hoist myself up there and seal the tarp. Once I’m done, I sit on top of the roof, savoring the vision of a work well done, the feeling of accomplishment. My eyes drift to Woodbury Knoll and an idea forms in my mind. By the time Grace comes around to check in on me, I have a whole plan that excites me.

“You sure look happy,” Grace comments.

“Good as new!” I say, motioning to the tarp.

“Come down here. You’re scaring me.”

“Help me out.” I lower the roofing cement to the ground using a spare rope and let Grace catch it, then I put my tools in an empty bucket she catches as well.

When I jump off the ladder next to her, she laces her arms around me. “Do you get a rush from being in danger?” She looks straight into my eyes, the gravity of her gaze unsettling.

Was it fun up there? Yeah—for a minute. “I was just fixing the roof.” Was it dangerous? Maybe a tiny bit risky. “I have no intention of dying.” As the words leave my mouth, I register a tiny narrowing of her pupils, like an assessment. I pull her closer to me. “I was careful, Grace. Trust me. Not many guys go on a roof with a harness.”

She gives me a quick nod. “Okay.” She moves away from me, and I throw an arm around her shoulders as she walks us to the front of the house. Her footsteps are resolute, her body taut. Like she’s weighed the pros and the cons of a situation, and made a choice. Like she knows life is never a given, and shit happens. All the fucking time. She’s been there before. She made plans, she changed her life, and life changed its plans on her.

And it made her so fucking strong.

“Hey.” I stop us on the side of the house. “I’m being careful. On your—” I correct myself “on the roof. On my bike. Everywhere. You think I’m gonna let something happen to me, now that I found you? Not a fucking chance.” And she better believe she’ll have me in her life for the rest of her days. I don’t say as much, but I hope that’s what she hears.

“Okay,” she whispers, lifting her face to meet my lips.

As I take her mouth in mine, snake my tongue to meet hers, feel the little whimper in the back of her throat, anxiety knots itself in my stomach as I think about our future. How the hell are we going to navigate the next few years? We’re only young-ish. How many years until we can start a family? This could turn into a fucking nightmare.

“Come on,” she says, breaking our kiss. “There’s a community meeting at Lazy’s in half an hour. I’ll load this in the Jeep while you shower and change.” She looks me up and down, her tongue darting out like she could lick me up right now, but also—she appraises me and… did she just tell me to shower and change? No woman except my own mother has ever done that, and if I’m not mistaken, it’s the second time in less than twenty-four hours Grace has done that, and it feels… kinda great.

“Are you gonna fix me a PB&J?” I ask on a chuckle.

“Nope,” she answers airily. “There’s a reason community meetings are held at Lazy’s. Justin and Shane provide food. Guarantees optimal attendance, ‘specially days like today.”

“So what’s this meeting for?” I ask once we’re in the Jeep. Grace cleaned the floor mat and cute fabric I all but ruined yesterday, and her car smells like laundry day.

“Assess who needs what. Make teams to help out those in need.” She drives slowly but confidently, swerving through the debris still littering the streets, waving through her open window at people I don’t know anymore. My gaze falls on her soft hands, her short but manicured nails, the thin chain bracelet that jingles softly. It matches her earrings, and I wonder who got her the set.

“What?” she asks with a smile.

“Nothin’.”

She smiles. “Really.”

“Where’d you get the bracelet and earrings?” I ask her, giving into some primal possessiveness. I should know better.

She wiggles her wrist. “Oh! From Gems in town. Aren’t they cute? They were having a Fourth of July sale.”

I trail my hand to her earlobe, run the pad of my thumb over the delicate shape of a sparrow. Something warm grows inside me. I want to give her jewelry. “I like it. That a nice shop?”

She glances at me, amusement in her gaze. “Very nice. They have reasonable prices and also, they do custom requests. Why? You looking for something for your Mom’s birthday?” She giggles.

“Ha-ha.” That is never going away. I laugh with her. “Maybe.”

Grace parallel parks on The Green and we head to Lazy’s. My brother’s pub is packed. There’s a food buffet set on the bar and on a couple of tables in the back, and people are filling plates and soup bowls and huddling together. The chatter is loud yet somber.

Colton walks in right behind us with Dennis and Shannon, so we fill a couple of plates with sandwiches to share and squeeze together around a small table.

Cassandra calls the meeting by standing on a chair and ringing a cowbell. Noah stands next to her and takes notes. They’re tallying up the needs in generators, pumps, furniture, food, clothing. Autumn’s parents write stuff down, and so do Justin and Chris, Lucas and Thalia, and a couple of other people.

“I wish I could donate something,” Grace whispers in my ear, “but mani-pedis and massages aren’t top of list right now.”

I lean into her. “You could donate to those who are donating,” I whisper back.

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