Page 127 of Peppermint Bark

“Oblivious,” I teased. “I told you it wasn’t what you think but —”

“No, the other part,” his forehead dropped to mine.

“I’m in love with you, Alex Clarke,” I said, butterflies in my chest fluttering wildly as his eyes warmed. I lifted my right hand, palm facing me. “Wrong hand.”

His face softened in relief and he kissed me fiercely, without hesitation.

When we heard Mallory’s laugh from the porch, he broke the kiss and groaned in frustration. I held out my hand and explained, “It’s a mother’s ring. Jean gave it to me when — Alex, I’m going to be Ruby’s foster mom.”

His mouth lifted into that glorious smile. My feet lifted off the floor as he spun around, a quick laugh of joy escaping me. He pressed his lips to mine firmly, like a period at the end of a sentence.

“You’re going to be a mom, Gracie!” But then his brow furrowed, focusing at the ring again. “So who did I hear you talking to on the phone?”

“You’re never going to believe this: After you left, my brother found me.”

His jaw tightened. “I told that son of a —”

“Not Levi,” I interrupted, resting my fingertip gently on his lips. His fierce lion face softened to a kitten at my touch. “Elijah.”

“Elijah found you?” The hope in his eyes reflected how mine probably looked when I saw my brother through the yoga studio door. “How?”

“You told my mom that I worked at a yoga studio and leaked my name.”

He looked chagrined. “I didn’t mean to, I —”

“It’s ok,” I said softly, kissing the corner of his mouth. Loving that he was close enough to do that again. That he was moving home. That he was mine. “He’d been searching for me. After your clue, he visited yoga studios across the state until he found me.”

Alex’s eyes brimmed with tears. His hands found mine, pressing his thumb into my ring. “How is — where does — ?”

“He's been staying with Isaac in Albany. Albany, can you believe it? Isaac is married with a daughter and another on the way. I have … I have a family,” I said, choking up in lingering disbelief. "And Elijah is moving here too."

“Good, you belong here,” he said firmly. “I just want to be where you are, if you’ll let me.”

I had no words left, so I lifted onto my toes, and his lips met mine. A covenant, a claiming.

A homecoming.

“Listen, I know a lot has changed since I left. You’ve got Ruby,” he said, his thumb tapping the ring on my right hand. “And now you’ve got Elijah and Isaac,” his thumb grazed the other knuckles. “And you’ll always have a special bond with Mallory. So … they can have the other nine,” he said quietly, then ran his thumb over the fourth finger on my left hand. “But save this finger for me, will you, Grace? And let me know when you’re ready?”

My heart exploded with joy. We kissed until we were breathless … then he lifted his head to look around his dad’s office. “This next part would be smoother if we were at your place like I planned.”

“My place is a mess,” I said shamefully. “I wasn’t expecting —”

He threaded his fingers through mine. “Let me lock up. I know exactly where to go.”

Chapter 44

Alex

Jesus Christ, I almost had my own heart attack when I saw that diamond on Grace’s finger, assuming that Shannon came back or Dr. Tran had swooped in. Hell, it only took me a month to fall in love with her, and it would have happened faster if I wasn’t such a fucking idiot.

I’d only been gone a few weeks, but it was a relief to be back. I missed everything: the snow, the pine trees, even her ugly truck. I’m pretty sure Yolanda missed me too, giving an extra shimmy when I slid behind the wheel. I told Grace to close her eyes and she reached for my hand across the center seat, as if not being able to see me meant I’d disappear … then I drove to her house and parked the truck in her garage.

“Ok, darling, open your eyes.”

Her lids snapped open, revealing her disappointment and frustration. “Alex, I told you, my place is a mess, you said —”

“Trust me, ok?” I stepped out of her garage into the driveway, breathing in the crisp January night air — just cold enough to see my breath, cloudless with a canopy of stars above.

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