Page 50 of Homecoming

“Da da da da da da…” Fallon sang, toddling toward him.

Aiden laughed and swung her up into his arms.

“How is my Little Bit doing?”

Fallon nodded her head. “Good, Daddy.”

Aiden looked at Angela. “Did she just answer me like I think she did?”

Laughing, Angela pushed up from the floor where they’d been playing. “I think she did. She’s been very talkative today. Is Black still on a tear?”

“Jeez, yes, he is.” Crossing the room, he dropped onto the couch. “Today we changed the oil on four vehicles and two bikes. Went over the budget for the next two months. Down to thepenny,” he stressed, “and he’s got everyone hopping in the lodge doing a deep clean.”

Angela winced, glad she’d stayed at the cabin today. Fallon had developed a bit of a sniffle, and she wanted to stay with her.

Since Grace had left Christmas night, Black had been difficult to deal with. His perfectionist personality bordered on too much on a regular day, but it was obvious he was trying to distract himself from his inner thoughts about Grace. She hadn’t called or texted any of them, and Black was taking that very personally.

Angela thought about texting her herself. She didn’t want to meddle in their relationship any more than she already had, but maybe she was the perfect one to talk to. No one else on this mountain, other than Jordyn, would understand better what Grace was possibly walking into.

She would give her a little more time, then she would check on her. Angela considered her a friend, and she had very few female friends here.

SEVENTEEN

Grace sank down into the chair in her apartment and knew she wasn’t going to move for a while. She felt out of it, she was so tired. Mentally, she went over her cupboard. She had tea, and wanted tea, but didn’t feel like getting up to get it.

For the past three days, she’d played nursemaid to her niece and nephews. Connie, her sister-in-law, was in Knoxville with her sick parents. Apparently, when everyone had gotten together to celebrate the holiday, someone had brought an unwanted guest. The flu. She thought maybe it had been Finley, bringing it home from college, because she was the first one to go down. Mom was okay, but dad was sick, as well as Finley and JT, her brother that still lived at home. Mom had her hands full, too.

So, when Beck had called for help with the kids after Connie had left for Knoxville, she hadn’t even hesitated. They were on the mend now, but she was exhausted. She’d gotten little to no sleep watching over them. Even when Beck was home at night and supposed to be covering, they asked for her, so of course she got up with them.

Her phone chimed with a message, but she didn’t even move her head. She’d taken the time to put a sign on the door that she was out with sick family, and she’d texted her shop girl notto come in. There was a delivery in a couple of days, and she planned to sleep most of that time.

Maybe.

Grace blinked up at the ceiling, wondering if she had the energy to even make it into her bedroom. This chair was very comfortable right now. Her eyes blinked closed.

She roused when her phone chimed again, and she knew she had to move. There was a crick in her neck and she really wanted to lay down.

Rolling her head, she reached for her phone in her pocket. Beck let her know he got more Pedialyte for the kids, and a line of hearts thanking her. She sent him a heart, then scanned back to the other message.

Angela had texted her.

Hey, girl, I know you got a bomb dropped on you and I understand your hesitation. If you need someone to talk to, I’ve been in your shoes.

Grace pushed up from the chair and headed to her bedroom. She didn’t respond to Angela until she was in bed under her covers. She didn’t want her to think that she wasn’t responding because she wasn’t coming back.

Not avoiding, just dealing with sickness. wil tex latr…

Then she crashed.

It felt like she slept forever, but it was only a few hours before she woke up again, having to pee. Then she went back to bed, barely able to cover her shoulders before sleep took her.

When next she woke, she felt marginally better because her head was more clear. Heading into the kitchen, she ate a bananathat wasn’t too far gone, pitched the rest of the bunch and drank a big glass of water. Then she used the bathroom and headed back to bed.

Night had fallen when she opened her eyes again, and she felt so much better than she had that morning. Something niggled at her senses, and she rolled her head.

Owen stood at the foot of her bed, hat in his hand. “Don’t freak out. Angela told me you were sick, and I needed to come check on you.”

Grace blinked in the dim light, not even surprised he was there. Had she been hoping he would come check on her when she’d mentioned the sickness to Angela? Maybe it had been a tiny glimmer in her mind.

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