Page 41 of Falling for Grace

“Grace.” He places his hands on my shoulders and pulls me back. “Let an old man take a good long look at you.” And he does. I stand there under the burning scrutiny of his piercing green eyes as he takes in my appearance. “Well, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes. Sue is going to be so pleased to see you.” He places his hands in mine, and I squeeze them. Tears blind my vision and he looks at me and nods.

Then he grabs my bags. But he leaves my handbag and Toblerone on the floor. He knows the tradition and I can hear him sniffle as he lifts everything else.

“We’re in the green car park, wherever the bloody hell that is,” he mutters. “Anyway, did you have a good flight?”

“You told Brandon,” I say falling into step beside him. He looks at me and nods.

“Well, of course we did. I knew he would want to know. He’d have been here himself if he was in the country. Instead, you get the older more attractive version.” He grins at me and I smile, blinking back my tears.

“Well, your son treated me to an upgrade, so I can say for the first time ever that a flight was good.”

“I knew he’d do that,” he said, smiling at me. “He wouldn’t want you traveling all this way in economy, you know Brandon.”

“That I do,” I say, more to myself than him.

“Do you want to come back to ours first? Or straight to your hotel?”

“I’ll come to yours. I managed to get some sleep, so I’m feeling pretty good. Although I would love a shower.”

“I’m sure we can arrange that, and you will have your bag so you can freshen up. Sue is desperate to see you. I think…” He pauses as he presses the elevator button. “I think seeing you will help, you know.”

I nod.

“I think having you and Brandon about will help her…come to terms with things.” I nod again, because I’m scared if I talk my voice will be thick with the emotion that I’m desperately trying to push back down.

“Right, here we are.” The lift doors ping open, and he stops in front of the car park ticket machine. “Blimey! This place tries to rob you of your money,” he says, taking in the display. “I’ve been here barely an hour and the bastards are trying to charge me six quid.”

“I’ve got it, Ted,” I say, reaching for my purse. “It’s the least I can do. I wasn’t expecting anyone to be here, let alone you.”

“Shush with you, girl, of course I’m here. I couldn’t have you trekking on public transport, it’s a bloody mission. You’d be a shell of your former self if you had to navigate all that with this luggage.”

“Well, thank you, I really appreciate it.”

“Sue would be here, too, she’s just trying to sort arrangements for Friday.”

“I understand.” We walk towards a large Range Rover and my eyes bulge out of their eye sockets. “Blimey, Ted, you’ve become a Surrey Mummy.” He looks at me with a smug smile as the boot starts to open automatically.

“One of the benefits of having a son in the movies. We get lovely presents. I joked one day that I liked the new Range Rover—lo and behold, the next day one was sitting in my driveway.”

I tip my head back and laugh. “You hate Range Rovers. You used to sit and moan about them all the time on the way to school. What did you use to call them Assmobiles?”

“Things change, and besides…look at how lovely Bella is.”

“You named it?” Ted looks at me like I’m mad.

“Of course I named it! Would be rude not too.” he strokes the roof lovingly and I laugh climbing into the passenger side. The inside is all white leather, with piano black trim. I think anyone would be converted to a Range Rover fan sitting in a car of this standard.

“So, its’ been how long, Grace? Three years?”

I’ve been waiting for the conversation to move into this arena, and I immediately sit up straight, on edge.

I have no idea whether they know.

I chance a look at Ted and he is watching me. He doesn’t start the car, he just looks at me. He knows.

“When did he tell you?” I all but whisper.

Ted looks at me with sympathy in his eyes and reaches across to take my hand. “I knew something had happened when he came back. He was…different.”

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