Page 55 of Feels Like Home

Plans that feel like they’ve been a long timecoming.

Plans that required me to bring a few groceries of ourown.

When I pull up to Christine’s house, Bri is standing on the front porch, phone to her ear. She sees me pull in and smiles, opening the door and leaning her head in before ending the call and sliding her phone into her backpocket.

“Whisking away my mom for a weekend without me,huh?”

“Hey, I told her you were welcome to come, but you seem to think earning money for college is more important,” I teaseher.

She descends a couple of the stairs, meeting me halfway. She leans down and gives me a hug, her affectionate side coming from her mother, nodoubt.

“If you change your mind, call me, got it? I can give you directions to come up there and relax. Even if just for aday.”

Her eyes light up, and she bites her lip. “Do you think it would be okay if Grady came withme?”

“I have absolutely no doubt in my mind it would be okay. Though I’m pretty sure the boys would monopolize his time,” Ichuckle.

Aidan and Reece look up to Grady like crazy. Even last fall when he had his little mishap, decking some punk kid who thought he could take advantage of Bri, they never wavered. They know what kind of man heis.

And if they are looking up to a high school kid, wanting to be like him? Grady is definitely who I wouldchoose.

Bri beams in my direction before wiggling her fingers at the boys still seated in thepickup.

“I’ll go get Mom. She has a ton of stuff.” Shechuckles.

Before she gets too far away, I snag her arm to ask her a question I was hoping I’d get the chance to ask her before weleft.

“I need to ask you something first,” I tell her, nodding my head to thepickup.

She looks at me curiously but followsanyway.

“Hey, boys, what’s up?” she asks through the open window of the pickupdoor.

“Not much, Bri, how’s it going? How’sGrady?”

She smirks and reaches in to give each a fist bump. Reece leans clear over Aidan to get his turn, earning a scowl that he promptly ignores. “He’s good. You ready forvacation?”

“Soready.”

“Mind if Grady and I bust up the party oneday?”

“Yeah! That would beawesome!”

“What’d I tell ya?” Ichuckle.

“So, what is it you needed to askme?”

“He’s gonna ask your mom on a date! Isn’t thatawesome?”

She turns her gaze to me, smiling. She looks so much like her mother, it’s almost shocking. Aside from her lack of diamond stud in her nose and red streak like her mom has, they could be sisters, especially considering Christine looksyoung.

“What?”

I look at the boys and wink before walking Bri away from the open window, not wanting them to overhear everything. “Well, that’s what I wanted to ask you. While we’re at the cabin, the boys and I have a plan for how to ask your mom out on a date. But you need to know, my divorce from Heather isn’t finalized yet. We’re supposed to meet with our lawyers at the end of the week so it will be, but I want to be up front about that. And I want your permission to date your mom. If she says yes, she’s not just saying yes to me, but to my boys, too. And I want to know you’re okay with us coming into your family that way. Because I’m not just asking her, I’m asking you, as well. I’m not saying I’m asking her to marry me, but I like your mom. She means a lot to me, and I don’t see things being short term with her. Before I go forward, I want to ask you. Are you okay with me dating yourmom?”

“Are you serious right now?” Bri asks, her voice incredulous and her eyes wide. I can’t tell if she’s shocked or annoyed. Teenage girls are hard toread.

“Umm,yes?”

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