Page 75 of Please, Stay

Martha mumbled, “Oh my,” before she pulled out a chair and sat down, a plate of cookies still in her hand. “Statem, Georgia is something else, I’ll tell you what.” She waved a cookie in their direction. “Bless your heart. This is more drama than Prince Alfred ever had to deal with on the show.”

23

Juliana stared up at Grayson’s darkened window as her dad drove past the bed and breakfast on the way to Ms. Iris’s for Christmas dinner. The crowd that had gathered in the streets last night was now long gone. She’d almost expected some Christmas miracle that morning. Grayson hadn’t come sweeping in on a massive, white horse to rescue her and carry her away for eternity while proclaiming his never-ending love for her. A little dramatic, but it was her dream. He had access to Hollywood. Hecouldmake it happen, technically.

Instead, she’d quietly swapped gifts with her dad. He thanked her for the new shirts, grumbled about new shoes, and then helped her clasp the new watch he’d purchased for her. They parted to different sides of the house, briefly sat together for lunch, and nonverbally agreed to avoid the topic of Grayson.

“I hope you can put this behind you long enough to be pleasant at dinner. Iris was generous in opening her home to us for Christmas.”

Juliana sighed and leaned her head against the cold glass of the car window. “I hope you do the same.”

He gave her a sharp look before turning down the driveway and then climbing out. She stepped out and loaded her arms with bags of presents from the backseat. She’d stashed them there, under a blanket the night before. Gifts for Eliza and Carrie. Because they were here. Everything had come together, aside from keeping her dad in a good mood and possibly open to apologizing to Eliza.

Last night had left her emotionally drained. She’d walked away from Grayson at the back door of the bed and breakfast after a long kiss goodnight. And that was it. He planned to leave today to go to Atlanta for his early morning flight tomorrow. She made him promise not to leave until she could say goodbye. So far, he hadn’t appeared.

“Who are those for?” Her dad pointed at the bags.

“Visitors.”

Her dad stepped up onto the porch. “What kind of visitors?” The front door swung open. Carrie came running out in her Christmas dress, bells tinkling.

“Merry Christmas!” She screamed as she launched herself off the porch and into his waiting arms.

“I’m surprised to see you, Caroline.” He twirled her in a circle, an uncommon laugh escaping in a sharp bark. “Did Iris pick you up?”

Carrie shook her head, black curls bouncing. “Mama brought me.” She leaned close to his ear but didn’t really whisper. “She said we’re going to live in Statem from now on.”

Eliza walked out, looking calm. In control. “Hello, Daddy.”

He stumbled back down the steps, his arms still holding Carrie. His eyes snapped back and forth between Carrie and Eliza.

Eliza didn’t seem phased by his shocked expression. She walked down the steps and stood in front of him. Carrie wiggled to get down and ran over to Juliana. “Do you want to see my toys? Santa gave meeverythingI asked for! That has never happened.”

“Not now, sweetie.” She’d waited too long to miss this moment. And playing referee wasn’t out of the question between the two of them just yet.

Eliza pulled Carrie to her side and stood directly in front of their dad. “I want to come home, Daddy. I want Carrie to live here. To know you.” She smiled gently. “I’m sorry for the way everything happened, but I can’t regret it. Not after having Carrie. I’m willing to move on. The only person that’s going to make this miserable is you.”

He reached up and after a few attempts, managed to touch Eliza’s cheek. “You look as beautiful as your mother did at your age.”

Juliana didn’t know if Eliza started crying because she couldn’t see through her own tears. Of all the reactions, all the bad things her dad had said about Eliza, those words didn’t even come close to how Juliana had imagined her dad to react.

She agreed with her dad. Eliza looked exactly like their mom. Her intensely dark hair pulled up on top of her head. A cream sweater with a simple string of pearls. Eliza blinked at the unexpected compliment.

He snatched Eliza into a spontaneous hug. “It was like looking at a ghost last night when I saw Caroline in your dress. I kept thinking someone would pop out and tell me it was a cruel joke. That I was being punished for being an absolute idiot for not following you. I lost your mother and then you. I haven’t forgiven myself. I just—” he wiped tears off his cheeks “—didn’t know how to change anything. Didn’t know how to apologize to you. I wasn’t sure you ever wanted to see me again. I’m sorry, baby.”

Juliana locked eyes with her dad.

In slow motion, he held out a hand.

She threw her arms around her family, Carrie wiggling into the middle of the pile. This was it. The one moment she’d wanted for almost ten years. They were back together, finally.

A motorcycle rumbled in the distance. Juliana squeezed her eyes shut as a new pain flashed deep inside. Grayson. She wiped her wet cheeks and sniffed.

“Y’all, go inside and let Ms. Iris know World War Three hasn’t started out here.” Juliana pushed them in the direction of the porch. She needed to see Grayson alone. Arms still wrapped around one another, they disappeared inside. The porch door closed with a slap.

Grayson’s motorcycle came into view, slowly rolling down Ms. Iris’s driveway. The two-week fairytale was officially over. She’d promised herself that she wouldn’t cry and wiped the rest of the tears from her face. He stopped, put his kickstand down, and pulled off his helmet.

Their eyes met, and the world stopped. He climbed off the motorcycle and stood there, his expression resigned and grim.

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